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Great Torrington

Great Torrington (generally abbreviated to Torrington, though it should be noted that the villages of Little Torrington and Black Torrington are situated in the same region) is a small market town in the north of Devon in England. Parts of it are sited on a cliff top 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 flooding. Torrington is in the very heart of Tarka Country, a landscape captured by Henry Williamson in his novel Tarka the Otter in 1927.

History

Great Torrington had strategic significance in the English Civil War. In the Battle of Torrington (1646), the Parliamentarians, 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, festivals and celebrations. An interactive museum, Torrington 1646, marks the town's historically important role.

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.

Torrington Common

Torrington Common is an area of common land 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 and has over 20 miles 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 October 2 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.

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 a canal which opened in 1827 to help transport clay, lime 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 road across the Common.

• Waterloo Monument: A stone obelisk erected in 1818 by "the ladies of Great Torrington" to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo.

Attractions

Other attractions in Great Torrington include:

• Rosemoor, a collection of internationally recognised gardens, woodlands and parkland owned by the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Dartington Crystal, a factory using traditional glass blowing techniques.
• A Victorian pannier market with a glass roof, 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 centre, a small theatre, cinema and gallery.

Employment

Torrington has long been a factory town. In the nineteenth century it was a centre of the glove making industry. Major employers today include Dartington Crystal, Definitely Devon (a dairy), North Devon Meat and School Pictures.

Media

Local radio is provided by Lantern FM, a station based in nearby Barnstaple which broadcasts across north Devon.

The town's local newspaper is the North Devon Journal, although the stub. You can help BambooWeb by .