Betsy Grimbal's Tower, The Vicarage is a Grade I listed building in the West Devon local planning authority area, England. A Medieval Tower.

Betsy Grimbal's Tower, The Vicarage

WRENN ID
spare-wall-cobweb
Grade
I
Local Planning Authority
West Devon
Constituency
Torridge and Tavistock MP: Sir Geoffrey Cox (Con)
Country
England
Type
Tower
Period
Medieval
Address
Betsy Grimbal's Tower, The Vicarage, Plymouth Road, Tavistock
OS grid reference
SX 481 743
Coordinates
50.54894, -4.14524
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Betsy Grimbal's Tower, located at The Vicarage, is primarily a 15th-century structure that served as the Great Gate of the Abbey, marking the west entrance to the precincts. It features moulded segmental arches, one of which is blocked, and is flanked by towers. Beneath the arch is a stone coffin that was discovered when the Chapter House was demolished; the bones that were inside it are now housed in St Eustachius' Church. The name "Betsy Grimbal" is derived from a corruption of the Blessed Grimwald. This site is also designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Local climate

Betsy Grimbal's Tower, The Vicarage sits in a wetter-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 980 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 78% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 80% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 19 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 81% of listed buildings. Of these, 8 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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Nearby listed buildings

  1. The Vicarage Grade II 30 m
  2. 4, Plymouth Road Grade II 39 m
  3. Bollard at South End Grade II 39 m
  4. 2, Plymouth Road Grade II 40 m
  5. 6 and 8, Plymouth Road Grade II 41 m
  6. 10, Plymouth Road Grade II 48 m
  7. Bedford Hotel Grade II 48 m
  8. Porch to Abbot's Hall in Grounds of Bedford Hotel Grade I 52 m
  9. The Abbey Chapel Forecourt Wall and Piers Grade II 53 m
  10. Memorial to John Gill in St Eustachius' Churchyard Grade II 54 m