About Kingsbridge Feoffees
There are many Feoffees groups in England and we are known as the Kingsbridge Feoffees, although our official charitable name is the Kingsbridge Town Lands Charity. We are based at the Town Hall in Fore Street, Kingsbridge, South Devon. A feoffee is a medieval term meaning someone, (a trustee or feoffee), who receives land, (known as a fief) for the benefit of another. We are a registered charity (Charity No. 212648) and are regulated by the Charity Commission.
The existence of Kingsbridge Town Lands Charity can be traced through documents held at the Devon Record Office to 1601 although the Charity is named in Parish Records from 1300.
Early deeds indicate that the Kingsbridge Feoffees owned properties in Kingsbridge, Dodbrooke, Chivelstone, Sherford and Churchstow, although the outlying properties were sold many decades ago. The resulting funds have been used to provide money to individuals in need and donations made to various organisations to enable them through their work, to support the local community, however, since 1986 the emphasis has been on building and providing affordable (80% the going local rent rate) homes to the people of Kingsbridge.
The Feoffees own the Town Hall, in Fore Street, which is rented out to Merlin Cinemas who provide three screens of film entertainment each day of the week.
Also, the Market Hall, Fore Street which is rented to various community groups for events, markets and exhibitions.
We also own a building used as a retail shop in Fore Street.
We have 25 residential properties which are designated as affordable rental accommodation for local people in need, who have a long-standing connection with the Parishes of Kingsbridge and Dodbrooke.
When a property becomes vacant, it is advertised through this website and successful applicants are chosen by a strict criterion, such as: length of time resident or working in or around the parish, or if they have family in the area.