Tome Stone Under Centre of Queen Annes Walk

The Tome Stone, located under the center of Queen Anne's Walk in Barnstaple, is a Grade II listed stone used historically for striking merchants' bargains. It dates back to the early 17th century and is set on a baluster that was likely added in 1909. The stone is round and weathered with a flat top, featuring three names incised around its edge. Although these names have been damaged, they are believed to read John Delbridge, Richard Feris, and Nicholas Delbridge, with the inscription partially destroyed by four oval recesses cut into the top edge. The stone is positioned between two columns of Queen Anne's Walk and is protected by 20th-century railings at both the front and back. Richard Feris served as mayor in 1632, and John Delbridge was mayor in 1633, although there was also a John Delbridge who held the position in 1600 and 1615. The earliest reference to a tome stone dates back to 1606, making this a rare and significant historical artifact, with other examples found outside the Exchange in Bristol.