Luscombe Maye Celebrates
150 years in business

“It seems hard to believe that the business was founded before the motorcar was invented in 1886 and in that period, there having been 35 Prime Ministers, two World Wars, 7 monarchs, several recessions and a pandemic”. 

Stuart Hext, Senior Director

Our History: Partnering People And Property Since 1873.

2023 marks a very significant date for Luscombe Maye Chartered Surveyors, Auctioneers, Estate Agents and Planning Consultants as it celebrates 150 years in business, having been established in 1873. 

The founder of Luscombe Maye, R H Luscombe, started the business in an upstairs corn chamber in a barn at Offields Farm in Churchstow near Kingsbridge and according to the Kingsbridge Gazette newspaper (dated 10 May 1873), he described himself as an “Auctioneer, Land and General Agricultural Agent.” 

Since then, the business has evolved to offer a range of sales, lettings and professional services from eight strategically located offices throughout South Devon, supported by a proactive London Mayfair office. 

With a broad suite of marketing tools and a modern userfriendly website, the sales conducted by Luscombe Maye include agricultural, residential, and commercial property types. 

By virtue of the business having operated in the rural sector for so many years it is very well known for handling the sale of agricultural property, but the residential sales (waterside, town and country) have increased substantially in the last decade as a result of the high calibre individuals employed in the business.

[Photo credit: Jane Devonshire, Luscombe Maye (Newton Ferrers), The Kingsbridge Gazette 9875040 © Firebird75 | Dreamstime.com]

The residential lettings and management side of the business continues to grow from strength to strength developing a reputation for handling higher value properties across the whole of the South Devon region. Alongside offering a highly effective tenant find service, Luscombe Maye also offer a reliable management service for landlords. 

Integrity is a key word that helps describe the modus operandi of Luscombe Maye’s business and this is especially prevalent in the professional services arm of the business. With several Chartered Surveyors and planning consultants, the business is very active in this area offering advice on valuation, planning, environmental grant schemes, land letting and management, outside sales and compensation for land affected by utility companies in Devon and parts of Cornwall. 

Having started out as a close-knit family business with the Luscombe family 150 years ago, Luscombe Maye likes to think of itself as a family run business with eight offices being closely connected and sharing information that will not only help the business but more importantly help our clients

It is testament to those that not only started the business in 1873 but all those that have contributed between then and now which has meant the business has survived for so long. 

Any business requires a huge amount of energy, determination and drive to take it from one year to the next. “As the current Senior Director, I would like to take the opportunity to not only thank those that have gone before me but also those that continue to work for the business, but also am humbled to be given the opportunity to be part of such a fantastic organisation”. 

2023 is certainly an exciting year for Luscombe Maye with a calendar of events planned to celebrate this 150th birthday milestone and we very much look forward to the next milestone!

“With a comprehensive network of offices across the West Country our team is fundamental to everything we do. We pride ourselves on retaining the best estate and letting agents, chartered surveyors, valuers, land agents and planning consultants in the area.”

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