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Great Torrington (generally abbreviated to Torrington) is a small market town, parts of which are sited on a cliff top with steep drops down to the River Torridge below. The centre of the town therefore commands spectacular views, though lower-lying parts are prone to occasional flooding. Torrington is in the very heart of Tarka Country, a landscape captured by Henry Williamson in his novel Tarka the Otter in 1927.

Great Torrington for years was valued for its strategic importance. The town had a significant role in the English Civil War, specifically, the Battle of Torrington in 1646 which marked the end of Royalist resistance in the West Country. Great Torrington today has become well recognised as an important heritage centre for the history of the 17th century. It is a vibrant community and people in the town, proud of their heritage, can often be seen dressed in costume for re-enactments, festivals and celebrations.

Key Stats

• The population of the Great Torrington Devon Town area for 2009 is 12313
• In the last 10 years, the population has increased by 9.88%
• Claimant counts for November 2008 were approximately 60 people
• Job Seekers Allowance for the area reached 0.78% of the working age population in November 2008
• District claimant count figures for 2008 showed a claimant count of 2.31% of the working age population
• The Average income in 2008 for the Great Torrington Devon Town area is £28629.64 per household
• The Average house price for the area in 2007 was recorded as £397,822.27
• There were 173 year 11 pupils in this area in 2007
• 61.85% of year 11 pupils attained 5 A*-C grades at GCSE in 2007
• There are 148 year 6 pupils throughout the Great Torrington Devon Town area in 2007
• 76.8% of pupils attained KS2 Level 4+ in 2007
• For statistical profiles of the Great Torrington please click here