Torre Abbey

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Torre Abbey , exterior view

Torre Abbey is a historic building and arts center in the southern English coastal town of Torquay . It was built as a monastery in 1196 and was the residence of the influential Cary family from 1662 to 1930. In addition to the monastic walls, the aristocratic living quarters and a garden complex, Torre Abbey houses the third largest art collection in the county of Devon as well as regular temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists.

history

Painting from the 19th century in Torre Abbey

Founded Torre Abbey in 1196 of six canons of Premonstratensian -Ordens from Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire. The associated piece of land donated the baron and official William Brewer . The income from the lands made the monastery the wealthiest of its kind in England at the end of the 15th century. This even gave Torquay a real port. In the course of the Reformation, Henry VIII initiated the dissolution of the English monasteries , whereupon the abbey changed hands several times until it was bought in 1662 by the Cary family, who resided there for six generations. Despite their Catholic religious affiliation, the Cary family as large landowners had a significant influence on the development of the region. In their time the monastery building was expanded in the Georgian style. The associated medieval tithe barn "Spanish Barn", in which 397 crew members of the Spanish Armada were imprisoned for a fortnight in 1588 , also acquired historical significance . In 1930, during the Great Depression, the Cary family was forced to sell Torre Abbey to Torquay City Council. Since then the abbey has been used as a public art gallery. After a £ 6.5 million refurbishment, Torre Abbey reopened in July 2008.

Art exhibitions

Permanent exhibition with sculptures by Frederick Thrupp

The permanent exhibition focuses on painting from the 19th century. These include works of national importance such as those of William Blake and the Pre-Raphaelite William Holman Hunt ( The Children's Holiday ) and Edward Burne-Jones . In addition, Torre Abbey houses the largest preserved collection of the sculptor Frederick Thrupp. Works by contemporary artists are presented in regular changing exhibitions. Internationally significant were Antony Gormleys Field in 2009 and Damien Hirst's Mother and Child, Divided in 2010 . The TACO (Torre Abbey Contemporary Open) exhibition, which takes place every summer, is mainly dedicated to artists from the region of South West England.

literature

  • AC Ellis: An Historical Survey of Torquay , Torquay 1930
  • Deryck Seymour: Torre Abbey. An Account of its History, Buildings, Cartularies and Lands , privately printed, Exeter 1977
  • Deryck Seymour (ed.): The Exchequer Cartulary of Torre Abbey , Friends of Torre Abbey, Torquay 2000
  • M. Rhodes and L. Retallick: Torre Abbey. A Souvenir Guide , Torbay Council 2000 ( [1] (PDF file; 4.9 MB))

Web links

Coordinates: 50 ° 27 ′ 50 ″  N , 3 ° 32 ′ 28 ″  W.