View source for Torpoint

{{Short description|Town in Cornwall, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country =                 England
|map_type=                 Cornwall
|coordinates = {{coord|50.376|-4.205|display=inline,title}}
|label_position=           left
|official_name=            Torpoint
|cornish_name=             Penntorr
|population=               8,364
|population_ref=           ([[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011]])
|civil_parish=             Torpoint
|unitary_england=          [[Cornwall Council|Cornwall]]
|lieutenancy_england =     [[Cornwall]]
|region=                   South West England
|constituency_westminster= [[South East Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)|South East Cornwall]]
|post_town=                TORPOINT
|postcode_district =       PL11
|postcode_area=            PL
|dial_code=                01752
|os_grid_reference=        SX438552
|website=                  http://www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk
|static_image_name = Torpoint War Memorial - geograph.org.uk - 72337.jpg
|static_image_caption= The Ellis Memorial in memory of James B. Ellis a Torpoint man who drowned in July 1897 trying to save two boys from the river Tamar.
}}
'''Torpoint''' ({{langx|kw|Penntorr}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.magakernow.org.uk/pdf/placename_masterlist.pdf|title=List of Place-names agreed by the MAGA Signage Panel|access-date=11 January 2015|publisher=Cornish Language Partnership|date=May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729194902/http://www.magakernow.org.uk/pdf/placename_masterlist.pdf|archive-date=29 July 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>) is a town and [[civil parish]] on the [[Rame Peninsula]] in southeast [[Cornwall]], England, United Kingdom. It is situated opposite the city of [[Plymouth]] across the [[Hamoaze]] which is the tidal estuary of the [[River Tamar]].<ref>Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 201 ''Plymouth & Launceston'' {{ISBN|978-0-319-23146-3}}</ref>
Torpoint had a population of 8,457 at the 2001 census, decreasing to 8,364 at the 2011 census.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Torpoint/index.html#Population|title=civil parish population 2011|access-date=15 February 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210000359/http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Torpoint/index.html#Population|archive-date=10 February 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Two electoral wards also exist ([[Torpoint East (electoral division)|Torpoint East]] and [[Torpoint West (electoral division)|Torpoint West]]). Their combined populations at the same census were 7,717.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/torpoint-west-e05008312#sthash.HRwYp7YU.dpbs|title=Ward of Torpoint West 2011|access-date= 15 February 2015}}<br>- {{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/torpoint-east-e05008311#sthash.Ra5EAz12.dpbs|title=Ward of Torpoint East 2011|access-date= 15 February 2015}}</ref>

Torpoint is linked to Plymouth (and [[Devonport, Devon|Devonport]]) by the [[Torpoint Ferry]]. The three vessels that operate the service are [[Cable ferry|chain ferries]] &ndash; that is, they are propelled across the river by pulling themselves on fixed chains which lie across the bed of the river. The journey takes about seven minutes.

==Origin of name==
It is said that Torpoint's name is derived from Tar Point, a name given because of the initial industry on the west bank of the Hamoaze. However this is actually a nickname given by workers, Torpoint meaning "rocky headland".<ref>{{cite book|last=Mills|first=A. D.|title=The Popular Dictionary of English Place-names|publisher=Parragon Book Service Ltd and Magpie Books|year=1996|pages=332|isbn=0-7525-1851-8}}</ref>

==History==
Torpoint is an eighteenth-century planned town. The grid-based design for the town was commissioned by [[Reginald Pole Carew]] in the [[Antony, Cornwall|Parish of Antony]] in 1774. His family continue to have a strong influence in the area, having become the Carew Poles in the twentieth century, and still reside at their family seat, [[Antony House]].

In 1796 Torpoint was the setting for a shooting battle between the crew of a government vessel, the ''Viper'', and a large party of armed liquor [[smugglers]], in which one person was killed and five people seriously wounded.<ref>Codd, Daniel. ''Paranormal Devon'' (2013). Amberley Publishing. p.9-10. {{ISBN|9781848681668}}.</ref>

Due to the presence of [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport Dockyard]], the town grew as Dockyard workers settled there. The establishment of the [[Royal Navy]]'s main training facility, [[HMS Raleigh (shore establishment)|HMS ''Raleigh'']] also increased the population of Torpoint.<ref name=History>{{cite web|title=History of Torpoint|url=http://www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/history.htm|publisher=Torpoint Town Council|access-date=16 December 2011}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref>

=== Parish churches ===
Torpoint has four parish churches known at "Maryfield Church", "Torpoint Cornerstone Church" , "Catholic Church of Saint Joan of Arc" and "St James Church"

===Notable people from Torpoint===
''See [[:Category:People from Torpoint]]''
*[[John Langdon Down]] was born in Torpoint in 1828. He later described the medical condition which is now referred to as [[Down syndrome]]. He was called back on a number of occasions to help his father in his local business until his father's death in 1853.
* [[Jack Stephens (footballer)|Jack Stephens]] a footballer for [[Southampton F.C.]]

==Education==
Educational institutions in Torpoint include:<ref>{{cite web|title=Education|url=http://www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/education.htm|publisher=Torpoint Town Council|access-date=16 December 2011}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref>

*Torpoint Infant School &mdash; a medium-large [[infant school]].
*Carbeile Junior School &mdash; a large [[primary school]].
*[[Torpoint Community College]], a small secondary school.

==Sport and leisure==
Torpoint has a [[non-league football]] club, [[Torpoint Athletic F.C.]], which plays at The Mill.

===Cornish wrestling===
[[Cornish wrestling]] tournaments, for prizes, were held in Torpoint in the 1700s.<ref name="M Tripp Thesis">Tripp, Michael:  ''PERSISTENCE OF DIFFERENCE: A HISTORY OF CORNISH WRESTLING'', University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2009, Vol I p2-217.</ref>

==Twinning==
Torpoint is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with [[Benodet]] (Benoded) in [[Brittany]], France.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.torpointtwinning.org.uk/about_us | publisher= Torpoint & District Twinning Association | title= About Us | access-date= 5 December 2011 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120426022147/http://www.torpointtwinning.org.uk/about_us | archive-date= 26 April 2012 | df= dmy-all }}</ref>

== Town Council ==
1894 The Torpoint Town Council was established with Joseph Shepheard as its chairman.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Torpoint |url=https://www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/mobile/menu_page.php?id=2#:~:text=1894%20Torpoint%20Parish%20Council%20first%20formed%20with%20Mr,was%20estimated%20to%20be%204,200%20with%20704%20houses. |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk}}</ref>

Ron Widdecombe was the first Mayor of Torpoint.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Torpoint |url=https://www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/menu_page.php?id=2 |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk}}</ref>

The Town Council has Gary Davis as the town mayor and Julie Martin as the deputy mayor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town Councillors |url=https://www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/members.php |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk}}</ref>

The Town Council is made up of 15 East Ward councillors and 1 West Ward councillor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town Councillors |url=https://www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/members.php |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk}}</ref>

== Town Events and Holidays ==
Freedom of Torpoint march<ref>{{Citation |title=Freedom of Torpoint Parade 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPC4QoWjYMA |access-date=2024-02-22 |language=en}}</ref>

St Piran's day<ref>{{Cite web |title=Torpoint Town Council - Happy St Piran's Day everyone. Proud to fly the flag at Sparrow Park. Enjoy your socially distanced pasties and scones....... don't forget jam first..... on the scones not the pasties!😂😋 ❤️ {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/photos/a.1274031816085801/1973573739464935/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref>

Armed Forces Day<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=591632313147599&set=pb.100069025065951.-2207520000&type=3 |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>

Commonwealth Day<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=537631381881026&set=pb.100069025065951.-2207520000 |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>

Day of Accession Council and Principal Proclamation<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=407991011511731&set=pb.100069025065951.-2207520000&type=3 |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>

Merchant Navy Day<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/posts/pfbid01Q2V4j7V35FJ1bsi8SCTcaBoK1gXD9eVqfuWYxiUg6UjkWAGkAX5kusV3LxNrvGvl |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>

St George's Day<ref>{{Cite web |title=Torpoint Town Council - Happy St George's Day! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/photos/a.1274031816085801/2013452282143747/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref>

Christmas Lights Switch On<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/posts/pfbid037FtKykQhRHxpARsvknojhrfUjqWn4q3KgoF42uU3mRDj8L4JyAcBwDEd9zB2GBNfl |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>

Civic Service<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk/posts/pfbid05PzKaRotjbdDBQZ88wUCjnN9AfVtwK3JadZfiUPKBLYNxHb1ewcmcBVKbdTPBe14l |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Torpoint}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090123053024/http://torpoint.org/  Torpoint website]
* [http://crocat.cornwall.gov.uk/dserve/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=Overview.tcl&dsqSearch=((text)='torpoint') Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for Torpoint]

{{Cornwall|state=collapsed}}
{{South East Cornwall CP navigation box}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Cornwall]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Cornwall]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Cornwall]]