Harberton Feoffees is the traditional title of what is otherwise known as The United Parochial Charities of Harberton, an amalgamation of fourteen individual charities.
Now lodged with the Devon Records Office, the earliest references to Harberton Feoffees are contained in Accounts dating from 1604. Other documents, dated between 1674 and 1810, refer to 'feoffments for new feoffees of the Charity lands', and 'leases of cottages in Harberton, 1692 to 1835, properties of the Charity lands'.
The 'feoffees' are the persons charged with the responsibility of collecting and distributing the income. Today, that income is derived from capital invested in Government Stocks, with the object of 'helping the poor of the Ancient Parish of Harberton'. A distribution takes place in December of each year, shared between the churches of St. Andrew's and St. Peter's, and qualifying residents of the parish.
There are nine feoffees. The nine trustees comprise four people who are elected for 5-year terms, plus one representative each from the Harberton and Harbertonford sides of the Parish Council, the vicar of the Parish of Harberton, and the two Harberton churchwardens, making 9 in total.
[Information provided by secretary as at 2002 of Harberton Feoffees]