Barnstaple in the 18th century was a prosperous and important port and Queen Anne’s Walk is a testament to the commercial success of the town in the early 18th century. Queen Anne’s Walk was built in 1708 as a Merchants Trading Exchange and was originally a free standing structure built as a single colonnade facing the quay inlet, which h
Barnstaple in the 18th century was a prosperous and important port and Queen Anne’s Walk is a testament to the commercial success of the town in the early 18th century. Queen Anne’s Walk was built in 1708 as a Merchants Trading Exchange and was originally a free standing structure built as a single colonnade facing the quay inlet, which has since been filled in. The sunken area outside of Queen Annes follows the line of the Great Quay. Here ships would land and unload exotic cargos and it is from here that locally made cloth and pottery would be exported to places as far afield as North America and the West Indies.
The name of the building comes from the large statue of Queen Anne donated to the town by Robert Rolle of Stevenson in 1709 when the colonnade was rebuilt. Rumour has it that at the last stroke of midnight, the statue of Queen Anne throws the ball into the air three times before quickly reassuming her position.
Formerly the structure was
The name of the building comes from the large statue of Queen Anne donated to the town by Robert Rolle of Stevenson in 1709 when the colonnade was rebuilt. Rumour has it that at the last stroke of midnight, the statue of Queen Anne throws the ball into the air three times before quickly reassuming her position.
Formerly the structure was known as Merchants Walk and dated back as far as 1609. The cost of rebuilding the exchange is believed to have been met by a number of local benefactors whose names and coats of arms are displayed within the frieze above the colonnade. These include the names of three important merchants, who were also town mayors, inscribed on the stone: - John Delbridge, Richard Ferris and Pentecost Dodderidge.
The colonnade offered weather protection to the merchants and sea captains as they sealed their deals on the Tome Stone alongside the ships that carried merchandise as far afield as North America, The West Indies and the Mediterranean. Similar stones are called nails, hence the expression of ‘paying on the nail’. This Tome Stone dates ba
The colonnade offered weather protection to the merchants and sea captains as they sealed their deals on the Tome Stone alongside the ships that carried merchandise as far afield as North America, The West Indies and the Mediterranean. Similar stones are called nails, hence the expression of ‘paying on the nail’. This Tome Stone dates back to 1633 and can still be seen outside of the building today.
The present structure behind the colonnade was constructed in 1859 and designed as public baths and washrooms. The Baths lasted only until 1868 when the building was converted from Public Baths into a Masonic Lodge where it stayed until moving to Trafalgar Lawn in 1966.
The Railway came to Barnstaple in 1854 and to celebrate the opening of the town’s first railway station which linked Barnstaple with Exeter, a grand banquet for 700 people was held in the Pannier Market.
The first station, known as Barnstaple Quay, was built near Queen Anne’s Walk and the Quay was infilled around 1870 to facilitate the c
The Railway came to Barnstaple in 1854 and to celebrate the opening of the town’s first railway station which linked Barnstaple with Exeter, a grand banquet for 700 people was held in the Pannier Market.
The first station, known as Barnstaple Quay, was built near Queen Anne’s Walk and the Quay was infilled around 1870 to facilitate the construction, as the track ran alongside the Quay. This later formed part of the bus station and the railway was renamed Barnstaple Town and moved to it’s present location when space was needed for the Barnstaple to Lynton narrow gauge railway in 1898.
Queen Anne’s has always been a focal point of The Barnstaple Fair, Carnival and other Community events. Dignitaries and crowds lined the Strand outside the building at the proclamation of the Fair.
When the Freemasons moved out, The Queen Anne Building then became ‘The Strand’ Over 60’s Club. Then in 1996 it became Barnstaple’s Heritage Centre. This closed in 2016 and remained empty until 2018 when the building was refurbished and became ‘Queen Anne’s’ Café on The Strand.