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Summary

The land grant for the original site of Torre abbey in 1196

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 24840
• Listed Building (I) 885 - 1/17/250
• Listed Building (I) 1206852: TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (II) 1206853: GRANITE CROSS SHAFT WEST OF TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (II) 1207700: THE COTTAGE, TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (II) 1207725: THE LODGE, TORRE ABBEY, AND ATTACHED GARDEN WALLS AND RAILINGS
• Listed Building (II) 1218977: GATES AT TORBAY ROAD ENTRANCE TO ABBEY PARK
• Listed Building (II) 1279536: PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS
• Listed Building (II) 1280011: GATE PIERS AND GATES TO TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (I) 1280012: THE SPANISH BARN, TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (II) 1206728: TWO K6 TELEPHONE KIOSKS
• Listed Building (II) 1207700: THE COTTAGE, TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (II) 1207725: THE LODGE, TORRE ABBEY, AND ATTACHED GARDEN WALLS AND RAILINGS
• Listed Building (I) 1206852: TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (II) 1206853: GRANITE CROSS SHAFT WEST OF TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (II) 1218977: GATES AT TORBAY ROAD ENTRANCE TO ABBEY PARK
• Listed Building (II) 1279536: PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS, Bampfylde Road
• Listed Building (II) 1280011: GATE PIERS AND GATES TO TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (I) 1280012: THE SPANISH BARN, TORRE ABBEY
• Listed Building (II) 1206728: TWO K6 TELEPHONE KIOSKS

Other References/Statuses

• Torbay HER: MTO9675

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Undated)

Full description

Torbay HER record (SMR record). SDV361984.

William Brewer's (de Brewere) foundation grant in 1196 to the new Premonstratensian Abbey was extremely generous and included either the whole or parts of several of his Devon manors. The foundation charter lists the donated properties and also the the boundaries of the abbey site itself: "… the piece of land which is called Rowedone in the village of Torre, contained within the following metes and bounds, to wit: by the road which comes from Cockington as far as the village of Torre, and so before the door of Richard, then the parson of torre; then by the road which runs down to the sea, and so from the sea as far as the calcetum (causeway), and from the calcetum up to the aforesaid road which comes from Cockington, by way of a certain piece of land where there is a spring called Efrideswelle, with whatever is contained within these said bounds".

An earlier version of the foundation charter described the land as 'cultura que dicitur Ruwedone', i.e. the cultivated land of Rowden which was in the Lord of the manor's own demesne. By 1232 William Brewer the Younger added to the original gift: "… the whole of my meadow which lies on the western side of the calcetum which runs down from the abbey of Torre to the sea, between the said calcetum and the meadow of Cockington"..[1][2]

Thus the abbey site consisted of the enclosure of Rowedone, and the meadow on its west side. The boundaries can be traced: on the west it is the parish and manorial boundaries of Torre and Cockington, west of the King's Gardens; on the south by the sands of the seashore; on the east by 'the way to the sea', the 'Sand Lane' later established as Belgrave Road; and on the north 'the road from Cockington' is Mill Lane

The calcetum was obviously a well known landmark, which can be interpreted as a causeway about 70-75m east of The King's Drive, its course can be traced on the First Edition OS County Series of 1861 (qv. MTO9673).

<1> Walker, H.H., 1965, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, pp. 196-7, Fig 1 (Article in Serial). SDV361991.

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<2> Russell, P., 1960, History of Torquay and the Famous Anchorage of Torbay, p.20-1 (Monograph). SDV362605.

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Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7888 - Torre Abbey Excavations 1986-89

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