About Torrington 1646
Great Torrington is particularly famous for the Battle of Torrington in 1646 when, in the English Civil War, the Parliamentarians under Sir Thomas Fairfax, swept into the town and defeated Lord Hopton and his men, marking the end of Royalist resistance in the West-Country.
The Torrington 1646 tourist attraction was set up as part of the Community Development Trust’s Genesis Project and opened in 1999 to bring to life the fascinating and colourful history of Great Torrington. Over the years it has evolved into what is now an almost entirely self-sustaining (2004 posted its first significant profit) and highly successful visitor attraction.
The Community Development Trust
The Great Torrington & District Community Development Trust is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, wholly owned and managed by local people.
The CDT’s area of benefit is comprised of over 15,000 beneficiaries and represents one third of Torridge District including 26 parishes surrounding Great Torrington.
The CDT is not a political organisation and works together with many groups, including the private and public sectors to ensure as many benefits as possible are delivered for local people.
The Great Torrington & District Community Development Trust exists to:
- to create employment
- to improve the local economy
- to encourage environmental and community sustainability
- to help individuals develop their skills and interests
- to support local businesses
The CDT Fundraising Initiative Team (FIT) also organises many events throughout the year including bingo, tabletop sales and open garden days!
A history of the Community Development Trust
1993 saw the closure of two key employers within Great Torrington, which resulted in major job losses.
Following these events, in 1995 the local community formed a Regeneration Forum and together with local agencies and funders, commissioned a comprehensive study of local needs in the area. The principal recommendation of this study was to form a Community Development Trust and in 1996 the Great Torrington and District CDT was established to act as a catalyst for regeneration.In November of the same year the CDT was successful in winning £1 million from the Rural Challenge competition to set up the Genesis Project.
With financial backing from other organisations this £2.3 million capital project enabled the dramatic refurbishment of Castle Hill Hotel and the Victorian Pannier Market. The Genesis Project has now become Genesis (Great Torrington) Ltd and acts as the trading arm of the CDT charity.
Genesis
In 1996, after winning £1 million in the Rural Challenge competition, sponsored by the Rural Developments Commission, and with a further £1,400,000 backing from other organisations, the Community Development Trust and its partners set up the Genesis Project to oversee the dramatic development of the Castle Hill Hotel and the Victorian Pannier Market.
Castle Hill
Castle Hill has been converted from a derelict hotel into a buzzing community building which is now home to the Torrington Tourist Information Centre, Pathfinder Thomas Fowler I.C.T. training centre, the Library, Town Council, Torridge District's local office, the Citizen's Advice Bureau, the Torridge Volunteer and Friends Bureau, the CDT and Genesis offices and of course Torrington 1646 family visitor attraction.
Pannier Market
The second refurbishment was the run down Victorian Pannier Market. Torridge District Council contributed the majority of the capital costs of this project and it has been transformed into a thriving market with 12 trading units, a café and a market hall.
Like Castle Hill, the Pannier Market is now a centre of much activity for the town. The Genesis project became a model of rural regeneration both locally and nationally, culminating in the official opening of Castle Hill by HRH Duke of Kent in 2000.
When the refurbishments were finished the Genesis Project became Genesis (Great Torrington) Ltd, the trading arm of the Community Development Trust. The Torrington 1646 visitor attraction is owned by Genesis (Great Torrington) Ltd, is now almost entirely self-sustaining and in 2004 posted its first significant profit. The Thomas Fowler ICT Training Centre has become part of a successful joint venture with the highly reputable Pathfinder Trust, which provides IT training in four other North Devon towns.
Genesis (Great Torrington) Ltd is also responsible for the management of the Castle Hill building and the Pannier Market.
Torrington 1646 supporters
Our grateful thanks to all our supporters and contributors.
