Torrington, or Great Torrington, to distinguish it from a small village of the same name. This is a very ancient place, and is finely situated, partly on the summit and partly on the declivity of a noble eminence, which forms the eastern bank of the river Torridge. On the south side are some slight vestiges of an ancient castle, the origin of which is unknown; its site has lately been used as a bowling-green, and commands a fine prospect. The river is here seen to flow in a graceful current along a narrow valley, enclosed by grand sloping ridges, and having a beautifully wooded back ground. Torrington was formerly invested with the privilege of having representatives in Parliament, but no return has been made since the reign of Henry VI. Its government is vested in a mayor, eight aldermen, and sixteen burgesses, who act under a charter granted by Queen Mary. Torrington consists principally of one long street, and has been very populous and flourishing; the chief employment of the inhabitants arising from the woollen manufacture. Here are two churches, the most ancient of which is furnished with a library. Some ancient alms-houses in the town possess the right of commonage on an extensive piece of ground, given by William Fitzrobert, Baron of Torrington, in the reign of Richard I. Here is a free-school for thirty boys. Margaret, Countess of Richmond, and mother of Henry VII. resided some time in this place, and was a considerable benefactress. The views from the two bridges in the vicinity of the town are delightful. The market is on Saturday.

According to the late returns, this parish contains 2538 inhabitants, who are chiefly employed in the woollen manufacture, and 455 houses.

Of the castle above-mentioned there are but small remains, if any, now to be seen.

TORRINGTON (GREAT) is a municipal borough, head of a union, county court district and petty sessional division, market town and parish, on the Torridge, here crossed by three bridges, at points respectively south-east, south-west and north-west of the town, and is at the junction of the roads from Barnstaple and South Molton to Tavistock and Plymouth; it is the terminus of a branch of the London and South Western railway, opened in 1872, 7 miles south-south-east from Bideford, 10 south-by-west from Barnstaple, 18 north from Okehampton and 225 from London, and is in the Northern division of the county, Fremington hundred, rural deanery of Torrington, archdeaconry of Barnstaple and diocese of Exeter. The town is beautifully situated on the top of a hill 300 feet high, from which an extensive view is obtained, overlooking the Torridge; is lighted with gas from works in Gas lane, and supplied with water from a reservoir at Blackerton, 2 miles from the town; waterworks were built in 1871, and in 1901 were considerably enlarged by the Corporation. A canal, nearly 5 miles long, was constructed by the late Lord Rolle, in 1823, from the town to the navigable pant of the Torridge below Wear Gifford; at Beam there is a lofty stone aqueduct of 5 arches, but portions having been filled in it is not now in use. A part of this canal, between the station and the town mills, was about 1893 converted into a road. The road to Little Torrington was made by Lord Rolle in 1842. The borough sent members to Parliament in the reigns of Ed. I., II. and III. but was relieved of that burden at its own request. Torrington was incorporated by three charters, granted by Mary, James I. and James H. of which copies only now exist: the Corporation, under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1835, consists of a mayor, four aldermen and eleven councillors. The borough has a commission of the peace, granted July 7th, 1893. The church of St. Michael is an edifice of stone in the Decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower, 57 feet in height, with pinnacles and a lofty spire, and containing a clock and 6 bells, all cast by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, in 1716, weight of tenor 14 cwt. 3qrs.: the present tower was rebuilt in 1830; the old tower, a structure of peculiar shape, stood at the principal entrance on the south side, and in the year 1839 the top of the spire was blown down by a violent hurricane, and, falling through the roof, did considerable damage: the east window is stained, and in the south aisle is one erected by J. C. Moore-Stevens esq. of Winscott, at a cost of £150: the reredos, in sculptured stone, represents the Crucifixion, and is by Hems, of Exeter: the west window, given by the Palmer family, cost £100; a window in the south side was placed to the memory of Mary Colby by her children, Frederic, Ellen and Reynolds, in 1863, and another in the north aisle was given by the representatives of the late Mr. Callon, of Torrington; in the transept is a window inserted by the Rev. Hugh Fowler, in the memory of his father, Thomas Fowler, who died in 1843; two other memorial windows were placed in 1891: there are monuments to the Stevens family with a Latin inscription, dated 1676, and to John Palmer, d. 1770: the carved oak pulpit is that in which John Howe M.A. the celebrated Nonconformist divine, preached while vicar of this parish, until his ejectment in 1662: the organ was presented in 1809 by the late Lord Rolle, and in 1892 a handsome brass cross was given by Messrs. Yeo and Beamore: under the bible desk are these words, carved in the wood-“Heare God’s word”: on a stone, let into the wall outside the church, is the following inscription:-“The church was blown up with powder, Feb. 16th, Ano. 1645 and rebuilt Ano. 1651”: the church was restored in 1864 and has 1,200 sittings. The register dates from the year 1616, and contains a number of entries relating to the burials of officers and soldiers slain during the civil war. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £380, with residence, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, and held since 1894 by the Rev. Frank Emlyn Jones M.A. of that House, and surrogate. There is a Wesleyan chapel at Windy Cross, holding 380 persons, with a Sunday school attached. Howe Congregational church, Castle street, is a large building of stone in the Gothic style, with residence for the minister attached; the church has 350 sittings. The Baptist chapel, New street, is a building of stone, with Sunday school attached, and will hold 400 persons. The Bible Christian chapel, in South street, will seat 300 persons; there is a Sunday school attached, with a library of about 200 volumes, and a residence for the minister. The Cemetery, six acres in extent, at the western extremity of the town, was laid out and planted with shrubs in 1855, and has a lodge and two mortuary chapels; it is now under the control of the Corporation. The Town Hall is a structure of brick, rebuilt in 1860. The municipal insignia include a pair of silver parcel-gilt maces, 22 ¾ inches long, with ornate bands on the shafts, crested heads with royal badges, and scroll flanges on the grip, and date from the reign of James I.; one of these, partly destroyed by a fire at the mayor’s house, July 26, 1876, was restored in the same year; there is also a pair of smaller maces, 10 ½ inches in length, both of silver and exactly similar, the head of each is crested, and has on the side a fleur-de-lis between the letters I. R. with the date 1687 below; one of these is a facsimile of one destroyed by the fire mentioned above; the mayor’s chain, presented in 1885 by Gabriel Fisher esq. then mayor, is of gold and consists of 17 tablets, bearing the names of successive mayors from 1736, united by plain links: the centre link incloses the monogram of the donor, with miniature models of the town maces, and pendent from this is the oval badge, presented by the late George Doe esq. then town clerk, and displaying the borough arms, “arg. 2 bars wavy, in chief a fleur-de-lis, sa. all within a bordure engrailed of the last”; the town seal, of the 15th century, bears a fleur-de-lis between two letters “t” and has the legend:-“Sigillu’: coe. ville: de: Cbipyngtoriton: com: debon:” there is also a silver badge, worn by the town beadle and dated 1690.

In High street stands a drinking fountain of stone and granite, presented to the town by the Hon. Mark G. K. Rolle in August, 1870; it is 18 feet high and approached by two rows of steps, and in the upper portion is a clock. There are three banks, a Mutual Improvement Society, and a Conservative Working Men’s Association, with a reading room and a library of about 600 volumes, in South street, and a Free Institute, in Halsdon terrace, opened in 1891, with a library of 700 volumes and reading and billiard rooms. The North Devon Freehold Land Society has its offices here. The Market House for meat, vegetables and poultry, erected by the Town Council in 1842, is a spacious building, and includes a large hall, let for lectures and exhibitions: in 1892 the central roof was covered in with glass, the expense being chiefly defrayed by the Hon. Mark G. K. Rolle. The market is held on Saturday and a sale of cattle, conducted by Henry Slee and Sons and Mr. G. D. Copp, is held on the last Saturday in every month; the market, which belongs to the Corporation, was in 1893 transferred to the New Public Cattle Market, erected in School lane at a cost of £1,000. Annual fairs are held in the town on the third Saturday in March (Great Fair) and the first Thursday in May; on this day the Premium cattle show is held, and the second Thursday and two following days in October. Fairs were held here as early as 1226, but all the borough records were destroyed by fire in 1724. The manufacture of silk gloves is largely carried on, about 500 persons being employed in factories and in their own houses; the chief factory is that of Mr. William Vaughan, which is spacious and well-ventilated. Messrs. John Jackson and Mrs. Rudd also have glove factories here. There is also a large leather dressing establishment, carried on by Messrs. N. G. & M. Chappie, and the Torridge Vale butter factory of Messrs. R. Sandford and Son. The Fire Brigade, consisting of 30 men and one superintendent, has three manual engines, and is otherwise efficiently equipped. At Torrington is stationed the A squadron of the Royal North Devon Yeomanry Cavalry (Imperial Yeomanry) and the F Co. of the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Devonshire Regiment; the drill hall and armoury is in Calf street. The kennels of the Stevenstone fox hounds are at Rotherham Bridge, near here. There are almshouses for 22 poor persons, 6 being in the gift of the Hon. Mark G. K. Rolle, and the remaining 16 with the trustees of the Town and Alms Land Charities.

The Cottage Hospital was opened in October, 1897; the number of patients admitted in 1900 was 33, making a total of 84 since the Hospital was opened.

At the west end of the town is an extensive tract of common land, which has been laid out with walks made and furnished with seats as a public recreation ground, and part has been reserved for various kinds of outdoor sports; the whole is vested in a body of conservators under the “Great Torrington Commons Act, 1889.”

In the sixth year of Richard I.’s reign the common land was given for the benefit of the poor by William FitzRobert, baron of Torrington.

Of Torridge Castle, erected by Richard de Merton in 1340, only a portion of the chapel, taken down in 1780 and now converted into a school, remains, and that part of Castle hill is now called “Barley Grove.” Near the spot where the castle formerly stood is a column, erected in 1816 to commemorate the battle of Waterloo, fought June 18th, 1815. In 1484 the sessions were held at Torrington, at which the Marquis of Dorset, Sir Edward Courtenay, Bishop Peter Courtenay and about 500 others, were indicted for treason against Richard III. and outlawed, and Sir Thomas St. Ledger, who has married the king’s sister, and Thomas Rayme esq. being found guilty of high treason, were beheaded at Exeter. The Lady Margaret Countess of Richmond and mother of Henry VII. resided much at Torrington in the old manor house, which she afterwards gave as a residence for the clergyman of the parish, whose parsonage was formerly at Priestacott; in 1590 the sessions were held here in consequence of the prevalence of the plague at Exeter, and Torrington, probably in consequence, also suffered from the same infection the following year. In 1643 the Parliamentary forces, advancing on this place from Bideford, were totally defeated by Colonel Digby. In February, 1646, Lord Hopton, having stationed his army at Torrington, which he fortified and barricaded, was attacked by Sir Thomas Fairfax, advancing from Chulmleigh by way of Stevenstone, on the night of the 16th, and after a severe action the royalists were completely worsted and eight colours taken, besides numerous prisoners, 200 of whom, being confined in the church, were destroyed, together with the guard, by the blowing up of nearly 80 barrels of powder, which had been deposited there by Lord Hopton, and very little of the church beyond the vestry escaped the effects of the explosion. In 1665 Tristram Arscott esq. gave the hospital of St. Mary Magdalen, founded at Taddiport by Lady Anne Butler, to Great Torrington and to the churchwardens of Little Torrington.

Torrington gave the title of Earl in 1660 to the celebrated General Monk, afterwards Duke of Albemarle, but it became extinct on the death of his son, Christopher, in 1687: in 1689 Admiral Arthur Herbert was created Baron Torbay and Earl of Torrington, which title became again extinct on his death, April 14, 1716; in the same year Thomas, second son of Francis (Newport), 1st earl of Bradford, was created Baron Torrington, but died in 1719 without issue; in 1721 Admiral Sir George Byng bart. was created Baron Byng, Viscount Torrington, and these titles are still enjoyed by his descendant, the present and 8th viscount. The parish contains the manors of Great Torrington and Norwood, the manorial Tights of which, under the “Great Torrington Commons Act, 1889,” are now vested in a board of conservators, in trust for the inhabitants. The Hon. Mark George Kerr Rolle and the town trustees are the principal landowners. The area of the parish and municipal borough is 3,575 acres of land and 17 of water; rateable value, £9,715; the population in 1891 was 3,436, including 55 officers and inmates in the workhouse, and in 1901 was 3,241.

Petty Sessions are held at the Court House every alternate Saturday at 11 a.m.. The following places are within the petty sessional division:-Alverdiscott, Beaford, Buckland Filleigh, Dolton, Dowland, Frithelstock, Great Torrington, High Bickington, Huish, Huntshaw, Langtree, Little Torrington, Merton, Peters Marland, Petrockstow, Roborough, Shebbear, St. Giles-in-the-Wood, Wear Gifford & Yarnscombe.

YEOMANRY CAVALRY

Royal North Devon Imperial Yeomanry (Hussars), A Squadron, Capt. & Hon. Major H. H. J. W. Drummond, commanding; Capt. J. Bayly, second in command.

VOLUNTEERS

4th Volunteer Battalion, Devonshire Regiment (F Co.), Capt. H. D. F. Pollock; Color-Sergt, E. Hooper, drill instructor.

TORRINGTON UNION

Board day, every alternate Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Union Workhouse.

The Union comprises the following parishes:-Alverdiscott, Ashreigney, Beaford, Bickington (High), Buckland Filleigh, Dolton, Dowland, Frithelstock, Huish, Huntshaw, Langtree, Peters Marland, Merton, Petrockstow, Roborough, St. Giles-in-the-Wood, Shebbear, Sheepwash, Torrington (Great), Torrington (Little), Wear Gifford, Winkleigh & Yarnscombe. The population of the union in 1891 was 13,643, and in 1901 was 12,499; area, 83,388 acres; rateable value in 1901, £65.397.

The Workhouse, a building of stone, was erected in 1837 & will hold 250 inmates; the infirmary, built in 1870, for 26 inmates, is a small edifice of brick & stone. A chapel was built in the same year by J. C. Moore Stevens esq. & will seat 186.

PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of services

St. Michael’s Church, Rev. Frank Emlyn Jones M.A. vicar; Rev. Wilbraham Harris Arundell B.A. & Rev. Henry D. F. Pollock B.A. curates; 8 & 11 a.m.. & 3.15 & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 8 a.m.. & 5.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Baptist, New street, Rev. G. Frankling Owen; 11 a.m.. & 6.30 p.m.; Mon. Wed. & Fri. 8 p.m.

Bible Christian, South street, Rev. J. C. Pye; 11 a.m.. & 6.30 p.m.; Mon. & Thur. 8 p.m.

Congregational (Howe), Casitle street, Rev. Edward Wilkins; 11 a.m.. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 8 p.m.

Wesleyan Methodist, Windy cross, Rev. William J.Weare; 11 a.m.. & 6.30 p.m.; Tue. 7.30 p.m. & Fri. 8 p.m.

Salvation Army, Calf street.

SCHOOLS

A School Board of 5 members, since increased to 7, was formed Feb. 16, 1871; George Mark Doe, Castle street, clerk to the board; Henry Forbes, treasurer; Sergt.-Major Frederick Lloyd, New street, attendance officer.

Board, Halsdon road, erected in 1872, for 360 children; average attendance, 306.

Church of England Blue Coat (mixed), Barley grove, founded by John Lovering, in 1671, & endowed with £47 10s. yearly, but principally supported by the Hon. Mark George Kerr Rolle; it will hold 300 children; average attendance, 185.