A walk in the woods & the Spanish Barn

A walk in the woods

It's been a gloriously sunny bank holiday weekend here in the South West, and despite being away from Devon I just had to get outdoors and enjoy the countryside. At this special time of year with nature springing into life all around us, there's nothing better than a walk through woods carpeted with Bluebells dappled by spring sunshine breaking through the trees.  The photo below was taken on a fabulous Sunday afternoon walk through woodland near my childhood home in South Gloucestershire. 

The woods carpeted with Bluebells, rural Gloucestershire

However, as this is meant to be my South Devon outdoor / walking / coast path, history kind-of blog, I guess we should get back to the matter in hand! This week, we're looking at the history of Torre Abbey, and how its tithe barn played a role in the Spanish Armada. 

Torre Abbey, Drake and the Spanish Barn

Like many people I suspect, I've driven or walked through Torquay and hardly even noticed the innocuous stone building on Torre Green near the sea front. In fact, it was only while doing research for my book that I discovered the long and colourful history of this majestic building and the pivotal role that the nearby Abbey played in the early development of Torquay as well as witnessing some of the most pivotal moments in British history.

Torquay's origins lie in the Saxon hamlet of Torre (from Tor meaning 'hill') and its Abbey is the oldest surviving building in Torbay as well as being the most complete medieval monastery in Devon and Cornwall. It was founded in 1196 by Canons from Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire, who were given the land by the Lord of Torre Manor and powerful Baron, William de Brewer. 

The Canons were from the Premonstratensian Roman Catholic order (also known as White Canons from the colour of their habit) and by the end of the 15^th century they had developed Torre Abbey into the wealthiest Premonstratensian monastery in England, earning the enormous sum of 1.8 million pounds per year. This vast wealth enabled them to build Torquay's first fishing quay, which was the 'Quay' which eventually gave Torre its modern name of 'Torquay'. The Canons also gained a charter from the King to develop the nearby market town of Newton Abbot in order to sell the produce from their extensive lands.

Following Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries following his split from Rome in 1539, the Abbey church was demolished and the remaining buildings became a private house, however parts of the original monastic buildings remain including the 12^th century entrance to the chapter house, and the Mohun gateway which dates from 1320.

The 14th century Mohun gateway, part of the original Torre Abbey

Another remaining part of the original Abbey buildings is the Medieval Spanish Barn, built as the Abbey's tithe barn around 1200 AD to hold taxes paid by local people in the form of grain and farm produce. The barn gained its distinctive name from the role it played during the Spanish Armada in 1588, when Sir Francis Drake used the barn to imprison 397 prisoners captured from the Spanish flag ship the Nostra Senora del Rosario. The prisoners were held in the Barn in terrible conditions for two weeks, but although a number of them died most survived the ordeal and were eventually free to return home to Spain. 

With over 800 years of history, local legend suggests that the Barn has gained a number of ghostly apparitions. One of these is 'The Spanish Lady', the fiance of one of the ship's lieutenants who perished in the miserable conditions during her incarceration in the barn, and is now said to roam the barn and the grounds of the Abbey sobbing and searching for her lover.

The Spanish Barn, named after the role it played housing prisoners
from the Spanish Armada in 1588

Find out more about South Devon

If you'd like to find out more about the history of this beautiful part of the South West, then why not consider buying a copy of my book Britain's Heritage Coast, Exmouth to Plymouth (available from www.garyholpin.co.uk). A share of the proceeds goes to help support the South West Coast Path Association, a charity which helps to maintain & improve the South West Coast Path for the benefit of the millions who use it every year, and the many local businesses that benefit from visitors to the Path.