Dunwich Greyfriars Trust

Overview

Dunwich Greyfriars Trust is a UK nonprofit organisation registered as a charity under the number 1199747. The Trust is dedicated to the conservation and management of the ruins of the thirteenth-century Greyfriars Monastery, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, located in Dunwich, Suffolk. Additionally, it oversees the adjacent woodland.

Purpose and Activities

The Trust focuses on maintaining the historic site of Greyfriars, which includes a precinct wall, two gatehouses, and remnants of a cloister building that may have been a refectory or infirmary. The site is open to the public and is one of the most significant ancient monuments in Suffolk. The Trust relies on income from membership subscriptions and occasionally receives grants from organizations like Historic England to support major repairs and restorations.

Governance

The Dunwich Greyfriars Trust operates as a company limited by guarantee and is managed by trustees who are elected annually by its members during the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Membership is open to anyone willing to pay an annual subscription or commit to volunteering 20 hours per year at the site. Volunteers contribute to the regular maintenance of the property through monthly working parties and occasional special projects.

Financials

As of the latest available data, the Trust experienced a total gross income of £8,500 in the financial year ending March 2023, which decreased to £7,150 by March 2024. Expenditures were significantly higher in the 2023 financial year at £17,800 but dropped to £4,170 by March 2024. The Trust does not receive income from government contracts or grants, relying instead on its own fundraising efforts and external grants for major projects.

Heritage Context

Greyfriars, Dunwich, was originally established as a Franciscan friary before 1277 by Richard FitzJohn and his wife Alice. The site was relocated inland in 1289 due to coastal erosion threats. Following its dissolution in 1538 during the English Reformation, many original buildings were destroyed or repurposed for different uses. Today, the remains are protected as a Grade II* listed building and a Scheduled Monument.

[1] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5199845/full-print [2] https://www.dunwichgreyfriars.org.uk [3] https://www.dunwichgreyfriars.org.uk/membership/ [4] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5199845/what-who-how-where [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyfriars,_Dunwich