The Trust
Background
History of Bridge House Estates
It is now
over 800 years since Peter de Colechurch, a priest and head of the
Brethren of London Bridge, began to build the first stone bridge
across London's river. This remarkable undertaking was the catalyst
for the creation of Bridge House Estates whose sole trustee is the
City of London Corporation.
Our bridges
Over the centuries the City of
London's expert management ensured that the charity was able to
provide and maintain no fewer than four further bridges -
Blackfriars, Southwark, Tower and the Millennium Bridge. The
maintenance of all these bridges is still the prime objective of
this ancient charity, with significant surplus sums also available
for charitable grants.
The City of London Corporation
The City of London is the local authority for the financial heart
of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. It is committed to maintaining and
enhancing the status of the business City as the world's leading
international financial centre. In addition to the usual local
authority functions, the City of London provides a host of services
for the benefit of London and the nation as a whole. It also has a
tradition of providing charitable support to a range of charitable
causes.
The City Bridge Trust
The City Bridge Trust is the working name of the grant-making arm
of Bridge House Estates and was set up in 1995. A cy-pres scheme,
approved by the Charity Commission, enables us to use funds
surplus to our bridge requirements to make grants for charitable
activity. This must benefit the inhabitants of London. We currently
estimate that £15m per annum may be available for distribution,
depending on bridge requirements.