Barnstaple's historic Strand, upon which such popular events as the horse fair were once held, suffered in the early 20th century from the summer influx of motor cars parked haphazardly along the full length. As such, Barnstaple Town Council elected to appoint a parking warden in 1923 to enforce the parking bye-laws and collect parking fees during the summer months. The warden, it was decided, was sworn as a Special Constable to ensure he was protected in the execution of duty. The Council appealed for applicants to the King's National Roll Scheme, an employment programme for disabled ex-servicemen, and two men were interviewed.

James Darch, a Royal North Devon Hussars veteran who was severely disabled on active service during the Great War, was appointed on 23rd July 1923 and duly sworn in as a Special Constable. He was paid £2 per week and was entitled to take a 20% commission on parking tolls.

Darch worked successive summers and in 1926 was provided with a smart suit of uniform and an overcoat. By this time, the Strand Constable was an employee of the Council's Properties Committee, which opted to reduce Darch's pay by ten shillings per week in 1927. In the summer of 1930, Darch was too ill to perform the duties of Strand Constable, and he was temporarily replaced by the borough caretaker. Frederick Ackland succeeded Darch as the permanent Strand Constable in the same year. Eager to keep Darch busy and earning out of respect of his service history, the Council kept him on the payroll and gave him "light jobs" from time to time.

The Council decided not to renew the police powers of the Strand Constable when they appointed Ackland, and as such his powers extended only to the regulation of parking, the collection of parking tolls, and common law powers to maintain order in his patch. Ackland however retained the title "Strand Constable". In comparison to his predecessor, Ackland earned far less, a measly ten shillings per week. In 1932, the Barnstaple Conservative Association generously erected a shelter at their own expense adjacent to their premises for the sole use of Mr Ackland.

As mundane as the Strand Constable's duties seemed, there were occasional moments of excitement. On 17th July 1933 at around 6:30pm, Constable Ackland witnessed Edward Castell Wrey, a well-known local antiquarian, suffer a terrible motorcycle accident on the Strand. When Wrey died some months later from the complications of his injuries, Ackland acted as the principal witness at the inquest. Ackland was often in the right place at the right time when certain Barum citizens combined drinking with driving. Although he lacked Constabulary powers, he was typically proactive and able to summon one of the Devon Constabulary Constables to the scene very quickly.

Ackland served until around 1940, and there is no mention in the British Newspaper Archive of the activities of the Strand Constables in Barnstaple beyond that year.