2024 dates announced for Cornwall Heritage Trust Open Gardens

The Cornish hedge is an ancient style of boundary structure built of stone and earth found in Cornwall that has major cultural and environmental significance to the area. There are approximately 30,000 miles of hedges in Cornwall, which are rich in biodiversity, stay strong for hundreds of years and are a unique feature of the Cornish landscape – but there are growing fears that the skills required to build them are not being passed down through the generations.

That’s why, last year, the Cornwall Rural Education and Skills Trust (CREST) secured £230,000 of funding from the Cornwall AONB Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme (FiPL) to work in partnership with Cornwall Heritage Trust to deliver a Cornish hedging training and education programme. The programme has gone from strength to strength since its launch, with its raft of training courses, workshops and special events proving extremely popular.

This February, we welcomed CREST co-founders Helen Bowkett and Andrew Cockshaw to our latest Cornish Story Cafe to tell us more about Cornish Hedging and the project’s progress so far. 

Nearly 100 people joined us for the talk at Pendeen Parish Hall, which is available to watch in full here.

The talk was made possible by funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, and we’re hugely grateful for its support.

The Penventon Park Hotel has once again pledged its support to Cornwall’s landscape, traditions and communities by renewing its top-level membership of our ‘Heritage Friends’ business sponsorship programme.

The Penventon is a 4 star Hotel with a Leisure Club and Spa treatment rooms nestled in acres of private parkland in Redruth.

Previously an elegant Georgian Mansion, converted into a Hotel in 1970 is now host to 63 luxurious rooms, the Copper Bar – which is renowned for its gin and wine – the Dining Galleries Restaurant known for its delicious food and lively atmosphere, and the Leisure Club and Spa Treatment Rooms with a jacuzzi, pool, and sauna.

Jess Pascoe from the Penventon Park Hotel said: “We are delighted to announce our continued sponsorship of Cornwall Heritage Trust for another year. Our commitment to supporting this essential organisation is rooted in a shared passion for preserving and celebrating Cornwall’s rich history. Cornwall Heritage Trust shares our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the invaluable history of the region. Their tireless efforts resonate with our belief that the preservation of history is not only an act of respect for the past but also essential to future generations. Understanding the immense value history holds for Cornwall, its residents, and visitors alike, we support Cornwall Heritage Trust in their mission to protect and promote the unique history of this remarkable region we call home.”

Cathy Woolcock, Cornwall Heritage Trust CEO said: “With such a long and rich history, this partnership with the Penventon makes perfect sense for us. Our business sponsors make an important contribution to our charitable work, and we’re hugely grateful to the Penventon for its continued support.”

More information about the Penventon Park Hotel can be found on its website: www.penventon.co.uk

We are seeking volunteers with an interest in inspiring children and young people to learn about heritage, to help the Cornwall Heritage Trust staff with education activities such as our Discovery Clubs.

Volunteers will undertake tasks, including setting up equipment and materials, cleaning up and packing away, helping to explain the activities and supporting young learners to complete them, and assisting the Workshop Leader with other duties as required.

Photo credit: Keith Larby

Our Education workshops and events are often on weekdays in the school holidays, and on weekends during term time. Expected commitment would be varied depending on the individual’s availability, however we would like to engage people who could help us at least 4 times a year. 

They take place at various venues across the whole of Cornwall.

Cornwall Heritage Trust will cover agreed out of pocket expenses (e.g. travel costs) in accordance with our Volunteer expenses policy, and we can support with shared travel where needed. 

If you have a passion for Cornwall and its heritage and are looking for a new challenge, this could be just the opportunity for you.

Are you aged 14 – 18 and worried about the current state of the planet? Do you want to make a difference to the environment and be a positive force for change?

Cornwall Heritage Trust is launching a brand-new environmental programme to enable young people to take action over the current climate emergency and develop their skills in countryside management. 

The charity’s Climate Action Youth Group Young Rangers Project will meet once every month to undertake tasks ranging from heathland regeneration to helping increase biodiversity at the historic sites the charity cares for. 

The deadline for expressions of interest is 9am on Monday 18th March 2024.

This project is supported by English Heritage’s national youth engagement programme, Shout Out Loud.

There will be a flexible approach to what environmental work the group undertakes and participants will be encouraged to explore the areas of countryside management which interest them.

No previous experience is required and support, specialist clothing and equipment will be provided.

The programme will initially run from April 2024 – November 2024 and will take place at sites near Penzance. Travel expenses to sites will be covered by the charity and it will also offer pick-ups from main public transport hubs. 

If this initial trial proves popular, it is hoped that the project will become a permanent part of the charity’s volunteering programme and be expanded to cover a wider range of areas.

Engagement Manager, Sophie Meyer said: “We hear from so many young people how worried they are about climate change and we know how overwhelming it can feel to try and tackle this global emergency as an individual. That’s the reason why we’ve set this group up. We care for a huge range of historic landscapes and biodiversity, and this project aims to give young people the opportunity and the skills to have a direct and lasting impact on the ecology of these special places. By becoming a Young Ranger, you really can make a huge difference to Cornwall’s environmental heritage. We would like to say a huge thank you to English Heritage’s Shout Out Loud programme for its support and we hope as many young people as possible would like to get involved.” 

This March, we’re partnering with Smashed Window Community Theatre to host an open-air improvised retelling of one of Cornwall’s greatest legends.

This raucous production will see a trio of actors perform an entirely improvised take on ‘Tristan & Yseult’. It’s epic, energetic and sure to have you crying with tears of laughter (and perhaps a few of sorrow too)!

Performances will take place on Sunday 24th March at 11am and 2.30pm at Indian Queens Pit near St Columb Major. Performances are 1 hour 30 minutes with an interval.

This production is recommended for ages 8+.

Adult tickets are priced pay as you feel at £10, £12 and £15. Tickets for those aged 16 and under are priced at £5.

This is an outdoor production, so please bring a chair or blanket to sit on and dress for the weather!

Smashed Window is a community theatre company based in Cornwall. Its team facilitates workshops and creates exciting new work, under the ethos that everyone should have access to a creative practice. 

Smashed Window has hosted creative workshops across Cornwall and created One Day Plays.

A Scheduled Monument, Indian Queens Pit was constructed as a preaching pit by local villagers in 1850 within a disused mining openwork. It was traditionally used by the local Methodist Chapels from Indian Queens and Fraddon, as well as a temperance society. Today, it remains at the heart of the local community and regularly hosts fetes, concerts and plays.

This event has been made possible by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and we’re hugely grateful for its support.

On Saturday 16th March, we’re hosting a public consultation day about Tregonning Hill. The event will take place from 10am – 2pm at Balwest Sunday School.

Tregonning Hill was purchased by Cornwall Heritage Trust in October 2023 to safeguard its future and ensure that it remains free to visit for everyone 365 days of the year. We have been overwhelmed by the number of thank yous, kind words and offers of support we’ve had about the site.

Thank you to everyone who has so generously offered to work with us to care for this special place! We’re keen to work with the community as much as possible and would love to hear your thoughts at this consultation day.

There will also be free guided walks at 10.30am and 1pm with local mining history specialist, Stephen Polglase. Places are limited and will be given on a first-come-first-served basis on the day.

Join us at Pendeen Village Hall for a special talk on the endangered craft of Cornish hedging this February.

Andrew has been a full-time hedger for 15 years, working throughout Cornwall. Renowned and consulted for his high standards of craftsmanship and extensive knowledge, he now brings his skill and experience to training the next generation of hedgers.

Helen became the first-ever craftswoman of the Guild of Cornish Hedgers in 2013 and built Cornish hedges for the next six years as part of her landscaping business. Passionate about hedging and its benefits to both the builder and the natural landscape, Helen is keen to ensure access for women and strengthen the connection between people and the landscape with rural skills.

If you would like to book a place, we recommend doing so without delay to ensure you have a spot. Our members were given early access to book their places at this event and there are a limited number remaining. Numbers are restricted and places are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Please be aware that Cornwall Heritage Trust is photographing the event and may publish these photos in a variety of media and online.

Header Image Credit: ©Cornwall Council Strategic Historic Environment

The half term got off to a flying start this Monday at our Treffry Heritage Explorer Day. Thank you to everyone who came along for this time-travelling adventure into Cornwall’s industrial past!

Over 150 people headed to the Luxulyan Valley to learn about the incredible history of Treffry Viaduct, with highlights including engineering challenges, sensory activities and historic storytelling from Multivax. 

The site was a real hubbub of activity, and it was wonderful to see how much everyone enjoyed exploring this special place.

The history of the viaduct is closely intertwined with Cornwall’s railways, thanks to the branch line between Par and Newquay which runs directly under the monument and follows the historic route of the Cornwall Minerals Railway. Our team was therefore delighted to hear that almost half of those who attended the day made their journey there by train via Luxulyan Station, whilst many locals walked and cycled to the site. 

The event was funded by GWR, and we are hugely grateful for its generous support.

Following the huge popularity of our Discovery Club workshops over the last 12 months, we’re pleased to announce new dates for Spring/Summer 2024.

The workshops are priced at £5 per child per workshop, and you’re welcome to book your child onto as many as you wish.

We are anticipating high demand for these workshops and booking will open on Friday 9th February at 6pm via Eventbrite. Places are extremely limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. 

These workshops have been made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and we’re hugely grateful for its support.

Parents and guardians may accompany their children but are also welcome to drop them off at the workshop if they prefer. Our Discovery Club Team Leaders are fully DBS checked and First Aid trained.

Prehistoric Art

Saturday 2nd March
10.30am – 12noon
St Gluvias Hall, Penryn TR10 8ER

Make your mark! Transform the ancient past into technicolour by making your own paints like our ancestors would have and creating a piece of prehistoric cave art.

Did you spot us on BBC Countryfile last night? We were thrilled that the Hurler Stone Circles were featured on the show!

Our Sites Officer, Dick Cole, was on hand to help the show explore the myths and legends which surround the site. You may have also spotted Merv Davey playing the Cornish pipes at ‘The Pipers’ standing stones.

Huge thanks go to Dick and Merv for braving a biting cold winter morning to share the story of this special place and to the BBC Countryfile team for featuring the site.

Close by on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor, this impressive line of three early Bronze Age stone circles is one of Cornwall’s most significant ceremonial prehistoric monuments. It’s such an important part of the remarkable ceremonial landscape on Bodmin Moor and we’re so pleased that it’s getting the attention it rightly deserves. What an honour!

The Hurler Stone Circles is one of 16 historic sites we care for here at Cornwall Heritage Trust. We believe that everyone should have access to Cornwall’s heritage, and that’s why these sites are all open to the public and free to enter 365 days a year.

For those who missed the Countryfile episode or would like to watch it again, it is available here on BBC iPlayer. The piece about the Hurlers is 43 minutes into the episode.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001w2vc/countryfile-bodmin-moor