In 1958 The Brixham Old Peoples Housing Association was looking to provide a home for the elderly who no longer wished to live alone and who wished to have the companionship of others.
They were delighted when Mrs Irene Matthey donated Laywell House and its beautiful garden in Summer Lane, Brixham to them. Mrs Matthey was very happy for her former home to be used for this purpose.
Volunteers from the Churches and Organisations in the town set to work to change this large family home into a residential home for the elderly. Over the following years two groups were formed to support the residents, The Friends of Laywell in Brixham and The Friends of Laywell in Kingswear, who supplied them with extra luxuries and treats.
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s additional wings were added, these included more bedrooms thus ensuring the viability of the home in the changing economic climate.Unfortunately in 2019 cracks started to appear in the wing and a structural survey had to be carried out which deemed the building no longer fit for purpose. Sadly the residents in these 19 rooms then had to move to other Care Homes in the area.
This then left only the 11 bedrooms in the main house. In 2021 the Trustees finally had to admit that this was no longer viable and with the complex care needs of elderly residents today even the main house was really no longer fit for purpose.
Therefore it was with great regret that after 63 years the Trustees took the decision to close Laywell House Residential Home and the property was sold.
Laywell House was very much in the heart of Brixham residents and the Trust set up by Mrs. Matthey stated that if the house needed to be sold at any time the money raised should be used either to buy other property or to support the elderly in our area.
The money from the sale of Laywell House and grounds has been invested and in keeping with these wishes the Trustees will use this money to continue to help the elderly and disabled in our local area,
This new Trust is called The Laywell Matthey Trust Limited to keep the names of Laywell and Mrs. Matthey alive.
© The Laywell Matthey Trust Ltd 2023
The Trust is registered under the Co-operative Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 Registration Number 14988R