In 1787 there were 44 houses, and by 1821 the population had risen to over 1600 people living in 240 homes. The town was built in the 1780s in a gridiron pattern with Samuel Harvey, a carpenter, in charge of the building work. He therefore produced plans in 1774 for the building of Torpoint and his cousin, Charles Rashleigh of Menabilly, helped in this venture.

His cousin Reginald Pole Carew followed him and saw the opportunity to develop his land by providing housing and amenities on the Cornish side of the river for dockyard workers. The map shows the River Tamar from Gunnislake to Plymouth Sound and there is Torpoint relative to Plvmouth and other places in Devon and Cornwall. Let me tell you about the origins of this 18th Century New Town. The reason is that it did not exist at that time. The famous Carew family are “Lords of the manor” but if you look at Richard Carew’s masterpiece: “Survey of Cornwall” written in 1602 there is no mention of Torpoint. I was born in 1929 and spent a happy childhood in Torpoint and am therefore interested in its history.

You could eat fish and chips, followed by a beer on the way – if your timing was good! Now, I see, you form up in numbered ranks under steel gantries eyeing the coloured lights and wondering whether you understand what it all means and why you have come? Most Cornishmen will recognise Torpoint as that Cornish town on the banks of the River Tamar where you wait for the ferry before tasting the pleasures of Plymouth! When I was a boy the queue used to extend through the shopping centre and up over the hill. The River Tamar from Plymouth Sound to Gunnislake

The stone mason of tor house