About Kingsbridge Feoffees

The existence of Kingsbridge Town Lands Charity – locally known as Kingsbridge Feoffees - can be traced through documents held at the Devon Record Office to 1601 although the Charity is named in Parish Records from 1300. The Charity continues to serve the Parish of Kingsbridge from this time to date but in the last 25 years has substantially increased its presence and support for the local community.

The term “Feoffee” today means a trust invested with freehold estates and dates back to feudal times. Early deeds indicate ownership of properties in Kingsbridge, Dodbrooke, Chivelstone, Sherford and Churchstow.  Properties were sold to raise funds to provide relief for the poor and to invest in other properties.  Donations were made to various organizations to enable them, through their work, to support the local community in addition to individuals seeking relief from hardship.

The Charity owns the Town Hall, Market Hall, one shop in the Main Street and a Victorian House, which has been converted into two self-contained flats and let out on an affordable housing basis.  The ground floor area of the shop is used as an office and during 2012/13 the upstairs was converted to provide two self-contained flats.

A decision was made at the end of the 1990 to provide much needed affordable housing for local residents, and by raising commercial loans, 12 x 2-bedroom houses were built at the end of Wallingford Road, now known within the community as Allotment Gardens.  Income generated from these houses enabled the Charity to build another 3 houses at Derby Road and we are proud to confirm that a further 6 properties are all but completed at this site.

Applications for any property that becomes vacant are advertised through this web site and applicants must abide by a strict criteria to be considered – length of time resident in the area, working in the area, family in the area etc.

By investing into the local community, the original support provided by the Charity continues and will do so under the guidance and support of the 9 Trustees who volunteer their time and experience.