The Thoburn Trust Land

The Will of the late Miss P A Thoburn included gifts of land, the wording of the will being:

8.1 I give to my Trustees all my estate and interest in the following freehold properties to hold upon trust of land as follows:

8.1.1 my land behind the Church at Rolvenden which for the purposes of identification is edged black on the plan No 1 attached to this will to the Rolvenden Parish Council to be used as amenity land for the village of Rolvenden but with a perpetual restrictive covenant not to allow any building to be put on the land;

8.1.2 my allotment land in Rolvenden which, for the purposes of identification is edged and hatched black on the Plan No 2 attached to this will to Rolvenden Parish Council to be used in perpetuity as allotments;

In January 2026 the Charity Commission advised that they were satisfied that THE THOBURN LAND TRUST is a charity and it has been entered onto the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1216472.

The Parish Council is delighted to be the Sole Trustee and to be able to provide free access to a relatively large an open space for walking, recreation and enjoyment which is be preserved for future generations. The Parish Council is keen to preserve the diverse range of native species past and present surveys have show it to support and to increase its biodiversity at a time of national and international decline.

The objectives are: 

To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of Land on the West side of Maytham Road, Rolvenden part of Great Maytham Park which is part of the Grade II listed park entry number 1000221 on Historic England’s register.

To provide or assist in the provision of facilities for allotments in Rolvenden and the surrounding area, in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation for the public at large with the object of improving their conditions of life.