Cecil Torr
# Cecil Torr

Cecil Torr (11 October 1857, Mitcham, London – 17 December 1928) was a British antiquarian and author.

## Early life

Torr was the son a Solicitor, and was educated at Harrow School, Cecil Torr matriculated on 7 June 1876 at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating there B.A. 1880 and M.A. 1883.

He was admitted in 1879 at the Inner Temple and was called to the Bar in 1882.

## Works

Torr inherited the family property of the Wreyland estate in Lustleigh, Dartmoor and took up a life of a country squire. He also travelled widely including to Moscow, Damascus, Granada and Sparta. The estate included Yonder Wreyland, where he lived, as well as the Hall House, Souther Wreyland, Bow Cottage, Barn House and a number of further buildings and grounds.

He was a councillor for the Newton Abbot Rural District Council.

He is noted for writing Small Talk at Wreyland (3 vols., 1918–1923); the first volume was an unexpected commercial success. His 1894 book Ancient Ships deals with the structure of ships that sailed the Mediterranean in 1000 B.C. – 1000 A.D.

In 1905, Torr revived the tradition of Lustleigh May Day in the village, which continues to be held annually, with maypole dancing, morris dancing, and the attractions of a traditional English fete. He also donated a maypole to the nearby town of Bovey Tracey for their use.

## Selected publications

* Rhodes in ancient times. Cambridge University Press. 1885.
* Ancient Ships. Cambridge University Press. 1894. Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
* Interpretation of Greek music. 1896.
* Memphis and Mycenae: an examination of Egyptian chronology and its application to the early history of Greece. Cambridge University Press. 1896.
* On portraits of Christ in the British museum. 1898.
* Small Talk at Wreyland. Vol. I. Cambridge University Press. 1918.
* Small Talk at Wreyland. Vol. II. Cambridge University Press. 1921.
* Hannibal crosses the Alps. Cambridge University Press. 1924.
