The Archdeaconry of Barnstaple or Barum is one of the oldest archdeaconries in England. It is an administrative division of the Diocese of Exeter in the Church of England.

History

The Diocese of Exeter was divided into four archdeaconries in Norman times, probably during the bishopric of Osbern FitzOsbern (1072–1103):

In 1782, it was noted that the archdeaconry contained the deaneries of Barum (Barnstaple), Chumleigh, Hertland, Shirwell, South Molton and Torrington.

The archdeaconry currently comprises the following deaneries:

List of archdeacons

High Medieval Allured (first archdeacon) ?–1143: Ralph (I) c.1155: William de Auco bef. c.1184–aft. c.1185: Roger bef. 1203–?: Thomas 30 September 1209–?: Ralph de Werewell John bef. c.1219–?: Ralph (II) ?–8 February 1227 (d.): Isaac Walter de Pembroke (afterwards Archdeacon of Totnes) 21 January 1263 – 1264: Henry de Bracton 25 May 1264–?: Richard Blund (afterwards Archdeacon of Totnes; possibly son of Richard Blund, Bishop of Exeter) 6 November 1265–May 1267: Godfrey Giffard (also Archdeacon of Wells from 1267; later Bishop of Worcester) May 1267–?: John de Bradleigh January 1271–?: Thomas de Hertford 28 August 1279–?: Philip of Exon Late Medieval ?–1308: Ralph Germeyn 13 October 1308 – 1309: William Melton (later Archbishop of York) 4 January 1309 – 1309: William Fitsrogo 30 March 1309 – 1312: John Wele ? ("a short time"): Bartholomew de Sancto Laurentio 26 March 1312 – 3 December 1314 (res.): Walter Giffard 7 February 1315 – 1318 (d.): Richard de Morcester (afterwards Archdeacon of Exeter) 22 September 1318 – 1329: Richard de Wideslade 10/15 December 1329 – 1330: William Zouche 17 December 1330 – 1349: John de Nassington 8 April 1350 – 1351: John de Reynham c.1352: Hugh de Monyton 23 February 1355 – 2 September 1358: John de Derby 2 September 1358–c.1367: William de Mugge bef. 1371 or 23 February 1384–c.1387: Henry Whitefield bef. 1395 or 8 September 1399 – 1400: Robert Rygge 17/22 August 1400 – 1400: Richard Aldtyngton 1 November 1400 – 1429 (res.): John Orum 2 August 1429 – 1442 (d.): John Waryn 3 August 1442 – 1445 (res.): Richard Helyer 16 June 1445 – 1449 (res.): Michael Tregury (afterwards Archbishop of Dublin) 25 January 1450 – 1459: Roger Keys 12 July 1462–October 1475 (d.): William Fulford 27 October 1475 – 1476 (res.): John Stubbes 10 December 1476 – 1478 (res.): Owen Lord 18 February 1478 – 8 October 1485 (d.): Robert Barforthbef. 1492–c.1506: William Elyot ?–1508: John Vesey (later Dean of Windsor and Bishop of Exeter) 3 August 1508–c.1512: Richard Norton c.1512–1515 (res.): John Young 12 April 1515 – 1518 (d.): John Tyake 19 January 1518 – 26 April 1528 (d.): Richard Tollett 26 April 1528 – 29 May 1544 (d.): Thomas Brerwood Early modern 16 June 1544 – 1554 (deprived): John Pollard (also Archdeacon of Wilts until 1544, Archdeacon of Cornwall until 1545) 20 April 1554 – 1582 (res.): Henry Squire 7 January 1583 – 1585: Robert Lawe 24 April 1585 – 1605: William Tooker 27 November 1605 – 21 November 1645 (d.): William Helyar 1645–1660: Vacancy during the English Commonwealth. 31 August 1660 – 1662: James Smith 1662–1679 (d.): Joshua Tucker 29 August 1679 – 1703 (d.): William Read 24 September 1703 – 1709 (d.): Robert Burscough 9 September 1709 – 11 August 1724 (d.): Thomas Lynford (also Canon of Westminster) 1724–1731: Lewis Stephens (afterwards Archdeacon of Chester) 28 October 1731 – 1744 (d.): John Grant 16 March 1745 – 26 October 1791 (d.): William Hole 3 November 1791 – 1798 (d.): Roger Massey 14 March 1798 – 3 July 1799 (d.): John Andrew 25 July 1799 – 28 June 1805 (d.): Peregrine Ilbert 16 August 1805–? (res.): Jonathan Fisher 3 November 1807 – 1826 (d.): Thomas Johnes 1826–1830 (res.): John Bull 1830–1847: George Barnes 1847–1865: John Bartholomew Late modern 1865–1885: Henry Woollcombe 1885–1890: Herbert Barnes 1890–24 December 1908 (d.): Albert Seymour 1908–9 July 1930 (d.): Robert Trefusis, Bishop of Crediton 1930–26 June 1935 (d.): Frank Jones 1935–1945: Edgar Hay 1946–1958: Denis James 1958–1962: Guy Sanderson 1962–1970: Arthur Ward (afterwards Archdeacon of Exeter) 1970–1988: Ronald Herniman 1989–2002 (ret.): Trevor Lloyd 2003–2014 (ret.): David Gunn-Johnson 1 September 2014 – 2015: Mike Edson (Acting) 23 March 2014 – 6 September 2020: Mark Butchers September 2021 onwards: Verena Breed

Sources