Gidley's Gift

The report of the Commissioners concerning Charities; containing that part which relates to the county of Devon. Vol. III., 1830, Exeter, 286.

15 December 1681
Winkleigh
Hundred of Winkleigh.

Photograph by jackiefreemanphotography.com of Gidley's Almshouses from the Winkleigh Village History website which also gives more details of Bartholomew Gidley and Winkleigh in the Civil War

Parish of Winkleigh
Gidley's Gift

By indenture, bearing date 15th Dec. 1681, between Bartholomew Gidley, esquire, of the one part, and Richard Dunning and two others, of the other part, reciting, that the said Barthlw. Gidley was seised of certain buildings, with a garden or parcel of land, containing about half an acre, near Norman's land, in Winkleigh, and lately purchased by him; and reciting, that the said Bartholomew Gidley, of his own and his wife's charitable disposition, had intended the same for the sustentation and relief of the said parish, and so to continue for ever; the said Bartholomew Gidley granted and enfeoffed the said premises to the said Richard Dunning and others, and their heirs, to the use of two, three or four poor women of the said parish of Winkleigh, such as the said Bartholomew Gidley and his wife, or either of them, should place in the same, at any time during their lives, and after the decease of the said Bartholomew Gidley and his wife, upon trust, that the said trustees, together with the owner of the farm of Bittbear, for the time being, and the vicar of Winkleigh, for the time being, as the greater part of them, upon the death or removal of any such person or persons as should therein be placed by the said Bartholomew Gidley or his wife, should place therein any other poor woman of the said parish, in the room of her so dying or removed, with power to lease the said parcel of land for one life, or 21 years, at a yearly rent, to be, from time to time, bestowed in the repair of the said houses and garden, and if any surplus should happen, the same to be distributed amongst the said poor women, inhabiting in the said houses, yearly on Christmas-day.

We have not found any subsequent appointments of trustees of these premises.
They consist of:
1. Five dwellings under one roof, each containing one apartment occupied by poor widows of the parish, who are placed therein by the parish officers.
2. A house, garden, and a plot of ground, containing about a quarter of an acre, let to John Pope, as yearly tenant, at the annual rent of £21 10s subject to disbursements for repairs. The tenement has been for many years in the occupation of the present tenant and his father, at the same rent. We are told, that the premises held by him are worth about £31 10s per annum; but as the tenant has a large family, and receives relief from the parish, it has not been thought advisable to raise his rent. The rent is applied towards the repairs of the house inhabited by the widows, and of that in the occupation of John Pope, but is not sufficient for that purpose, and the houses are stated to be much in want of repair.
It would be more correct, that the last-mentioned house and garden should be let for its full value, as the widows inhabiting the fist-mentioned house are the only persons entitled to any benefit from the charity.