All about the inn

Torbryan's Church House has a typical date of circa 1400. Although not inns in the modern sense of the word, medieval church houses were commonly the venues for parish feasts at which church ale was drunk. The proceeds went to parish funds. Many church houses later became inns. Church House Inn is a peculiarly common name in Devon where more than 50 still exist.

During the days of coaching, Torbryan was on the main Plymouth stage route and had extensive stabling. By 1938, the Church House had declined and was going to be demolished, but was bought and restored by Howell Paine. It has many interesting features, including oak panelling and beams. There is an admiral’s bunk from a Tudor man-of-war, as well as a bread oven and a sundial embedded in the floor. The old bakehouse is entered by a Saxon doorway and has a fine fireplace.

Stonemasons, although skilled artisans, were poorly paid, and to supplement their wages they baked bread and brewed beer, which they happily sold to those travelling along this former main route from Plymouth to London. In their time, the Monarchs of England travelled the road from Exeter to Plymouth and stayed with local Lords and Ladies or at Inns such as ours.

The bowling pins hanging in the main bar are from the Elizabethan era and are perhaps similar to those used by Sir Francis Drake when he was playing bowls at Plymouth Hoe whilst the Spanish Armada sailed up the channel. These skittles have clearly had many a game played on them, perhaps even by members of Henry VII's and Henry VIII's Royal retinue whilst the Monarchs stayed at Tor Newton House just a mile away from the Inn.

Church

There are many interesting historical attractions in the immediate area, some of which require the permission of the private owners to see them, such as the prehistoric bone pits and caves in the nearby valleys.

Torbryan’s church is almost entirely 15th century with a tall west tower; it is a handsome example of a Perpendicular Devon church. Inside are many interesting features. Most striking of all is the carved and painted rood screen, circa 1470-80. Wonderfully painted saints adorn the panels. Note also the Beer stone columns with their carved capitals; the medieval stained glass; the well-carved pulpit; the pre-reformation stone altar and the box pews.

The church is always open during the middle of the day and contains many interesting artifacts including a very fine pre-reformation Rood screen, with over 40 individual paintings of Saints.

Ghosts at the Inn

We have received many letters from customers claiming to have seen ghostly apparitions or hearing unexplained sounds in the night.

Many years ago, a man sleeping in the bar one night (the inn being full up) woke in the early hours with a feeling of 'something odd', looked around the room and saw the seated figure of a monk. As he got up to take a closer look it seemed to dissolve into the wall behind it. The following is an extract from a letter received from a rather surprised customer when staying in the Inn one night

"I woke up in a hot sweat about 4 'o'clock in the morning. I believed someone was standing beside the bed next to me.....I looked again to the side of the bed where my husband was sleeping and saw a bald man walk passed the side of the bed and disappear....." The monk taking another walk perhaps?

Another was seen here by a new local policeman who came in one evening (presumably wide awake) to get to know the locals. Indicating one of them, he asked the Landlord who the old man was, only to be told that there was nobody there.