Torbryan

Torbryan is a village near Ipplepen in Devon, England. In the Domesday Book it was listed as Torre Braine in 1238. The de Brian family were Lords of the manor for 250 years.[1]

Torbryan

Torbryan High Street
Torbryan
Location within Devon
OS grid referenceSX 8206 6683
Civil parish
  • Denbury and Torbryan
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townNewton Abbot
Postcode districtTQ12
Dialling code01803
PoliceDevon and Cornwall
FireDevon and Somerset
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
Websitehttps://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/

Church

The parish church is situated at the head of the village. It is thought that the original church of Sir Guy de Brian burnt down in about 1360. The present church was constructed in 1400. The church currently houses a colony of lesser horseshoe bats.[1]

The church houses a medieval rood screen constructed in about 1430, the lower panels having a unique series of coloured paintings depicting 36 saints. The screen is a rare survivor of the reformation and survived because the panels were whitewashed. These screens made national headlines when they were stolen in 2013[2] but later recovered by the police, restored and reinstalled.[3][4]

Caves

The Torbryan caves located in the valley are world-famous and were largely excavated by Edward Widger who lived in the village. The bones of many extinct animals were found in the excavations including those of the mammoth, cave hyena and cave bear. These remains are displayed at the Natural History Museum, London.[1]

Notable inhabitants
  • Sir William Petre, born at Tor Newton. He was a Tudor Secretary of State and agent of Thomas Cromwell. He served from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I. There is a monument to him on the north wall of the chancel.[1]

References
  1. "Parish History". Denbury & Torbryan Parish. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  2. "Medieval panels 'hacked' from church". BBC News. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  3. "Torbryan rood screen will rise again". www.visitchurches.org.uk. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  4. Morris, Steven (24 June 2016). "Stolen medieval panels restored and reinstalled in Devon church". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 December 2018.



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