a market and borough-town and seaport of the hundred of Braunton, in the county of Devon, 194 miles from London and 36 miles from Exeter. It stands on the river Tawe, in a fertile district, and was formerly a great manufacturing place, but of late years has declined in that branch of industry. The market, which is large, is held on Friday. Barnstaple returns two members to parliament, chosen by the freemen, who are very numerous, and scattered about in such various places as to render the expenses of a contested election very heavy; and it is said to be accompanied with much bribery. The inhabitants amounted in 1801 to 3748, in 1811 to 4298, and in 1821 to 5079.