As fuel prices continue to soar, Cornwall Heritage Trust is encouraging primary schools in Cornwall struggling with the costs of transport for heritage trips to apply for support through its School Transport Grants Scheme.
This financial support offers funding towards the costs of fuel and vehicle hire for class visits, which aim to develop awareness and appreciation of Cornish heritage and history.
The grants are available for visits to the historic sites Cornwall Heritage Trust looks after, as well as trips to any museum, ancient monument or historic place in Cornwall to learn about Cornish heritage.
Cornish Lithium is the foundation sponsor for this academic year’s grants. The mineral exploration and development company has supported the charity’s School Transport Grants Scheme for a number of years.
Cornwall Heritage Trust CEO, Cathy Woolcock, said: “It’s been over a decade since we launched this funding, and in the current economic climate, the demand has become greater than ever before. The cost of transport continues to be one of the biggest barriers to schools visiting a heritage site, with it costing, on average, around £400 for every trip they run. The feedback we get from those apply to us for grants underlines the huge impact that these experiences have on students and why it’s so important to keep funding them.””
“Our independent charity invests a significant amount in this scheme, but rising costs and demand make it a challenge to provide the level of grants that schools need. Cornish Lithium’s sponsorship, therefore, makes a huge difference and we’re incredibly grateful for their ongoing support.”
Zoe Carter, ESG Engagement Lead at Cornish Lithium, said: “We are pleased to be a long-term foundation sponsor of Cornwall Heritage Trust’s School Transport Grants Scheme, which continues to have a hugely positive impact on children across Cornwall. As transport costs increase, this funding has become more important than ever for schools trying to provide enriching heritage trips. Cornish Lithium is committed to supporting initiatives that benefit local communities, and our partnership with Cornwall Heritage Trust is a key part of that commitment.”
Since Cornwall Heritage Trust’s School Transport Grants Scheme was introduced in 2014, over 25,000 children have benefited from the funding, which has enabled over 600 school trips to 42 heritage sites across Cornwall to take place.
Gool Peran Lowen! / Happy St Piran’s Day!
Explore the archaeological sites associated with the name of Cornwall’s patron saint in a special St Piran’s Day edition of our Cornish Story Café series.
In this talk, Cornwall Heritage Trust Sites Officer and Chair of the St Piran Trust, Dick Cole, explores the archaeological sites in the parish of Perranzabuloe associated with St Piran’s name, including St Piran’s Oratory and the nearby ruined second church.
Discover their importance to Cornish identity as well as the findings of the excavations carried out at the two sites, the ongoing work to protect and conserve the remains of the buildings, and the nature of the archaeological remains across the wider area.
Dick worked for the Cornwall Archaeological Unit for over 15 years and is now the Sites Officer for the Cornwall Heritage Trust. He has carried out numerous archaeological projects across Cornwall, which included the excavation of the Second Church in Perranzabuloe Parish in 2005.
He is chair of the St Piran Trust, which looks after the Oratory and the medieval church. He is also involved with other heritage and cultural bodies, including the Indian Queens Pit charity.
Thank you to Dick for sharing his expertise in this fascinating talk, to Perranporth Memorial Hall for hosting us and to everyone who came along!
The latest session in our heritage skills training and education project saw participants learn how to cut and lay a hedge with Jeremy Weiss, a traditional rural services and training specialist.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this training day, which took place at Duloe Stone Circle!
The workshop was part of a wide-ranging heritage skills training and education project, which has been made possible by a grant of £10,000 from Cornwall Community Foundation through the Tanner Phoenix Trust.
Jeremy is an experienced instructor having taught courses for the National Trust, Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, Devon Rural Skills Trust and for his own business, ‘Proper Edges’. He has a first-class honours degree in Environmental Science and a very keen interest in ecology, conservation and traditional countryside management.
During this workshop, attendees learnt about the proper care of hand tools, tool sharpening, safety considerations, cutting and laying the hedge, and securing the hedge using natural crooks.
They also discussed alternatives to hedge laying, restoring badly neglected hedges, the cultural, historical and environmental importance of hedges, the hedge as a resource, and the use of brash to make biochar.
About the funder
Cornwall Community Foundation helps people across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly by awarding small grants to grassroots organisations that are working to overcome the challenges of disadvantage, exclusion and poverty in their communities.
Find out more at www.cornwallcommunityfoundation.com
Cornwall Heritage Trust has experienced rapid but strategic growth over the last five years and, having just celebrated our 40th anniversary, we are about to set a strategic plan which builds on this growth while ensuring that the charity is financially sustainable and resilient for a further 40 years.
We are looking for an experienced Finance Manager to join the team and work with us to ensure reliable and accurate financial record-keeping as well as coming up with innovative and creative solutions to help to build income generation. That’s where you come in!
Salary £40,000 – £45,000 per annum FTE pro rata
Working Hours 3 days per week, negotiable but preferably would include a Friday
Type of contract Permanent
Place of Work Krowji, Redruth
Application deadline Midday on Monday 2nd March 2026
We are looking for someone with a proven track record of working within financial management in the charity sector to be responsible for overseeing the financial operations of the charity and to provide a steer on the strategy moving forwards.
This will include production of regular management information and draft annual financial accounts, oversight of key operations such as payroll and VAT as well as supporting the income generation activities of the Trust and contributing to the smooth running of the fundraising function.
To be successful within this role you will need to have the skills and expertise to be able to work independently and without constant supervision. We are looking for a self-starter with excellent attention to detail and the imagination to come up with new and innovative solutions. Outstanding people and communication skills will be required for the line management of staff, but also when presenting management information to the trustees, CEO and senior leadership team.
Working closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees, this role will be key to strategic and organisational development.
Finally, a great sense of humour and a willingness to help the wider team when required is essential.
It was ‘Full Steam Ahead’ for our 2026 Discovery Club Programme this week, as children joined our team to discover the pioneering Cornish inventors and engineering brilliance which fuelled the ‘Age of Steam’.
The session was led by Caroline, our Education and Outreach Manager, and Sophie, our Engagement Manager.
Understanding the role Cornish inventor and engineer Richard Trevithick had on the development of steam powered locamotives was top of the agenda.
The group then turned their attention to investigating the science behind steam, which included a fun-filled experiment to help demonstrate how these incredible engines are powered.
The workshop will be rounded off with a choice of creative challenges, including designing a commemorative railway stamp, writing a short story inspired by steam travel or designing a train for the future. They also learnt about the huge impact that the development of the railway has had on Cornwall.
This workshop was funded by GWR, and we are hugely grateful for its support.
In the wake of the significant storm damage Cornwall has recently experienced, investigating common woodland management techniques was the priority for our first Young Rangers session of 2026.
Our award-winning Young Rangers ‘Climate Action Youth Group’ offers the chance for those aged 12 – 18 to take action over the climate crisis, assist with environmental work on historic natural landscapes and develop skills in countryside management. All sessions take place on weekdays in school half terms and holidays.
The session was led by James, one of our Countryside Rangers, and Caroline, our Education and Outreach Manager.
Heading to Tony’s Woods at Sancreed Beacon near Penzance, the team examined the effects of recent storms and learnt about how Cornwall Heritage Trust’s Rangers have been dealing with the damage.
Their focus then moved to an area of willow being coppiced this winter. James led the Young Rangers through the history of coppicing, as well as the huge benefits it has for modern land management and conservation by changing the age structure of woodland and helping create a wide variety of habitats to support biodiversity.
It was then time for our Young Rangers to have a go. With expert guidance from our team, they learnt to use loppers and saws to safely cut down larger limbs from the willow trees, before building a dead hedge with the brash.
Our Young Rangers ‘Climate Action Youth Group’ is currently part-funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and holidaycottages.co.uk.
Would your child like to take part?
Upcoming sessions will take place on Thursday 16th April, Thursday 28th May, Thursday 30th July, Thursday 13th August, Thursday 27th August and Thursday 29th October. We expect participants to be available for at least five sessions.
“We were exceptionally lucky to be guided by an outstanding trip leader from the Cornwall Heritage Trust, whose enthusiasm, expertise, and brilliant storytelling brought the site to life. Her passion for Cornish heritage shone through every moment, and we are so grateful for the knowledge, care, and energy she shared with the children.”
We’re so pleased to hear how much the children from Delabole Primary School learnt on their recent ‘Discovery Workshop’ at Castle an Dinas (East), one of Cornwall’s largest and most impressive hillforts.
Led by our Education and Outreach Manager, Caroline, the day was jam-packed with hands-on learning, including exploring the hillfort, handling artefacts, and reimagining the past in this archaeological landscape.
Here’s what their teachers said…
“I was really impressed with Caroline’s knowledge and ability to involve all the children… All her resources, pictures, artefacts and knowledge really supported the children’s learning and the ability for staff to lead further sessions.”
“The children were captivated by the sweeping views, the dramatic landscape, and the chance to stand in a place steeped in thousands of years of history.”
“It truly was an amazing trip — one filled with learning, laughter, and awe. Pengelly Class returned to school inspired, informed, and buzzing with excitement about everything they had discovered.”
Dating from around the fourth to first centuries BCE, Castle an Dinas is sited in an imposing position on the summit of Castle Downs with extensive and panoramic views across central Cornwall to both north and south coasts.
Flint artefacts from the later Mesolithic period (before 4000 BCE) and surviving Bronze Age barrows indicate that people had gathered on this dominating hill from early prehistoric times. The third rampart from the centre may be earlier than the main Iron Age ones and be the remains of a later Bronze Age or early Iron Age precursor to the hillfort.
The workshop was provided free of charge as part of our Discovery Workshops Programme. This programme is part-funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.
Transport for the trip was funded by our School Transport Grants Scheme. Cornish Lithium is the foundation sponsor for this academic year’s grants.
The school said…
“The cost of the coach was over £400… The transport grant was a huge help to us and made it affordable for every parent.”
We offer a wide range of free and subsidised workshops at our historic sites as part of our Discovery Programme, and feedback like this shows what inspiring learning experiences they are.
Our on-site workshops are provided to schools, alternative education provision and community groups free of charge. For those struggling with the cost of petrol and vehicle hire, you can also apply for one of our transport grants to support your visit.
The opportunity to explore Cornwall’s heritage is now right at your fingertips, thanks to our new virtual map of the historic sites in our care. The map includes drone footage, 3D models and a wealth of information about these special places.
This digital interpretation aims to offer an innovative way for people to ‘visit’ the sites we care for and will also be an invaluable tool for our education and outreach programme.
This digital interpretation project has been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Rural Prosperity Fund and GWR.
We’re hugely grateful for their support and hope you enjoy discovering some of Cornwall’s most iconic and important monuments, buildings and landscapes online.
We’re so pleased to hear how much the children from Heamoor Community Primary School learnt on their recent ‘Discovery Workshop’ at Carn Euny, one of the best-preserved ancient villages in the south-west.
This is what their teachers said…
“The children had the opportunity to see what life in prehistoric Britain looked like through engaging and thought-provoking activities.”
“They were able to observe, touch and explore prehistoric life when holding and discussing artefacts from the past and exploring the remains of an ancient village.”
“The expertise and knowledge that Caroline brought to the workshop was invaluable in helping the children to broaden their understanding.”
Led by our Education and Outreach Manager, Caroline, the day was jam-packed with hands-on learning, including exploring the ancient village, handling artefacts, and reimagining the past in this archaeological landscape.
Carn Euny is a courtyard house settlement from the Iron Age and Romano-British periods, occupied from about 500 BCE to 400 CE.
It consists of a number of “courtyard houses” of a type unique to West Cornwall. Rooms, huts, workshops and stables are built around a central courtyard, with a substantial doorway leading from the courtyard to the lanes and “streets” of the village.
Here’s what the students said…
“I enjoyed exploring a place I’ve never been to before.”
“I really enjoyed looking in the fogou.”
“I enjoyed looking at ancient objects.”
“I liked holding things and know that ancient people used them in their daily lives.”
“I had never heard of a fogou. I loved it!”
“I learned that people used animal bones to fish with.”
The workshop was provided free of charge as part of our Discovery Workshops Programme. This programme is part-funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.
We offer a wide range of free and subsidised workshops at our historic sites as part of our Discovery Programme, and feedback like this shows what inspiring learning experiences they are.
Our on-site workshops are provided to schools, alternative education provision and community groups free of charge. For those struggling with the cost of petrol and vehicle hire, you can also apply for one of our transport grants to support your visit.
A project to enable greater accessibility to West Penwith’s historic sites is now in full swing, thanks to a grant from the Cornwall National Landscape Access for All Programme.
Cornwall Heritage Trust’s ‘Access All Areas!’ project has seen the charity acquire a 4-wheel drive, all-terrain vehicle to provide a method of transporting people and equipment across the more challenging tracks and ground at some of the places we look after, own or manage.
It will enable those with mobility issues to enjoy greater access to the historic sites owned or managed by the charity and to participate in activities and events within the landscape, which would previously have been more difficult or impossible to take part in.
It will also facilitate the work of its Practical Tasks group – a weekly volunteer working party which maintains access to historic sites around West Penwith owned by other organisations and local landowners.
The Trust’s Rangers and Countryside Worker Apprentices will also utilise the vehicle when managing and hosting volunteering sessions at the charity’s sites in West Cornwall, which are especially remote areas with uneven topography.
The vehicle headed out for the first time last week with the Practical Tasks group and we’re looking forward to seeing its impact over the coming months and years.
This project aims to have a long-lasting impact by breaking down accessibility barriers and enabling a wider range of people to visit and benefit from our sites. It will prove invaluable in helping us to grow the reach of the Practical Tasks scheme and hugely benefit the historic environment and National Landscape in West Penwith by enabling us to facilitate volunteering opportunities and practical interventions across the often difficult terrain that forms the landscape there.
We’re hugely grateful to the Cornwall National Landscape Access for All Programme for making this project possible!
Classic Cottages has once again pledged support to Cornwall’s rich and distinct heritage by renewing its top-level membership of Cornwall Heritage Trust’s ‘Heritage Heroes’ business sponsorship programme.
Cornwall Heritage Trust is an independent charity that cares for 20 historic sites across Cornwall, ensuring they are archaeologically protected, ecologically improved, and freely accessible to everyone. It also hosts a wide-reaching programme of wellbeing, education and community workshops, activities and events at these places and provides grants enabling visits to museums and historic monuments across Cornwall.
The charity’s ‘Heritage Heroes’ programme supports this work to rescue at-risk monuments, protect endangered historic landscapes and give everyone access to Cornwall’s heritage.
Cornwall Heritage Trust Fundraising Officer, Antonia Mullaly, said: “Our ‘Heritage Heroes’ make a huge difference to the reach and impact of our charitable work, and we’re hugely grateful for Classic Cottage’s continued support! By supporting the programme, they are helping safeguard the futures of irreplaceable monuments and landscapes and investing in Cornwall’s culture, communities and landscapes.”
We are thrilled to announce that our independent charity is now caring for a former 19th-century engine house on Bodmin Moor, which in the 1990s was partially restored as a heritage centre for the surrounding area.
Cornwall Heritage Trust has taken ownership of Houseman’s Engine House – part of the 19th-century South Phoenix mine complex, which was transformed into Minions Heritage Centre in the 1990s. The centre closed in early 2020 and the building is not currently open to the public.
The site has been transferred to the charity from Cornwall Council.
Founded in 1985, the Trust protects historic places across Cornwall, which are all free for the general public to visit. It hosts a wide-reaching programme of wellbeing, education and community workshops, activities and events at these heritage sites and provides grants enabling visits to museums and historic monuments across Cornwall.
Houseman’s Engine House was likely constructed in 1881 and named in honour of the Company Chairman at the time. It sat over Houseman’s Shaft and was built for the last big pumping engine made in Cornwall. This was fabricated at Holman’s Foundry in Camborne.
The mine survived for longer than many of its neighbours but, by 1898, it was abandoned and the equipment sold for scrap and most of the buildings demolished.
The engine house was purchased and restored by Caradon District Council in the 1990s as part of the Minions area heritage project. The project saw the building transformed into Minions Heritage Centre, a free-to-visit exhibition about the history, archaeology and ecology of the surrounding area. The centre was closed in early 2020.
In 2024, Cornwall Heritage Trust undertook a project in conjunction with Cornwall Council to establish solutions to issues with the building, which could potentially result in the reopening of this invaluable community space and visitor attraction.
Community Consultation
Now that the charity has taken ownership of the site, it will be hosting a community consultation day on Tuesday 3rd March from 1–3.30pm.
Due to the current closure of Linkinhorne Parish Hall, the consultation will take place at Darite Village Hall, Darite, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 5JH. A second consultation will take place later this year within Linkinhorne Parish.
The consultation is not only an opportunity for the local community to meet the charity’s team, but also to offer ideas and suggestions for the future of the site, as well as information on its history and place in the local community.
The charity has already met with the local councillor and reached out to the parish council. It will continue to work closely with them and other stakeholders throughout this process.
