We have a wide variety of documents relating to Torbay.  These include deeds, family and estate papers such as those of the Cary family, manorial records, business records, records of local groups and organisations, hospital records, travel diaries, oral history collections, cemetery records, building plans and surveys, sales catalogues, shipping registers and railway records.

We also have tithe records, school records, parish and non-conformist records, local authority records, electoral registers, charity records, listed building reports and numerous collections of photographs and postcards of Torbay and South Devon.

Many of our other collections, such as Ordnance Survey maps, Inland Revenue wills, diocesan records, prison records and court records will contain references to places or people in the Torbay area.

Torre Abbey Archive Visits

The Torbay Archive Service offers easier access to services for people who live in Torbay and elsewhere in south Devon.  An archivist visits Torre Abbey approximately quarterly, in order to:

  • Help people with all kinds of research
  • Provide information on the collections held at the Devon Heritage Centre
  • Bring documents from the archive strongrooms when appropriate

The sessions will run from 11.00 am until 3.00 pm, and will take place in the Learning Lab at Torre Abbey on:

Thursday 5th March

Thursday 4th June

Thursday 3rd September

Thursday 5th November

Viewing the Documents

If you would like to look at original documents held at the Devon Heritage Centre, please contact us in advance of the session.  Requests for documents will be taken until two days before, and the archivist will bring as many documents as is feasible.

You can bring a digital camera to take photographs of documents, and you will need to purchase a photographic licence (£5) before taking any photographs.

New users will be asked to register with the South West Heritage Trust.  Please bring some form of ID containing your name, current address and signature (e.g. a driving licence).

For more information please contact archivist Brian Carpenter on 01392 888712 or 07939 106549, or brian.carpenter@swheritage.org.uk.