THE CAVALIER INN – TORRINGTON

LOCATION HISTORY

Torrington is a Domesday town on the river Torridge, there is no record of what, fortifications the Norman’s built at Torrington but it is known that what was built was destroyed on the orders of the King in 1288.  In the 14^th century Richard de Merton built a further fortification on the high ground, now known as castle hill. Life in Torrington appears to have been relatively peaceful as there are no records of the castle being put to use in defence of the town.

"Every year the people of Torrington march along Well street to the centre of Torrington where a speech is read and the dead are remembered. Haunted Devon have visited and investigated Torrington with the aid of the team at the living history museum "Torrington 1646" please pay a visit they are wonderful people." Click on the picture to take in the atmosphere of the torch lit procession.

By the time of the Civil War it is believed that the castle had fallen into disrepair and only parts of the battlements remain today.

The peacefulness took a turn in 1643 when Colonel Digby launched an unsuccessful attack on Royalist troops in Torrington. However, it was the second engagement in Torrington that marks the turning point of the Royalist resistance in the West Country.

Following the Royalist abandonment of Plymouth in January 1646 Lord-General Thomas Fairfax and the Parliamentarians moved toward Exeter, capturing Dartmouth and its outposts on 18^th January 1646, with the surrender of Powderham Castle on 26^th January this completed the encirclement of Exeter.

In early February Lord Hopton, mustered 2000 Cornish infantry along with the remaining Royalist western army and occupied Torrington. The army took up defensive positions constructing a circuit of earthworks and barricading all the approach roads.In response Lord Fairfax marched 10,000 men towards Torrington approaching from the east on 16^th February 1646. The first of the barricades lasted two hours, when the Cornish infantry were overwhelmed and retreated into Torrington, pursued by the Parliamentarians.

Lord Fairfax and his men took the town, imprisoning 200 captured Royalists in the church. This church, however, had been used by Hopton as a powder store and after a stray spark from the fighting in the streets of Torrington ignited the powder store. The resulting explosion killed all the prisoner’s, virtually destroyed the church and the historical records stored there. Falling debris from the explosion narrowly missed Lord Fairfax and the remaining Royalist army fled into Cornwall.

With the coming of the industrial revolution Torrington became renowned for glove making, by the 1880’s this was the town’s largest employer. The industry continues in the town today.

William Vaughan, an influential and prominent glove maker and was a great benefactor to the town, holding the office of Mayor on several occasions, he was also a Justice of the Peace and County Councillor. Vaughan was instrumental in the development and building of the cottage hospital for the town and his family home, Sydney House built in 1887 was the tallest building in the town at the time.

Sydney House was used during the 1^st World War as a Red Cross hospital and later in the 2^nd World War was occupied by evacuees from London. During this time a fire broke out on the top floor of the building, spreading rapidly, the fire crews fought through the night of 19^th February 1942, however, they were not able to save all the residents and a memorial stone was erected on the site of the building.

The Cavalier Inn is built on the site of an old leather tannery, which along with glove making was one of Torrington's main industries, was built in the 16th century as six cottages and a blacksmiths use of which it continued until being converted into a pub some one hundred years ago.

HAUNTED HISTORY

INVESTIGATION

Date:         

Friday 30^th November 2007

Times:       

@20:00 hrs - Advance Team Arrive

@22:00 hrs - All team at Valiant Soldier for briefing

@23:00 hrs - Investigation begins

@02:00 hrs - Investigation ends

Team Details:

Site Technical: Byron Jackson

Site Co-ordinator: Byron Jackson

Medium: N/A

First Aid: Lesley

Advance Team: Byron
 

Team Members:

Baseline Readings

Site Orientation

An introduction to the investigation was carried out by Byron along with a safety brief.

Byron welcomed all the team members. The members where then supplied with the evening’s schedule. A ritual protection was carried out by the group and then the transfer to darkness took place for the investigation to begin. (Lights out!)

THE CLOSEDOWN

The final part of the investigation involved a de-brief and a final protection exercise which was held to protect the team.

Andy Gillies

Editor - Haunted Devon