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Summary

Torre Abbey, Premonstratensian Abbey of St Saviour and The Holy Trinity, founded by William Brewer in 1196, colonised by Welbeck Abbey, and dissolved in 1539 as the richest house of its order.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1206852: TORRE ABBEY
• Scheduled Monument 1009302: Torre Abbey

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 564M/2/99,115(ILLUSTRATIONS BY
• Torbay HER: MTO9672

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ABBEY (Post Roman to Late Medieval - 410 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

Torbay HER record (SMR record). SDV361984.

HISTORY
Torre Abbey was founded as the Premonstratensian Abbey of St Saviour and The Holy Trinity in 1196, by William Brewer, Lord of the Manor of Torre, for an abbot and 6 other canons, who colonised it from the English mother-house of Welbeck. Brewer endowed the Abbey with the churches of Torre, Bradworthy, Buckland Brewer and Wolborough and much of the demesne of the manor of Torre (Walker 1965 STO102, Watkin, dcnq 14). It became the richest Premonstratensian house in England with 26 canons at its height; after the Black Death in 1349 the number of canons was reduced to 11. [1] At the dissolution in February 1539 the annual revenue was assessed at £396; the Abbot and 15 canons, all of whom received pensions: the abbot £66 13/8, and the 15 canons between £7 and £2. [2]

[The abbey was founded in 1196 by william brewer, on land granted from his manor of torre to the premonstratensian order. It amounted to a roughly rectangular area of some 800m by 300m enclosing approximately 24 hectares, with the abbey sited in the sw quadrant. The land forming the precinct was traditionally enclosed behind a wall, and contained, in addition to the nucleus of the church and cloister, all the buildings and structures, both agricultural and industrial, associated with the degree of self sufficiency that the abbey was capable of sustaining. Many of these structures would have been of timber or cob construction. The engraving of 1661 shows some stone structures not now existing, including a further gatehouse to the w of the abbey. In the mid 16c the antiquarian leland reported that the remains of 3 gatehouses were visible at torre. When the ornamental gates of the mansion, near abbey lodge, were moved a short distance to the s in 1972, the foundations of a substantial building were located which appear to be those of an outer gatehouse.
It was colonised by canons from the english mother house of welbeck in nottinghamshire, and dedicated to st saviour and the holy trinity. By the end of the 13c the abbey had been granted land throughout devon, and it benefited from the growth of newton abbot following the establishment of a weekly market. At this time there were 26 canons in residence, and the acquired wealth of the abbey made it the richest premonstratensian abbey in the country. A licence to crenellate was granted by edward iii in 1348. in 1370 the manor of torre came in to the ownership of the abbey. In 1539 there was an abbot and 15 canons in residence.]

The abbey appears as Torre, Sancti Salvatoris, on a list of monasteries compiled in the 13th century (birch). The abbey's discrepant dedications are discussed in ( Reichel17). Accounts of abbey buildings in Seymour 1977, Clapham 1923
The abbey plan follows the usual plan of premonstratensian order with a north aisle added to church in 14th century.
The abbey's freedom from episcopal visitations in the 14th century noted. (Walker,1961 STO166).
Account of armed robbery of the abbey in 1351 (r.b.m. 18).

Following the dissolution the church was progressively demolished. The cartulary of Torre Abbey in 1539 is included in arundell's contemporary account of lead taken from devon's dissolved religious houses (rose-troup, 1936-1937). Two grave slabs in east ogwell church believed to have come from torre abbey (torr).A condition of the subsequent sale of the buildings was that they were to be rendered unfit for monastic use, and this was assisted by the crown's sequestration of all the roofing lead. In 1543 the abbey was granted by the crown to john st leger, and after twice changing ownership was purchased by thomas ridgeway, who remodelled the w range as a dwelling. In 1662 it was purchased by sir george cary, and the cary family . In 1930 the house and its grounds were purchased by torbay borough council.

The buildings were bought by Sir George Cary in 1662, in whose family they remained for several centuries, they converted the buildings into the present mansion during the 18c. Not much remains of the buildings: there are fragmentary remains of the church and domestic buildings, also the entrance of the cloister garth, and a rounded archway, richly moulded with two small windows. The gateway is in a good state of preservation, and is a very good example of that type of building. The tithe barn on the south of the abbey is a fine example and is similar to that at wells (watkin,1914). The cary family's ownership of torre abbey is described in some detail (watkin, 1920).

Illustrations by swete 1790s (dro). Aspects of the 19th century history of the abbey are discussed, a plate shows the building as they were in 1810 (cary). The Abbey and its immediate grounds were purchased by Torquay Borough Council in 1930 for £40,000.




DESCRIPTION
A 19th century pamphlet notes that the early norman builders of torre abbey church used the norse measurements of the sajene and the arschine. Width of church is given as 49ft or 7 sajenes (1 sajene is 7ft) north wall is 4.8ft or 56in ie 2 arschines. 1 arschine is 28" or 1/3 of a sajene. Width of aisle is 4 arschines. These measurements also used in russia. Not used by saxon builders. Brought to russia by the normans, and to england after the conquest of 1066 (belaiew). Torre abbey church believed by author to have been built with norse standards of measurement (watkins, ttnhs.).


The main architectural features are noted in Pevsner's Devon, and detailed in the 1994 list description. Aerial view in (Griffith) The abbey was of a traditional plan with claustral buildings on the south side of the church - the cloister is a square with sides of 28m - with ancillary buildings further from the nucleus The post-medieval mansion occupies the south range and is thoroughly 18C in appearance but with intact medieval undercrofts beneath. The two-storeyed west range incorporating the Abbot's tower is medieval, as is the inner gatehouse and the 'Spanish' barn. The church (55m x 14.5m, with the north aisle separated by an arcade of 6 columns) and the east range is roofless and ruinous. Walls are constructed of random-rubble utilising local limestone and breccia, with carved details in finer limestone, purbeck marble and red sandstone.

The East Range abutting the south transept, has for the most part not been incorporated into the later mansion. It includes the ruins of the sacristy or vestry with a spiral stair to the 1st floor, and the chapter house, which would have originally been vaulted, and which has a fine late Norman doorway, symmetrically flanked by 2 windows. To the s are the remains of a through-passage leading from the cloister and a further room of uncertain size connecting the e and s ranges. The ruins in this area have been obscured by the e wing of the mansion which in part consists of a folly of late 18c or early 19c date, which utilises architectural details from the abbey. The area between the south and east ranges was the traditional location of the reredorter (toilets) which would have been supplied with running water. The 1st floor of the e range would have been the dorter (dormitory). A short distance to the east of the east range are the ruins of the infirmary, the visible part of which consists of a rectangular structure of some 20.3m by 9.7m. Traditionally infirmaries had their own kitchens, and the presence of a well, together with the remains of a hearth that were revealed in excavation, indicates that torre followed this pattern.

The West Range undercroft is 9.9m wide and has differences in design between its n and s halves. The central section has been subdivided by 2 cross walls to form a through-passage which provides access from outside and the cloister to both n and s vaults. Traces of decorative paint in a simple linear style can be seen beneath the flaking lime-wash on the ceiling. This passage appears to have functioned as a parlour, the only part of the cloister in which conversation was permitted. The 1st floor originally consisted of a substantial hall and apartments, traditionally utilised by the abbot. The hall retains the internal part of an early 16c wagon roof, and has a blocked fireplace in its e wall. Abutting the w face of the w range is a square four storied tower which forms a large extension of the abott's apartments. At ground level there is access from outside directly into the undercroft through-passage, and the presence of stone benches along the walls indicates that this area was an extension of the canon's parlour. The 1st floor room opens into the hall, and all 3 upper rooms and the roof are connected by a spiral stair partly housed in an external turret.

The South Range undercroft is 9.5m wide and has also been subdivided by 2 cross walls. The e vault has a fireplace in its e wall indicating that it functioned as the warming room. The central vault has a stair, now blocked, opening out of its n wall. All of the openings in the s wall have been blocked by the terrace of the later mansion. The 1st floor originally consisted of the frater (dining hall). In the sw corner of the cloister part of the medieval cobble floor is exposed and an adjacent wall contains a recessed lavatoria (washing place). In the angle between the s and w ranges are the remains of the kitchens, much altered by the later mansion, but including 3 small vaulted rooms and the remains of 2 fireplaces. The kitchens were connected to the abbot's apartments by a spiral stair.

The Gatehouse: Adjoining the sw corner of the kitchens is the early 14C inner gatehouse, the mohun gate, a 3-storied crenellated structure, complete but with a modern roof. It is asymmetric in plan, having multi-angular towers on 3 of the corners, and 2 arched and vaulted passageways, separated by an arcade. The main n passage was for mounted travellers and wheeled vehicles, the smaller passage for pedestrians. Both have ribbed vaults with decorated bosses, and are divided centrally by arches and jambs on which the doors were hung. The pedestrian passage has a cobbled floor. All of the external architectural detail is in sandstone. The ground floor accommodation consists of a room for the gate-keeper, with a fireplace, and a door opening into the pedestrian passage. A spiral stair within the se turret provides access from the outside to the upper apartments and the roof-walks. On the 1st floor there is a rectangular room above the pedestrian passage and gate-keeper's room, which has a vaulted ceiling and a fireplace. The 2nd floor consists of one large room with a fireplace, and a passage in its ne corner giving access to a garderobe (toilet) closet and evidently to a wall-walk above the 1st floor rooms over the kitchen. One narrow window on the ground floor of the nw tower has been modified as a gun loop for a small matchlock weapon.




EXCAVATIONS
Archaeological excavations were undertaken in the early 20c by watkin. In 1984 observations were made during the excavation of a service trench to the s of the mansion. Between 1986 and 1989 a large area of the church was excavated and consolidated for display (mpp).

An early account describes the finding of the remains of tessellated pavement and stone coffins found (anon., 1862).

Excavations in 1986-9 were undertaken in advance of consolidation by the Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit (EMAFU) on the site of the church. (Pye). These established that it was originally built, with a north nave aisle in the 13C, incorporating a tiled floor; the quire at the e end of the nave had underfloor acoustic chambers and was divided from the nave by screens and 2 altars; and the tower had a spiral stair in its nw corner. The church was subjected to alterations in the 15th and 16th centuries when two new side chapels were constructed in the enlarged north transept. Traces of the medieval tiled floor, survive from this period as do a very large quantity of high quality architectural and sculptural fragments - including parts of a very high quality late medieval tomb with the recumbent effigy of a knight, made of Beer stone. During excavations over 100 graves were revealed in the church, mostly in the north transept where there were also 2 wall tombs. Thirteen graves, in the nave and aisle, were fully excavated, and work on the skeletons was begun in 1989.

The north transept originally possessed two chapels, which in the late medieval period were rebuilt and enlarged eastwards, in the process covering several earlier graves, originally outsideside the church. The enlarged north chapel was floored with imported Dutch tiles, removed at the dissolution, within it the lines of a screen and of the alter dais were clearly visible. Little remained of the interior fittings of the south chapel. The north transept in this period possessed benches along its west and north walls, and was floored with slates. Fragments of several earlier floor levels survived although truncated by graves. A small niche was located in the sw corner of the transept, and a tomb recess in the north wall. This originally contained an early 15C recumbent armoured figure which was broken up at the dissolution. A particular concentration of graves was identified (but not excavated) in the north transept (Gaimster et al).

1996-7 Iinvestigation during repair to clock tower suggests a 12c date. The quoins are of salcombe sandstone, similar to other early parts of the abbey, including the e wall of the cloister and main doorway of the spanish barn. Upper part of tower is of brown triassic sandstone suggesting the structure was heightened probably in 14c. Extensions on n + s sides of the tower were also medieval. The n medieval window lighting the staircase in the n extension is shown to be in situ, not re-used as previously believed.
Repairs will include a new lead roof, stonework conservation, internal plastering, resetting windows and replacing external render (wmn).


In the south transept of torre abbey lies a block of granite. On the upper surface are incised three circles. Granite was not used in the early masonry of torre abbey, and the block does not appear to be local dartmoor granite. The block was probably the corner, or foundation stone of the church, and may have been brought from france for that purpose (watkin). The curious stone at torre abbey is a cresset stone. Lights were burned in the sockets partly in honour of some saint, partly to supply some light (baring-gould).

A bell hanging in the abbot's tower has an old english inscription which is a repetition of a word on a bell in abbotsham church (watkin, 1922-1923).


Excavations have located sections of a channel to the w of the cloister that supplied water, from a source to the nw of the abbey, to the kitchens, with a side channel to remove waste from the gatehouse garderobe. Part of a culvert follows the alignment of the n wall of the church. These clearly represent only a fragment of the abbey's water management scheme. A spring is located some 50m to the se of the cloister ranges, but is no longer visible.









Smc granted for minor internal alterations and reinforcement of doorway masonry (doe)

smc granted for removal of earthbank from wall and associated repair and repointing of wall (doe)

smc granted for erection of lighting conductor (doe)

smc granted for archaeological excavation of the nave walls and exposure and recording of church floor (doe)

smc granted for further archaeological excavation (doe)

smc granted for erection of a 15" diam cast aluminium plaque in blue enamel with white lettering (doe:9/2/1990).

Smc granted for a new staircase to the undercroft (doe:27/11/1991).

Smc granted for installation of handrails, grab handles, and replacement of taps with lever handles in existing toilets (dnh:21/3/1994).

Smc granted for installation of 2 cctv cameras in the spanish barn and associated external cables, installation of security floodlighting, illuminating w side of abbey, the main gatehouse and n side of the spanish barn, and removal of existing floodlight switch gear from the porter's lodge in mohun gatehouse to the modern kitchen servery (dnh:6/5/1994).

Smc granted for works concerning the strengthening of a structural beam in a georgian extension to the rear of torre abbey (dnh:31/8/1994).

Smc granted for works concerning the provision of a secondary means of escape from the mayor's parlour, and improved facilities for the mayor's robing room, foyer, visitors' toilet and museum stores (dnh:12/10/1994).

Smc granted for works comprising, (a) repairs to the monastic ruins; (b) the insertion of a fire escape door to the vestry and to the porch tower; © security improvements to the north east courtyard; (d) the refurbishment of gallery 6; (e) the conversion of former public toilets to temporary exhibit store; and (f) repairs to external garden walls (dnh:12/3/1996).

Smc granted for works to strengthen the principal intermediate floor beam to gallery six (dnh:13/2/1997).



Timms, s./3/11/1981/as above

timms, s.c./note on watching brief/as above

mpp/134670

weddell, p.j./drhs/(1987)/in pf

Watkin, H.R., 1920, The House of Stuart and the Cary family. James II and Torre Abbey, pp.1-46 (Article in Serial). SDV362173.

X

Walker, H.H., 1961, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p.312-3 (Article in Serial). SDV362379.

X

Sellman, R. R., 1962, Aspects of Devon History, p.28 (Monograph). SDV362368.

X

Devon County Council, 1984, DCC pty/3648-3656, pty/3648-56 (Aerial Photograph). SDV362021.

X

Griffith, F., 1988, Devon's Past: An Aerial View, p.81 (Monograph). SDV362595.

X

Pye, A.R., 1989, Torre Abbey Excavations 1986-1989 (* Torbay Report - Interim/Research/Specialist). SDV362335.

X

Department of National Heritage, 1994, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.341-2; 885-1/17/520 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV362056.

X

Cox, Jo & Thorp, John, 1995, Torre Abbey, Torquay, Devon (* Torbay Report - Interim/Research/Specialist). SDV362347.

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Gibbons, P,, 1999, Torre Abbey, Torquay, Archaeological Field Evaluation of the The West Walk of the Cloister (Report - Excavation). SDV362349.

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<1> Knowles, D., & Hadcock R.N., 1971, Medieval Religious Houses, pp.185,192 (Monograph). SDV362463.

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<2> Sellman, R. R., 1962, Aspects of Devon History, p. 28 (Monograph). SDV362368.

X

<4> Appleton, E., 1874, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p.496-500 (Article in Serial). SDV362631.

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<5> Watkin, H.R., 1909, A Short Description of Torre Abbey, Torquay, Devonshire (Monograph). SDV362632.

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<6> Hope, W.H.St John, 1913, Archaeological Journal, 70 (1913) p.546-7 (Article in Serial). SDV362633.

X

<7> Clapham, A.W., 1923, Archaeologia, 23 (1923) p.117-46 (Article in Serial). SDV362634.

X

<8> Seymour, D., 1977, Torre Abbey, p.13-23 (Monograph). SDV362635.

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<9> Anon, 1862, Journal of the British Archaeological Association, 18(1862)185-186 (Article in Serial). SDV362636.

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<11> Birch, W.G., 1872, Journal of the British Archaeological Association, 28 (1872) p.45-64 (Article in Serial). SDV362637.

X

<12> Morris, J.E., 1931, Journal of the British Archaeological Association, 37 (1931) p.247-252 (Article in Serial). SDV362638.

X

<13> Radford, C.A.R., 1957, Archaeological Journal, 114 (1957) p.149-50 (Article in Serial). SDV362639.

X

<14> Watkin, H.R., 1918, A Great Devonian: William Briwer, 50 (1918) pp.85,110 (Article in Serial). SDV362640.

X

<17> Reichel, O.J., 1916-17, Devon and Cornwall Notes & Queries, p.110 (Article in Serial). SDV362642.

X

<18> R.B.M., 1926-27, Devon and Cornwall Notes & Queries, 14 (1926-7) p.25 (Article in Serial). SDV362643.

X

<19> Cary, L., 1928-29, Devon and Cornwall Notes & Queries, p.1-7, & pl. (Article in Serial). SDV362644.

X

<22> Watkin, H.R., 1918-19, Curious Stone at Torre Abbey, pp.145,260 (Article in Serial). SDV362645.

X

<23> Baring-Gould, S., 1918-19, Devon and Cornwall Notes & Queries, p.224 (Article in Serial). SDV362646.

X

<24> Watkin, H.R., 1922-23, Bell Inscriptions at Abbotsham Church and Torre Abbey, p.25-27 (Article in Serial). SDV362647.

X

<25> Rose-Troup, F., 1936-37, Devon and Cornwall Notes & Queries, p.142-144 (Article in Serial). SDV362648.

X

<26> Rose-Troup, F., 1936-37, Devon and Cornwall Notes & Queries, p.122-126 (Article in Serial). SDV362649.

X

<31> Torr, V.J., 1962-64, Devon and Cornwall Notes & Queries, p.217-220 (Article in Serial). SDV362651.

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<34> Youngs, S.M. & Clark, J. & Gaimster, D.R.M. & Barry, T., 1988, Medieval Archaeology, p.225-314 (Article in Serial). SDV362652.

X

<35> Gaimster, D.R.M. & Margeson, S. & Barry, T., 1989, Medieval Archaeology, p.161-241 (Article in Serial). SDV362653.

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<37> Patch, P.A. & Henderson, C.G, 1986, Torre Abbey Excavation 1986: Report and Recommendations for Future Work (* Torbay Report - Interim/Research/Specialist). SDV362655.

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<43> Westcott, K., 1985, Exeter Archaeology 1984-5, p.75 (Pamphlet). SDV362656.

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<46> DNH, 1994, 3/1994)/in smr, (21/3/1994) (Correspondence). SDV362657.

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<47> DNH, 5/1994)/in smr, (6/5/1994) (Correspondence). SDV362659.

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<48> DNH, 8/1994)/in smr, (31/8/1994) (Correspondence). SDV362660.

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<49> DNH, 10/1994)/in smr, (12/10/1994) (Correspondence). SDV362661.

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<50> DNH, 3/1996)/in smr, (12/3/1996) (Correspondence). SDV362662.

X

<51> DNH, 2/1997)/in smr, (13/2/1997) (Correspondence). SDV362663.

X

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7730 - (Ref: 1)
• EDV7731 - (Ref: 2)
• EDV7732 - (Ref: 3)
• EDV7733 - (Ref: 4)
• EDV7734 - (Ref: 6)
• EDV7888 - Torre Abbey Excavations 1986-89
• EDV7898 - An archaeological impact assessment on the proposed BT trench in Torre Abbey gardens (Ref: 7)
• EDV7899 - An archaeological assessment of a proposed new pavilion in Torre Abbey Meadows
• EDV7900 - A Watching brief in Torre Abbey Gardens, February 1998
• EDV7907 - Torre Abbey, Torquay, Devon: Historic Building Report
• EDV7908 - Conservation plan for Torre Abbey

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