Torbryan

The parish church is situated at the head of the village. It is thought that the original church of Sir Guy de Brian burnt down in about 1360. The present church was constructed in 1400. The church currently houses a colony of lesser horseshoe bats.[1]

The church houses a medieval rood screen constructed in about 1430, the lower panels having a unique series of coloured paintings depicting 36 saints. The screen is a rare survivor of the reformation and survived because the panels were whitewashed. These screens made national headlines when they were stolen in 2013[2] but later recovered by the police, restored and reinstalled.[3][4]

The Torbryan caves located in the valley are world-famous and were largely excavated by Edward Widger who lived in the village. The bones of many extinct animals were found in the excavations including those of the mammoth, cave hyena and cave bear. These remains are displayed at the Natural History Museum, London.[1]

• Sir William Petre, born at Tor Newton. He was a Tudor Secretary of State and agent of Thomas Cromwell. He served from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I. There is a monument to him on the north wall of the chancel.[1]