A blue plaque welcoming visitors to Torre Abbey

Torre Abbey comprises of two Grade I listed buildings in Torquay. It was founded in 1196 as a monastery for premonstratensian canons when William de Brewer, lord of the manor of Torre, gave them the land. It soon became the wealthiest in England. A Greater London Council blue plaque at Alexandra Palace, commemorating the launch of BBC Television there in 1936. ... Buckingham Palace, a Grade I listed building. ... Location within the British Isles Part of the Torquay seafront at high tide Torquay is a town on the south coast of England in the county of Devon which has extended along the coast of Torbay to the extent that it is now inextricably intermingled with the neighbouring town of... Buddhist monastery near Tibet A monastery is the habitation of monks. ... The Premonstratensians, also called Norbertines, and in England the White Canons (from the color of their habit) are a Christian religious order of Augustinian Canons founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, afterwards archbishop of Magdeburg. ... A canon (from the Latin canonicus and Greek κανωνικωσ relating to a rule) is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to a rule (canon). ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ...

The monks surrendered to King Henry VIII's commissioner in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This resulted in a widescale demolition of the buildings, and all items of value, including the lead from the roof, was taken. The medieval cloister was mostly unscathed and, in 1598, was converted into a house for Thomas Ridgeway. After a succession of various owners, the house became the possession of the Cary family in 1662. It stayed in the family until 1930 when financial difficulties forced Commander Henry Cary to sell it to Torquay Borough Council. It has since been used as a municipal art gallery, the mayor's parlour and, during World War II, it was used by the Royal Air Force. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... The Dissolution of the Monasteries (referred to by Roman Catholic writers as the Suppression of the Monasteries) was the formal process, taking place between 1536 and 1540, by which King Henry VIII confiscated the property of the Roman Catholic monastic institutions in England and took them to himself, as the... Cloister of Saint Trophimus, in Arles, France A cloister (from latin claustrum) is part of cathedrals and abbeys architecture. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was by far the bloodiest, most expensive, and most significant war in... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the UK Armed Forces. ...

The Torre Abbey chapel is sometimes used for public ceremonies such as funerals and christenings, though it does not have a wedding license. Underwater funeral in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea A funeral is a ceremony marking a persons death. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Buildings

The Spanish Barn was used to hold 397 prisoners from the Spanish Armada, as described in the plaque above the door ( image).

The main abbey comprises of two Grade I listed buildings. Though the church is little more than a ruin, the west and south sides of the cloisters are still standing. The gatehouse dates from around 1380, and the barrel vault above the chapel dates from the 15th century. The tithe barn, built along with the abbey in 1196, is known as "The Spanish Barn" after it was used to hold 397 prisoners of war from the Spanish Armada in 1588. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2442x1479, 1751 KB) The Spanish Barn in Torquay. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2442x1479, 1751 KB) The Spanish Barn in Torquay. ... The Spanish Armada (Old Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, large and most fortunate fleet; but called by the English, with ironic intention, la Armada Invencible, the Invincible Fleet) was a fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain in 1588 in a failed attempt to bring an end to... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (720x664, 470 KB) A closeup of the plaque on The Spanish Barn in Torquay. ... A church building is a building used in Christian worship. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... A tithe barn was a type of barn used in England in the Middle Ages for storing the tithes - a tenth of the farms produce which had to be given to the church. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... The Spanish Armada (Old Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, large and most fortunate fleet; but called by the English, with ironic intention, la Armada Invencible, the Invincible Fleet) was a fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain in 1588 in a failed attempt to bring an end to...

Reconstruction and restoration

Around 1740 the buildings underwent extensive alterations, giving them a Georgian remodelling that is mostly intact today. The Cary family invested in further reconstructions throughout the 19th century, including the contruction of a small brewery. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The entrance of a brewery. ...

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the abbey is undergoing further restoration and is scheduled to reopen in summer 2008. A play here! sign outside a newsagent, incorporating the National Lotterys logo of a stylised hand with crossed fingers. ...

Contents and displays

A plaque showing a portrait of Agatha Christie.

Torre Abbey contains many collections of historic artifacts, including 18th and 19th century English glass, silver and pewter. One room is fitted out as an approximation of the study of Agatha Christie, the famed novelist that lived much of her life in Torquay. Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, DBE (September 15, 1890 – January 12, 1976), was a British crime fiction writer. ... Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, DBE (September 15, 1890 – January 12, 1976), was a British crime fiction writer. ...

Haunting

As with many historic buildings, there have been various reports and alleged sightings of three ghosts inside Torre Abbey – a headless monk, an 18th century lady and a Spanish lady searching for her long-lost love. The Haunting of Torre Abbey by Carole Bugge, a 2000 novel featuring Sherlock Holmes (ISBN 0312245572), sees the detective investigating ghosts in the buildings after being called in by Lord Charles Cary. Reputed ghost of a monk. ... Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes (1854-1957, according to William S. Baring-Gould) is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, created by British author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. ...

References

• Torre Abbey Historic House & Gallery (official site). Accessed 31 August 2005.
• Torre Abbey at Torquay.com. Accessed 31 August 2005.