More information : (SS 49671893) Castle (NR) (Site of) (NAT)
(Name centred SS 49691896) Chapel (NR) (Site of) (NAT)). (1)
Torrington Castle, built in the reign of John by William de Toriton (2), was ordered to be destroyed in 1228 having been built without a licence (a). It was rebuilt in 1340 by Richard de Merton (b) and in 1401 was granted to Robert Chalons (3). The chapel dedicated to St James (2) and mentioned 1395-1419 (6), was all that remained in Leland's time (c); converted to a school-house it was fianlly demolished before 1780 (5).
Earthworks alone remain: the mound, probably remains of the keep; the bailey now known as Barley Grove; the Castle Green still used as a bowling green and traces of the Castle Ditch, filled quite recently with earth and builders' refuse. Adjoining Castle Garden fields where the commons start to slope down to a little valley, there are earthworks with traces of a covered way, close to a levelled bit of ground, possibly a Castle entrance (2). (2-5)
Torrington Castle stood on the crest of the hill, high above the
valley of the river Torridge, commanding an extensive view to the south. The only feature remaining is a mound of earth, perhaps the site of a keep, 36.0 m x 18.0 m, overall, with an uneven top of about 18.0 m x 9.0 m, and 2.7 m in height. To the west is Barley Grove, now a car park, which may have been one of the two baileys, the other to the east now being a modern bowling green. There are no certain traces of the castle ditch, though the footway immediately west of Bailey Grove may represent part of the course. The earthworks and covered way referred to by Doe could not be found. The hillside to the south east of the castle is covered with small quarry pits and banks, perhaps the results of commoners rights of quarrying.
There are no visible remains of the Chapel in the School House which was built in 1834.
Revised of 1:2500 on PFD. (6-7)
Listed by Cathcart King as a vanished castle. (8) |