Barnstaple, the main town in North Devon

is quite possibly the oldest borough in the United Kingdom and is home to a community rich in history, ambition and achievement. The town still preserves its medieval layout. Its wealth was derived from its licence to export wool, which was also later imported from Ireland. After its harbour silted up, the growth of other industries such as sawmills, foundries and shipbuilding were established. Its Victorian market still survives and the railway is still in much use.

In Barnstaple & Around: The Postcard Collection, authors Denise Holton and Elizabeth J. Hammett explore the town and its surrounding areas through the use of beautiful postcards.