大象传媒

Torre Abbey isn't just Torquay's oldest building - it can probably claim responsibility for the birth of the town.

The abbey, founded in 1196, was home to the monks of the Premonstratensian order who later built Torquay's first harbour and established the nearby town of Newton Abbot.

The land for the abbey - just yards from the sea - was handed to the order by William de Brewer, who also gave them land a few miles away - when Newton Abbot was effectively born.

The monks therefore played a huge part in the growth of South Devon in those early days.

Yet their home, Torre Abbey, was in recent years in danger of falling into complete disrepair.

The work has opened up new parts of the abbey

The building was saved just in the nick of time, thanks largely to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of almost 拢5 million.

These days, the abbey is owned by Torbay Council. The authority closed the building to the public in 2005 for urgent repairs and improved access work.

The abbey was shut for three years for the work - phase one of the overall project - to be completed.

In July 2008, Torre Abbey re-opened its doors to the public on a 'preview' basis, and the building is set for its official re-opening in September 2008.

The work has transformed the building. It has enabled a part of Torquay's history to be revealed in a way which was never possible before.

House manager at the abbey, Gordon Partridge, said the work saved the building: "It wasn't just a health and safety thing, it was also the fabric of the building which was damaged by damp and decay.

"So the work has saved the abbey for people to visit, and it has saved the building historically."

Gordon Partridge at the new entrance at the abbey

The abbey church itself was ruined in 1539, during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. But most of the structure remained.

"On the outside, Torre Abbey is a mansion house in a Georgian style, but chip away the plaster and it goes back to the monastic era," said Gordon.

During the renovation, skeletons were unearthed in the cloister area - the remains of members of the order. A tomb was also uncovered near the chapter house door within the cloister.

Gordon explained: "To have been interned there, it would have been an important figure in the order, possibly an abbot."

The tomb was one of many interesting finds: "We found a basin听built into the wall, where monks used to wash their hands. That was covered over by plaster and bricks. It is also possible to identify frames of windows which were later blocked up."

The discovered tomb, with the cloister behind

Gordon added: "Torre Abbey was really the starting point of Torquay. Before that, the area was called Torremohun.

"But the order built a little harbour - Torquay's first harbour - towards Livermead.

"We believe they used the harbour to bring in stone from Purbeck to build the abbey, because they obviously added to the structure over the years."

After the monks were driven out by Henry VIII, Torre Abbey went into private ownership - the wealthy Cary family were among those who owned the building.

The Cary clan were keen art collectors, and their collection forms part of the art on show in the upstairs rooms of the abbey.

Finally, in 1940, Torre Abbey was bought by the local council, along with the Spanish Barn.

The medieval barn was originally used as a store for the 'taxes' paid to the monks - usually in the form of farm produce.

At the time of the Spanish Armada, it was used to hold hundreds of Spanish prisoners.

These days, it is used for art galleries and other events.

For Torre Abbey's opening times and admission prices, visit the official website which is linked from this page. There are also details of art collections and guided tours.