Richard Beaple

Richard Beaple. Detail from his mural monument in St Peter's Church, Barnstaple Richard Beaple (1564– 30 December 1643) of Barnstaple, Devon, was a wealthy merchant, ship owner and member of the Spanish Company, and was three times Mayor of Barnstaple in 1607, 1621 and 1635. His elaborate mural monument survives in St Peter's Church, Barnstaple.

Origins He was one of the four sons of James Beaple (died 1616) of Barnstaple (son of Walter Beaple of Barnstaple), Mayor of Barnstaple in 1593 and 1604, by his first wife Elizabeth Goldsmith. His uncle was Roger Beaple (1540–1604), a tanner His two sisters Anne and Joane married into the prominent Barnstaple mercantile families of Delbridge and Horwood respectively.

Career In August 1598 Beaple was elected a Common Councilman in place of Roger Cade, who was "put out for that he dwell'd out of this Towne above one year", and was subsequently Mayor of Barnstaple three times, in 1607, 1621 and 1635.

Between 1624 and 1627 he and his four co-executors of the will of his son-in-law John Penrose (died 1624), Mayor of Barnstaple in 1620, built the large structure in Litchdon Street, Barnstaple, known today as Penrose's Almshouses.

In 1636 Beaple was appointed one of the executors of the will of Katherine Westlake, with instructions to put into effect her charitable bequest.

Marriages and children Richard Beaple married three times: Anne Beaple. His other daughter was the wife of John Penrose (died 1624) who left the money to build Penrose's Almshouses.

Secondly he married Catherine Cade (born 1577), daughter of Roger Cade (died 1618) of Barnstaple, Mayor of Barnstaple in 1591, a member of a prominent Barnstaple mercantile family, seated in the nearby parish of Fremington. They had no children. Her sister Sara Cade was the wife of Gilbert Paige (died 1647) of Barnstaple, a merchant who was Mayor of Barnstaple in 1629 and 1641. Thirdly he married Grace Gay (died 1651). She was the widow of a certain Mr Estmond and mother of Edward Estmond. The Prince's stay in her house was very costly for Grace. These expenses were not easily recovered from the crown, and it was not until after her death that her executor Elizabeth Estmond received the sum of £200 from the royal funds of King Charles II "in discharge of money lent and services rendered to the King when at Barnstaple". On one side of his monument in St Peter's Church is a small depiction of these almshouses with a group of four poor inmates. It matches one on the other side depicting a merchant pointing to a treasure chest with three sailing ships on the sea behind.