▁the ▁Gu ild ▁of ▁St . ▁Nicholas . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 4 th ▁century ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁third ▁rich est ▁town ▁in ▁Dev on , ▁behind ▁Ex eter ▁and ▁P ly mouth , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁text ile ▁centre ▁outside ▁Ex eter ▁until ▁about ▁ 1 6 0 0 . ▁Its ▁w ool ▁trade ▁was ▁further ▁a ided ▁by ▁the ▁town ' s ▁port , ▁from ▁which ▁in ▁ 1 5 8 8 ▁five ▁ships ▁were ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁force ▁sent ▁to ▁fight ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Arm ada . ▁Bar n st ap le ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁" priv ile ged ▁ports " ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Company , ▁( est ab lished ▁ 1 5 7 7 ) ▁whose ▁arm orial s ▁are ▁visible ▁on ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁m ural ▁monuments ▁to ▁ 1 7 th ▁century ▁mer ch ants ▁in ▁St ▁Peter ' s ▁Church , ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁decor ated ▁pl aster ▁ce iling ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁" G old en ▁Lion ▁Inn ", ▁ 6 2 ▁B out port ▁Street ▁( now ▁a ▁restaurant ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁Royal ▁and ▁Fort esc ue ▁Hotel ). ▁The ▁developing ▁trade ▁with ▁America ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁and ▁ 1 7 th ▁centuries ▁greatly ▁benef ited ▁the ▁town . ▁The ▁wealth y ▁mer ch ants ▁that ▁this ▁trade ▁created ▁built ▁impress ive ▁town ▁houses , ▁some ▁of ▁which ▁surv ive ▁behind ▁more ▁recent ▁front ages — they ▁include ▁No . ▁ 6 2 ▁B out port ▁Street ,