Our area is the part of Torquay called ‘Tormohun’. It elects three councillors to represent residents
in Torbay Council. The Council provides local government services: libraries, social services,
planning applications, waste collection, and disposal, as well as being a local education
authority..
So, where did the odd name of Tormohun come from?
It’s the old name for what became Torquay, the medieval manor around St Saviour’s/St Andrew’s Church at the top of Lucius Street.
After the Norman Conquest, the Saxon manor was confiscated from Alric and was one of 11 Devonshire manors bestowed upon William the Usher; William was recorded as its tenant-in-chief on Domesday in 1086. It then became known as Tor Brewer when later held by William Brewer (died 1226); in 1196, William founded Torre Abbey.
As tor meant hill, and there were lots of them around, they needed more information, so added the current owner’s name.
As tor meant hill, and there were lots of them around, they needed more information, so added the current owner’s name.
William’s daughter Alice married Reginald de Mohun (1185-1213), whose family owned Dunster Castle in Somerset. The manor was recorded as Torre Moun by 1279
And so we have Tor Mohun, which gave its name to the modern electoral district.
The de Mohuns sold the manor to the Abbey in 1370, and the abbots remained the manorial overlords until the dissolution in 1539.
The manor was then split up. However, the village and estate Torremohun remained until the name was officially changed to Torquay in 1850.
How you pronounce, Tormohun is still a focus of debate. Since the de Mohun family was Norman French, it would probably be something like ‘Tor-moon’, though that may sound a bit silly..
