The idea of a parish room was first mooted in 1885.  A group of six persons including the Earl of Devon and the vicar and church wardens of St Mary’s Cofton formed a trust to acquire a site for the Parish Room at Cockwood.  At that time they had some £94 in hand to accomplish this.

In 1892 a suitable piece of land was found on which the original building still stands in another guise. The land was gifted to the Trust by relations of the Vicar, the Rev CF Benthall.  The Parish Room was built in 1993-94 at a cost of £279 provided by donations from parishioners, landowners, friends and neighbours.  The Trust stipulated that use of the Room was restricted generally to such purposes which would be to the benefit, advantage and well-being of the parishioners of the Parish of Cofton and specifically excluded any religious service taking place in it other than of the Church of England.

The 1966 Deed of Appointment of New Trustees appointed the Exeter Diocesan Board of Finance as the custodian trustee and the Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s Cofton as the managing trustee.  The Diocesan Board of Finance is essentially the owner.

In 2004 Cockwood Chapel (A Plymouth Brethren meeting house) became surplus to requirements.  Heavitree Brewery, at about the same time, expressed interest in acquiring the Parish Room which was conveniently situated to extend the dining facilities of the Anchor Inn. The Parish Room was reaching the stage when a considerable sum of money would be needed to bring the roof, heating and kitchen up to a satisfactory standard.

At a vestry meeting it was decided that Cockwood Chapel would make a better community centre for the village than the Parish Room.  Negotiations took place and eventually the Chapel came into the ownership of the Diocesan Board with the PCC of St Mary’s as the managing trustees.  The exchange of buildings benefited the trustees with a lump sum which enabled necessary improvements to be made to what was called Cofton Parish Hall initially and the balance was invested by the Diocesan Board to fund the future maintenance of the Hall.

The Hall has been a successful venture for Cockwood, centred, as it is, next to the Village Green and between the two Public Houses.  The Management Committee, working on behalf of the Trustees, are at pains to encourage its use by local organisations as shown elsewhere on this web site. It quickly became known colloquially as Cofton Village Hall although it is formally known by the Trust Deed title of Cofton Parish Hall.