Barnstaple Cemetery Barnstaple Cemetery Barnstaple Cemetery (properly Bear Street Cemetery) is the burial ground for the town of Barnstaple in Devon and is managed by North Devon Council. The cemetery opened in 1856 for the Barnstaple Burial Board and extends over an area of 13.2 acres and is bisected by a stream between the two slopes on which the cemetery is laid out. It has two chapels and a Cemetery Lodge (now in private ownership), with the Lodge being designed by the Barnstaple Borough Surveyor Richard Davie Gould and having Grade II listed building status since 1999. The main entrance with a
Guildhall, Barnstaple etc. On the walls of the Chamber are displayed portraits of former Mayors of Barnstaple and various other local dignitaries including local benefactor William Frederick Rock and Barnstaple-born John Gay, author of "The Beggar's Opera". Some of these were painted by the noted artist Thomas Hudson and a number were restored with funding from the National Lottery. The Dodderidge Room displays the town's collection of silver and other relics connected with the history of Barnstaple. The beautiful carved fireplace is from the former Dodderidge House in Cross Street in Barnstaple that belonged to wealthy local merchant, ship-owner and three times