Great Torrington
Encyclopedia
Great Torrington is a small market town
in the north of Devon
, England
. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to the River Torridge
below. The centre of the town therefore commands spectacular views, though lower-lying parts are prone to occasional flood
ing. Torrington is in the very heart of Tarka Country, a landscape captured by Henry Williamson
in his novel Tarka the Otter
in 1927. Great Torrington has the most active volunteering community in the United Kingdom.
.
Great Torrington had strategic significance in the English Civil War
. In the Battle of Torrington
(1646), the Parliamentarian
s, led by Sir Thomas Fairfax, swept into the town and defeated Lord Hopton's forces. This marked the end of Royalist
resistance in the West Country
. Today the town is recognised as an important heritage centre for the history of the 17th century, and its people can often be seen dressed in costume
for historical re-enactments, festival
s and celebrations. An interactive Civil War Experience, "Torrington 1646", marks the town's historically important role.
was extended to Great Torrington in July 1872, by the London and South Western Railway
, which built a railway station and locomotive depot
in the town. The locomotive depot was close in 1959 and the line was closed to passenger traffic as part of the Beeching Axe
. It was closed to goods traffic in 1984. At the site of the old station there is currently a pub named The Puffing Billy, a cycle hire shop and an old carriage, an old wagon, a brake van, and a small diesel engine. A few small sections of track remain, but most has been removed and replaced with a combined foot and cycle path as part of the Tarka Trail
. The Tarka Trail continues to Bideford, Barnstaple and on to Braunton in one direction and to Meeth in the other making 32 miles (51.5 km) of traffic free trail.
Torrington is surrounded by 365 acres (1.5 km²) of common land. This has protected the town from over development.
Tesco
were seeking to open a 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) store in the town, however this was opposed by many locals and the planning application was rejected.
which surrounds the town on all but the eastern side. The common is administered by a body called "The Commons Conservators". The Common covers 365 acres (1.5 km2) and has over 20 miles (30 km) of public rights of way. The landscape features a variety of habitats and a rich collection of flora and fauna.
Since 2 October 1889 the Conservators have met regularly to fulfil their remit to manage the land. Early activity was mainly concerned with control over the grazing and quarrying of the common, but since 1980 grazing has stopped and instead various techniques have taken its place to prevent the common from reverting to scrub and woodland.There has also been development on the commons which many locals oppose and believe is not legitimate.
Other attractions in Great Torrington include:
Torrington has a small local brewery called Clearwater Brewery with its popular "Cavalier" and "1646" brands.
, but the shops in the town centre also provide a source of employment. Most of the shops are locally owned; however, there are branches of The Co-operative Food
, HSBC
, Barclays Bank, Lloyds TSB
and Lloyds Pharmacy. Large factories have deserted the town in recent years including the meat factory after a fire, and the milk factory which also caught fire has moved its production elsewhere. Various converted and purpose built care homes in the town also provide a significant source of employment.
The local newspaper is the North Devon Journal also based in Barnstaple. The Western Morning News
is also widely available. Most households receive a copy of the North Devon Gazette
every week. The Crier is a monthly community newsletter and diary delivered free to most households within the town.
team is Torrington F.C.
.There is also the local rugby, golf, netball, bowling, tennis and swimming teams. Torrington Golf Course is situated 1.5 miles from the town centre and has 9 holes.
, situated in northern Brittany. Roscoff is served by the Brittany Ferries
service from Plymouth
and is a popular destination for school trips from the area.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
in the north of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to the River Torridge
River Torridge
The River Torridge is a river in Devon in England. It was the home of Tarka the Otter in Henry Williamson's book. The Torridge local government district is named after the river....
below. The centre of the town therefore commands spectacular views, though lower-lying parts are prone to occasional flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing. Torrington is in the very heart of Tarka Country, a landscape captured by Henry Williamson
Henry Williamson
Henry William Williamson was an English naturalist, farmer and prolific author known for his natural and social history novels. He won the Hawthornden Prize for literature in 1928 with his book Tarka the Otter....
in his novel Tarka the Otter
Tarka the Otter
Tarka the Otter: His Joyful Water-Life and Death in the Country of the Two Rivers is a novel by Henry Williamson. The book narrates the experience of an otter. It was first published in 1927 by G.P. Putnam's Sons, with an introduction by the Hon. Sir John Fortescue, K.C.V.O..-Plot summary:The plot...
in 1927. Great Torrington has the most active volunteering community in the United Kingdom.
History
There were Iron Age and medieval castles and forts in Torrington, located on the Castle HillCastle Hill, Torrington
There are two hills named Castle Hill within the immediate environs of Great Torrington in Devon, England. The first is within the town and is the site of the Norman & mediaeval castles, but was probably an Iron Age hill fort before this....
.
Great Torrington had strategic significance in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. In the Battle of Torrington
Battle of Torrington
The Battle of Torrington was a battle of the south-western campaign of the First English Civil War, marking the end of Royalist resistance in the west country.-Prelude:...
(1646), the Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
s, led by Sir Thomas Fairfax, swept into the town and defeated Lord Hopton's forces. This marked the end of Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
resistance in the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
. Today the town is recognised as an important heritage centre for the history of the 17th century, and its people can often be seen dressed in costume
Costume
The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general, or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. Costume may also refer to the artistic arrangement of accessories in a picture, statue, poem, or play, appropriate to the time, place, or other circumstances...
for historical re-enactments, festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s and celebrations. An interactive Civil War Experience, "Torrington 1646", marks the town's historically important role.
Railway
The branch line to BidefordBideford
Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
was extended to Great Torrington in July 1872, by the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
, which built a railway station and locomotive depot
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
in the town. The locomotive depot was close in 1959 and the line was closed to passenger traffic as part of the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
. It was closed to goods traffic in 1984. At the site of the old station there is currently a pub named The Puffing Billy, a cycle hire shop and an old carriage, an old wagon, a brake van, and a small diesel engine. A few small sections of track remain, but most has been removed and replaced with a combined foot and cycle path as part of the Tarka Trail
Tarka Trail
The Tarka Trail is a series of footpaths and cyclepaths around north Devon, England that follow the route taken by Tarka the Otter in the book of that name. It is a figure-of-eight route, based on Barnstaple, and covers some of path....
. The Tarka Trail continues to Bideford, Barnstaple and on to Braunton in one direction and to Meeth in the other making 32 miles (51.5 km) of traffic free trail.
Torrington is surrounded by 365 acres (1.5 km²) of common land. This has protected the town from over development.
Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
were seeking to open a 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) store in the town, however this was opposed by many locals and the planning application was rejected.
Mayfair
Mayfair is an annual folk festival believed to date back to 1554 in which the children of Torrington dance around a maypole set up in the town square. The event takes place on the first Thursday in May. The junior school kids elect a May Queen and she is crowned in the town square after a procession with attendants. There is then Maypole dancing after which the kids go off to the fair and the adults wander around the public houses.Torrington Common
Torrington Common is an area of common landCommon land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
which surrounds the town on all but the eastern side. The common is administered by a body called "The Commons Conservators". The Common covers 365 acres (1.5 km2) and has over 20 miles (30 km) of public rights of way. The landscape features a variety of habitats and a rich collection of flora and fauna.
History of the common
An "area of waste called the Common" was donated to the town in 1194 by Baron FitzRobert of Torrington. In 1889 the rights to this land were transferred by an act of parliament to an elected Committee of Conservators.Since 2 October 1889 the Conservators have met regularly to fulfil their remit to manage the land. Early activity was mainly concerned with control over the grazing and quarrying of the common, but since 1980 grazing has stopped and instead various techniques have taken its place to prevent the common from reverting to scrub and woodland.There has also been development on the commons which many locals oppose and believe is not legitimate.
Features of the common
- Taddiport Bridge and Rothern Bridge: Prior to the opening of the Town Mills Bridge, these were the only local crossings of the River Torridge.
- Rolle Road: This is the site of the Rolle CanalRolle CanalThe Rolle Canal in North Devon, England runs 6 miles from Landcross, where it joins the River Torridge, to the limekilns at Rosemoor...
which opened in 1827 to help transport clayClayClay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, limeLime (mineral)Lime is a general term for calcium-containing inorganic materials, in which carbonates, oxides and hydroxides predominate. Strictly speaking, lime is calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. It is also the name for a single mineral of the CaO composition, occurring very rarely...
and other commodities between the boats on the tidal river at Landcross and the lime kilns, clay pits and farms around Torrington. It ran through common land, but was closed in 1871. Later, it was filled in to create a toll roadToll roadA toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
across the Common. - Waterloo Monument: A stone obeliskObeliskAn obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
erected in 1818 by "the ladies of Great Torrington" to commemorate the Battle of WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
.
Attractions
- Dartington CrystalDartington CrystalBased in Torrington in north Devon, England, Dartington Crystal manufactures crystal glassware using traditional Swedish glass blowing techniques.-History:...
, A unique Factory, Visitors Centre, Glass Shop and Restaurant of world famous Dartington Crystal – the biggest employer in the town and now the only working glass factory left in the UK. - Rosemoor GardenRosemoor GardenRosemoor Garden is an internationally renowned collection of gardens in North Devon, England. The Lady Anne Palmer created the original garden of in 1959, and developed it over a 30 year period. The garden was first opened to the public in 1967, under the National Gardens Scheme...
, a collection of internationally recognised gardenGardenA garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s, woodlandWoodlandEcologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s and parklandParklandParkland or Parklands may refer to:* A park* Aspen parkland, a biome transitional between prairie and boreal forest * Landscaped parkland, a managed rural area associated with European country houses such as Longleat-Place names:United States...
owned by the Royal Horticultural SocietyRoyal Horticultural SocietyThe Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
. - A VictorianVictorian architectureThe term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
pannier market with a glassGlassGlass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
roofRoofA roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
, restored in the early 2000s. - St Michael's, an Anglican church whose grounds include a mound said to contain the remains of 60 Civil War Royalist prisoners.
- The Plough arts centreThe Plough Arts CentreThe Plough Arts Centre is a theatre, cinema and art gallery in Torrington, north Devon, England.The Plough is situated in a former Territorial Army drill hall on Fore Street in the centre of Torrington.The Plough was founded in 1975...
, a small theatre, cinema and gallery. - Torrington 1646 Visitor Centre celebrates the town's role in the Civil War through exhibitions and talks by guides dressed in period costume and using the language of the age.
- Great Torrington has a good selection of pubs selling good food and a selection of real ales. These include The Torridge Inn, The Black Horse, Torrington Arms, Cavalier, Newmarket, Globe and Royal Exchange.
Torrington has a small local brewery called Clearwater Brewery with its popular "Cavalier" and "1646" brands.
Employment
Torrington has long been a factory town. In the nineteenth century it was a centre of the glove making industry. The major employer today is Dartington CrystalDartington Crystal
Based in Torrington in north Devon, England, Dartington Crystal manufactures crystal glassware using traditional Swedish glass blowing techniques.-History:...
, but the shops in the town centre also provide a source of employment. Most of the shops are locally owned; however, there are branches of The Co-operative Food
The Co-operative Food
The Co-operative Food, abbreviated sometimes to the Co-op, is a brand devised for the supermarket and convenience store business of the UK's consumers' co-operative movement. It is the name of the largest division of The Co-operative Group, and is used by other independent consumer co-operatives...
, HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
, Barclays Bank, Lloyds TSB
Lloyds TSB
Lloyds TSB Bank Plc is a retail bank in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1995 by the merger of Lloyds Bank, established in Birmingham, England in 1765 and traditionally considered one of the Big Four clearing banks, with the TSB Group which traces its origins to 1810...
and Lloyds Pharmacy. Large factories have deserted the town in recent years including the meat factory after a fire, and the milk factory which also caught fire has moved its production elsewhere. Various converted and purpose built care homes in the town also provide a significant source of employment.
Media
Local radio is provided by Heart, a station based in Exeter which broadcasts across North Devon.The local newspaper is the North Devon Journal also based in Barnstaple. The Western Morning News
Western Morning News
The Western Morning News is a politically independent daily regional newspaper founded in 1860 and covering Devon and Cornwall and parts of Somerset and Dorset.-Organisation:...
is also widely available. Most households receive a copy of the North Devon Gazette
North Devon Gazette
The North Devon Gazette is a weekly free newspaper published in Barnstaple, United Kingdom on a Wednesday for the North Devon area, including Barnstaple, Bideford, Ilfracombe and South Molton...
every week. The Crier is a monthly community newsletter and diary delivered free to most households within the town.
Sport
Torrington's local footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team is Torrington F.C.
Torrington F.C.
Torrington F.C. are a football club based in Great Torrington, Devon, England.Torrington's home shirt is green with white hoops, which is worn with white shorts and green and green socks with white hoops. Their away shirt is yellow with blue stripes down the arms, which is worn with blue shorts and...
.There is also the local rugby, golf, netball, bowling, tennis and swimming teams. Torrington Golf Course is situated 1.5 miles from the town centre and has 9 holes.
Twinning
Great Torrington is twinned with the French port town of RoscoffRoscoff
Roscoff is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.The nearby Île de Batz, called Enez Vaz in Breton, is a small island that can be reached by launch from the harbour....
, situated in northern Brittany. Roscoff is served by the Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is a French ferry company that runs ships between France, the UK, Ireland and Spain.-1970s and 1980s:Following the provision of the deep-water port at Roscoff, the company commenced in January 1973 at the instigation of Alexis Gourvennec, when existing ferry companies showed...
service from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and is a popular destination for school trips from the area.
Transport
Torrington is served by a number of regular bus services:- 71/71 Barnstaple - Torrington/Stibb Cross/Shebbear
- 315 - Barnstaple - Bideford - Crediton - Exeter
- 70 - Torrington - Weare Giffard - Bideford
- 118 - Torrington - Bideford - Okehampton - Tavistock