Editing Great Torrington (section)

== Torrington Common ==

'''Torrington Common''' is an area of [[common land]] which surrounds the town on all but the eastern side. The common is administered by a body called "The Commons Conservators". The Common covers {{convert|365|acres|0|abbr=on}} and has over {{convert|20|mi|0|abbr=off}} of public rights of way. The landscape features a variety of habitats, flora and fauna.

=== History of the common ===

An "area of waste called the Common" was donated to the town in 1194 by the [[English feudal barony|feudal baron of Great Torrington]]. In 1889, the rights to this land were transferred by an [[act of parliament|Act of Parliament]] to an elected "Committee of Conservators". The bill was subject of a local poll, as the document now at Devon Record Office evidences:<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Devon Record Office|year=1889|title= 48/22/13/9 Contents: Great Torrington|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=027-4822&cid=-1#-1}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|Poll of inhabitants on "A Bill for Vesting the Management of Great Torrington Common, Castle Hill Common and other lands in the Borough of Great Torrington in the County of Devon in a Body of Conservators and to settle questions between the Commoners of Great Torrington and the Owners of the Rolle Estate and for other purposes".}}

The Rolle Estate was the largest landowner in Devon,<ref>See [[Mark Rolle]], life tenant of the Rolle Estate under the will of [[John Rolle, 1st Baron Rolle]]</ref> having been built up by the Rolle family of [[Stevenstone]]. Since 2 October 1889 the Conservators have met regularly to fulfil their remit to manage the land. Early activity was mainly concerned with control over the grazing and quarrying of the common, but since 1980 grazing has stopped and instead various techniques have taken its place to prevent the common from reverting to scrub and woodland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://clintondevon.com/|title=Home|website=Clinton Devon Estates}}</ref> 

=== Features of the common ===
* '''Taddiport Bridge''' and '''Rothern Bridge''': Prior to the opening of the Town Mills Bridge, these were the only local crossings of the River Torridge.
* '''Rolle Road''': This is the site of the [[Rolle Canal]] which opened in 1827 to help transport [[clay]], [[Lime (mineral)|lime]] and other commodities between the boats on the tidal river at Landcross and the lime kilns, clay pits and farms around Torrington. It ran through common land, but was closed in 1871. Later, it was filled in to create a [[toll road]] across the Common.
* '''Waterloo Monument''': A stone [[obelisk]] erected in 1818 by "the ladies of Great Torrington" to commemorate the [[Battle of Waterloo]].