TORRINGTON-GREAT, (Devon) has a bridge over the Towridge, 162 cm. 191 mm. from London, and is an ancient populous Bor.
from whence a great trade is carried on to Ireland, &c. and especially in stuffs. 'Tis governed by a mayor and ald. and 16
burgesses, pursuant to its charter of Q. Mary I. It has a good Mt. for corn, flesh, &c. on S. and Fairs April 23 and 26,
June 24, Sept. 29. The petty-sessions, and other meetings, are generally held here by the gentlemen of the Co. It has 2
Chs. one with a library; and to one of the Ch.-yards adjoins the manorhouse, which, with the lands bel. to it, was settled
on the parson of the p. and his successors, by Hen. VIIth's mother, Margaret Countess of Richmond, (who lived here)
because of the distance at that time bet. that Ch. and the parsonage-house. Here are almshs. with right of commonage for
the poor, and a ch. sc. for thirty-two boys. Here are some remains of a castle, that was in the S. part of the T. A fire
happened here in July 1724, which burnt 80 houses. This T. from the Norman conquest to the R. of Edward I. was a barony in
the Fitz-Roberts family; aftervards it gave title of Earl to Monk D. of Albemarle, who restored King Charles II. and to
admiral Herbert, who brought over the Pr. of Orange, afterwards K. Will. III. from Holland, who dying without issue, it
first gave title of Baron to Thomas Newport, one of the Lds. of the treasury in the late R. who also dying without issue,
it then gave title of Viscount to the brave admiral Sir George Bing. It sent burgesses to Pt. in the R. of Edw. I. II. and
III. but not since.