Dulwich Estate

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[edit] Historical

The "Foundation" known as "Alleyn's College of God's Gift" was founded by Edward Alleyn, Shakespearian actor, in 1619 for the purposes of educating poor scholars and providing accommodation for poor persons. These basic principles still exist today but on a much wider scale, embracing among the beneficiaries Dulwich College, James Allen's Girls School, Alleyn's School, The Central Foundation Schools, and St. Saviour's & St. Olave's Schools (Boys and Girls) and also the Dulwich Picture Gallery and Christ's Chapel.

Until 1882, one Board of Governors was responsible for both Educational and Estate administration. It was then decided to create a separate Board of Governors to administer the estate and to be known as the Estate Governors

As a registered Charity, the Estate is bound to distribute its disposable income to its beneficiaries so that apart from the sums necessarily spent on estate management it is not in itself wealthy. In recent years, the Estate has been able to give over £750,000 a year to these beneficiaries.

[edit] The Old College & Almshouses

The Old College and Almshouses (Edward Alleyn House) situated at the junction of Gallery Road and College Road, Dulwich Village SE21, were completed by 1618. The central section houses Christ's Chapel which was consecrated in 1616. The west wing originally housed the Almshouses, then became the home of the College. The buildings have now been known as the Old College since the New College was opened 1n 1870. The west wing now houses the offices of the Estate Governors.

The Almshouses (Edward Alleyn House) are situated in the east wing of the Old College. They comprise sixteen recently modernised flats which are let at a modest charge to suitable applicants who have proper qualification, namely a link with any one of the following parishes - St. Botolph's without Bishopsgate, St. Luke's Finsbury, St. Giles Camberwell, St. Savior's Southwark. These are all parishes with which Edward Alleyn had personal or business connections.

[edit] The Estate Governors

The Board consists of 25 persons, namely 19 representative Governors, appointed by the various Parishes and Schools forming part of the Foundation, and 6 co-optive Governors, 3 of whom must reside in the Hamlet of Dulwich, appointed by resolution of the Estate Governors.

The Estate Governors administer the Estate in accordance with a Scheme made by the Board of Education on the 4 June 1913, under the Charitable Trusts Acts, 1855 to 1894, as amended by various Altering Schemes made between 1920 and 1978.

The "Estate" comprising some 1500 acres is bounded by Crystal Palace to the South, Denmark Hill to the North, part of Lordship Lane to the East, and Rosendale Road to the West; It is a semi rural area and is maintained by the good management of the Estate Governors and their predecessors since 1619 at the same time obtaining the maximum benefit for the Beneficiaries.

Since the advent of the Leasehold Reform Act 1967, many leaseholders have acquired their freeholds