Buckfast Abbey Trust (Held Icw the Religious Community of Benedictine Monks Established at St Marys Abbey Buckfast, Devon)

Analysis

Buckfast Abbey Trust (Held Icw the Religious Community of Benedictine Monks Established at St Marys Abbey Buckfast, Devon) is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Buckfastleigh. It was registered in February 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover religious activities, which this site groups under religion. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it provides human resources, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending October 2025, Buckfast Abbey Trust (Held Icw the Religious Community of Benedictine Monks Established at St Marys Abbey Buckfast, Devon) reported income of £14.8m and spending of £15.8m, spending 106% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from October 2021 to October 2025, income grew from £10.0m to £14.8m (+48%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to October 2025, when income rose by 25%. Over the whole period it spent 106% of the income it received.

Among 20,496 England and Wales charities whose main cause is religion and that reported income, Buckfast Abbey Trust (Held Icw the Religious Community of Benedictine Monks Established at St Marys Abbey Buckfast, Devon) sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Salisbury Diocesan Board of Finance (£14.7m), The York Diocesan Board of Finance Limited (£15.0m) and The Liverpool Diocesan Board of Finance (£14.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 61%, investments 3.8%, charitable activities 2.9% and donations and legacies 2.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £34k. Charitable activities took 36% of spending and raising funds 63%. Reserves of £52.0m would cover about 39 months of spending at that rate. It employed 136 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.