Elderly villagers in Northend and Knightcote will find loaf of bread on doorstep, thanks to 500-year-old legacy

The gift is part of an ongoing legacy – now over 500 years old – in which a man, taken in and helped by the villages, bequeathed this token of his gratitude after he became rich.

The over 500-year-old John Kimble Charity will be delivering the annual gifts around Knightcote and parts of Northend to pensioners and widows who have lived in the area for more than a year.

Some who are new to the villages may be surprised to find a loaf of fresh bread on their doorstep - a gift from John Kimble’s estate, showing his gratitude for the kindnesses shown to him in his times of poverty.

Chair of Trustees Veronica Cotterill said: “It is a lovely story of kindness across the decades.

“John Kimble (also called Kimbell) was a poor boy who regularly visited Burton Dassett, Northend and Knightcote in search of work. He was given shelter and hospitality and possibly an education by the residents of parts of Northend and Knightcote.

"Later in his life his fortunes changed and he became a man of means. On his death in 1474 he left all his assets, including a small farm – now just a couple of fields - to establish a charity to benefit the residents of the villages – although specifically excluding part of Northend who turned him away when he was in need.

“It is the income from those assets and rental income from the land that enables the Trustees to meet the spirit of his will over 500 years later,” she said.

The John Kimble charity does not fundraise but makes gifts to fulfil the original objectives; to alleviate poverty, support the sick, elderly and widows and to promote education of the children of the villages.

In the past the Trust also did things for the public good like funding the building of reservoirs on Burton Dassett Hills to provide clean water to the villages in times of cholera.

“The nature of the gifts has changed over the years - school leavers are no longer offered money for a maid’s uniform or a strong pair of boots, and the Trustees no longer receive a ration of gin for their time,” said Mrs Cotterill.

“Today the Trust gives a cash winter fuel gift to every household where there is someone of retirement age and widows or widowers of any age. A sickness gift is given if residents are in hospital more than three nights or receiving treatment for cancer as an outpatient.

“A new baby gift and school starters’ gifts are given when children start primary school or transition to secondary school to help with uniform costs.

“In addition every house in the designated area receives a loaf of bread at New Year, (usually the first Saturday of January). This is described as a "dole" of bread in the original deed. The 275 loaves are delivered by volunteers in the two villages.”

There is a commemorative stone for John Kimble in All Saints Church at Burton Dassett. The spring pool in the Fox Cover in Burton Dassett Country Park is part of the water system the JK Trustees funded in 1871.