Historic England has today announced that Castilly Henge is being added to the Heritage at Risk Register – making our appeal to raise the £50,000 needed to acquire and secure the future of the site more urgent than ever before!
One of the South-West’s most important and best-researched late Neolithic sites, the archaeology and biodiversity of this Scheduled Monument are currently at risk due to the threat posed by invasive vegetation.
It is currently inaccessible to the public and, despite much media attention over the last few years, many don’t know where it is located and how important it is.
Our charity has been protecting historic landscapes and monuments across Cornwall for the last 40 years. We have a strong track record of giving these special places the archaeological and land management expertise they need and have helped save a number from the Heritage at Risk Register. Help us do the same for Castilly Henge!
Your donation will help us to rescue Castilly Henge, secure its future through active management and enable the public to visit it for free all year round.
As a small, independent charity, every donation makes a huge difference to this urgent appeal and we would be hugely grateful for your support.
Just a quick reminder that our 40th AGM is taking place on Monday 10th November from 12noon.
Open to all members, the AGM is a fantastic opportunity to find out about the exciting work which has taken place over the last year at the Trust. This year, the meeting will take place during our inaugural Members Day.
Date: Monday 10th November
Time: 12noon – 1pm
Location: Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery, River Street, Truro, TR1 2SJ – What3Words: ///pills.watch.horn
Whilst the Members Day is fully booked, you can attend the AGM via Zoom. If you would like to join the meeting virtually, please contact the office at info@cornwallheritagetrust.org to request a link.
Please find below links to the agenda for the AGM and a copy of last year’s draft minutes. Copies of our annual accounts can be requested and will be available from the AGM onwards. If you are unable to access the documents online, please let us know and we will send you a paper copy in the post. If you have any queries relating to the agenda or wish to propose a matter for discussion, please do get in touch.
You will notice that we have tabled a special resolution which relates to our Articles of Association. This document contains the written rules about running the Limited Company and is agreed by the Members and Directors (Trustees).
A copy of the amended document can be downloaded below and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries. There are no major changes.
We’re so pleased to hear how much the students from King Charles Primary School benefited from their recent ‘Discovery Workshop’ at Carn Euny. Led by our Education and Outreach Manager, Caroline, students spent a jam-packed day exploring this incredible ancient settlement and it was wonderful to see how excited they were to get stuck in!
“Caroline is an expert in her field and had so much useful knowledge to share. We loved listening to her round up the session whilst eating lunch. She is brilliant at talking to children and we found that they were very focused. Amazing lady!”
“Being there in the sunshine and imagining the past was really exciting. Handling artefacts was also a really special thing to do.”
“We loved going underground into the fogou and thought about its possible reason for being.”
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. This academic year’s transport grants are part-funded by Cornish Lithium.
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.
Over 700 visitors joined us at Castilly Henge this Saturday to take the rare opportunity to explore this important archaeological excavation – a major project targeting questions about the character, date and potential later reuse of this unique prehistoric ritual site.
The project is a collaboration between Historic England, the Cornwall Archaeological Society and the Cornwall Heritage Trust.
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
We were blown away by how many people came along. Thank you for your patience waiting for guided tours of this ongoing excavation – we hope you enjoyed learning more about why this monument is such a special part of Cornwall’s heritage!
There was a wealth of other activities to get involved with. These ranged from meeting the volunteers and archaeologists who have been working at the site to flint knapping, storytelling about Neolithic life, historic food making and creating a cyanotype print with Cornwall-based contemporary artist, Robin James Sullivan.
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
This week sees the excavation come to a close, and it’s been such an honour to collaborate with Historic England and Cornwall Archaeological Society on this exciting project to investigate the late Neolithic site’s origins, purpose and how it changed over time.
Community engagement has been at the heart of the project, and over the course of the last month, we’ve been thrilled for the dig to involve nearly 90 volunteers working alongside professional archaeologists, welcome visits from over 300 local school children and connect over 110 people to their heritage via community group visits and social prescribing sessions.
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
The excavation is funded and directed by Historic England and supported by staff from the Cornwall Archaeological Unit. The Open Day and associated outreach activities were made possible by a £42,990 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to Cornwall Archaeological Society and a £10,000 grant from Historic England.
This project is a collaboration between…
Made possible by funding from…
We’re thrilled to say that Cornwall Heritage Trust’s appeal to raise the £50,000 needed to acquire and secure the future of this unique prehistoric ritual site has now raised over just over £11,000.
Despite being one of the South-West’s most important and best-researched late Neolithic sites, Castilly Henge is currently at risk due to the threat posed by invasive vegetation, and it is inaccessible to the public.
Every donation makes such a huge difference and we cannot thank everyone who has supported the appeal enough!
We still have quite a way to go to reach our target of £50,000, so if you are able to make a donation, we would be hugely grateful.
Please cite this resource as: ‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Cornwall Heritage Trust (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
Nearly 1000 visitors headed to Enys Gardens last Saturday to celebrate everything that makes Cornwall special at Awenek, our Great Cornish Heritage Festival – and what a day it was!
Highlights included seeing a Bronze Age forge in action, weapons displays, combat re-enactments, live music, traditional crafts demonstrations and even the chance for visitors to craft their own ancient tools.
From sea shanties and Cornish wrestling to expert-led talks and apple pressing, the festival was packed with an incredible array of activities.
It featured demonstrations of ancient crafts like axe-making and flint knapping and traditional skills including Cornish hedging, scything, basket making and blacksmithing. There will be a foraging tour of the gardens, a guided tour of Enys House and talks on the forgotten ferrywomen of the Fal, Cornish folklore, crossroad burials and the Cornish Native Bee.
Designed to be family-friendly, there were also lots of make-and-take activities to keep children entertained throughout the day, ranging from grinding wheat to make Iron Age honey bread to designing a medieval fish tile, just like the one found at nearby Glasney College.
The music programme featured the Red River Singers, Oll an Gwella, Merv and Alison Davey, the Story Republic and Nancothnan. There was also storytelling and theatre performances from the likes of the Cornish Caretakers, Cobweb Tales, Mazed and Multivax.
Huge thanks also go to all our exhibitors, staff and volunteers who made this incredible day possible.
Thank you to Coodes Solicitors for generously sponsoring the festival and to Feast Cornwall for part-funding it.
The festival had a wonderful atmosphere and it was fantastic to see how much everyone enjoyed exploring Cornwall’s arts, culture, traditions and history.
We are also hugely grateful to those of you who so generously made donations, purchased raffle tickets or bought some of our fundraising merchandise in support of the event. Awenek is a huge undertaking which comes at considerable cost to our charity, and your support makes a massive difference to our work. Thank you!
Awenek 2025 was sponsored by…
Awenek 2025 is part-funded by…
It’s just over a fortnight to go until our Cornish heritage extravaganza Awenek and we’re thrilled to announce the full programme of activities, demonstrations, re-enactments and performances that will be on offer.
Date: Saturday 13th September
Time: 10am – 5pm
Location: Enys Gardens, St Gluvius, Penryn, TR10 9LB – What3Words: ///diplomat.ooze.quite
Take a look…
Reenactors and Living History
Ancient Craft
Explore how archaeologists unlock the secrets of the distant past with Dr. James Dilley and Emma Jones. They will be demonstrating prehistoric crafts from the Stone and Bronze Ages, including bronze casting and jewellery making. Their work can be seen on display in The British Museum, Stonehenge and many other museums around the world.
Ancient Days and Ways
See how people from the past – from the Neolithic to the Early Middle Ages – might have lived. A wealth of ancient skills will be on show, including food gathering, grain grinding, making cordage from natural fibres, lighting fires and keeping secure.
Morvleydh
Experience life in the 9th century when Viking longships sailed the coast and Cornish warriors clashed with forces from Saxon Wessex. Morvleydh will be transporting its corner of the gardens back to this exciting time, showcasing life, crafts and combat as it may have been in the period.
Children under 10 can even try their hand at being warriors! Can you face Morvleydh’s ferocious shield wall?
Timed Re-enactments
10.30pm – Weapons Display
12.30pm – Archery Demonstration
2pm – Children’s Viking Battle
3.30pm – Weapons Display
The Black Company
Get a taste of life on the battlefield during the Wars Of The Roses (1455 – 1487) with weapon displays and combat re-enactments from this group of mercenary soldiers.
Timed displays at 11.45am and 2.30pm
Performances
10am Red River Singers
Based in Pool and named after the nearby river, The Red River Singers specialise in Cornish songs, including the well-known pub songs, carols, folksongs and those in the Cornish language. They are led by Hilary Coleman, Cornish bard and musician.
11am The Cornish Caretakers
Mr Rodda Rowe Rescorla and Mrs Trevaskis Trelwaney Tremayne bring to life numerous characters, creatures and inanimate objects in their quest to surf the giant wave of the Cribbar.
12noon Oll an Gwella
Oll an Gwella hail from Newquay and wow audiences with their mix of Cornish, folk, seasonal and shanty songs presented a capella with a self-deprecating humour. The group has been selected to represent Cornwall live on national ITV programmes; from the deck of the Cutty Sark in Greenwich; from the stages at the prestigious Festival Interceltique in Lorient Brittany; and from the Boardmaster’s stage in Newquay.
1pm The Cornish Caretakers
2pm Oll an Gwella
3pm Anna Anise
Anna Anise is a radiant voice in modern folk, blending melodic hooks, rich vocals, and full-bodied guitar tunings with the heritage of the Cornish language to create something truly captivating. Rooted in her Cornish identity, her latest work brings a rhythmic, lament-tinged optimism to the evolving sound of Kernewek in song.
4pm Medieval music in Cornwall
Explore the exciting world of music from the past with Henrik and Johanna.
Talks
10.30am Forgotten ferrywomen of the Fal with Elizabeth Dale ‘The Cornish Bird’ (30-45 mins)
A Cornish writer passionate about local history, Elizabeth Dale, has been publishing her blog ‘The Cornish Bird’ since 2016, and in that time she has delighted in discovering many lesser-known stories from Cornwall’s past.
In this talk, she introduces us to a wonderful group of feisty female characters, all with connections to the Fal Estuary and all now faded into obscurity. Their stories, ordinary and extraordinary, help to illustrate why she finds Cornish history so endlessly fascinating and exciting.
11.30am The Piskie Trap with Keith Wallis (20-30 mins)
Keith Wallis is host of the Piskie Trap, a podcast series that explores folklore and local history from across Cornwall. Alongside the series, he regularly delivers talks on topics from Cornish folklore, and collaborates with local folklorists, historians, writers and storytellers to help preserve and promote Cornish folklore, traditions and heritage. You can join Keith for one of his talks here at Awenek.
1pm Buried at the crossroads with Elizabeth Dale ‘The Cornish Bird’ (30-45 mins)
Cornish writer, Elizabeth Dale discusses her first book, which looks at the history and superstitions of crossroads burials in Cornwall. Discover the inspiration behind the book, how her research came together and hear extracts selected by the author.
3pm The Piskie Trap with Keith Wallis (20-30 mins)
3.30pm Sustainable Beekeeping and the Cornish Native Bee with Rodger Dewhurst from Gwenen Apiaries, Portreath (1 hour)
Rodger and his wife Carol have spent their lives sustainably breeding and studying the Cornish Black Bee. Learn about the many fascinating discoveries they’ve made about this hardy, productive and indigenous bee.
Tours
2pm Enys House Guided Tour
2pm Foraging Tour around the gardens with Devon and Cornwall Bushcraft CIC
Traditional crafts and skills
The Cornish Blacksmiths Collective CIC
Get hands-on with traditional blacksmithing and make your own hand-forged item with the Cornish Blacksmiths Collective.
Cornwall Rural Education and Skills Trust CIO (CREST)
See endangered, traditional landscape skills in action and learn how CREST is rescuing lost knowledge and sharing it with our communities.
Resilient Orchards Cornwall CIC
Learn how to press apples with the organisation that supports communities to develop and maintain diverse and resilient orchards.
Cornwall Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers
Explore the traditional skills of hand weaving and spinning with the enthusiastic craftspeople helping keep these arts alive.
Devon and Cornwall Bushcraft CIC
Step back in time and experience the ancient arts of flint knapping, slate carving and wood carving. Try your hand at crafting your own tools and artefacts whilst gaining insight into prehistoric skills and the resourcefulness of early humans.
They will also host a foraging tour at 2pm.
Debbie Rudolph Heritage Textiles
Try your hand at weaving and spinning alongside a sustainably minded Heritage Textile Designer-Maker with a bold approach to creating unique textiles, using traditional techniques with contemporary values.
Angela Firth – Bojorrow Baskets
See a professional basket maker from the Lizard Peninsula in action, creating contemporary and traditional baskets using willow grown on the Bojorrow withy beds.
Amy Cooper Ceramics
Create your very own nature tile with an award-winning and highly experienced Cornish ceramicist. You’ll be guided through the magical process of impressing plants into clay to create unique artworks which celebrate the wild side of Enys Gardens and Cornwall’s rugged landscape.
Arthur’s Woodturning
Arthur handcrafts anything to do with wood turning, from pens to bowls to spinning tops and serving boards. See this traditional craft in action.
Cornish Wreath Maker
Bringing the beauty of Cornwall to your home with bespoke wreaths made from homegrown flowers and foliage together with sustainably forage seaweed, grasses, seed heads, cones and berries. Wreaths will be available to purchase, and you can also have a go at making one yourself.
KM’s Cornish Tin Mines
Experience the charm of Cornwall through KM’s Metalwork, beautifully crafted in the form of our iconic Cornish Engine Houses. From unique keyrings and money boxes to striking clocks and bespoke commissions, each piece is handmade with passion and precision.
Heidi.Mabbott.Studio Stone Letter Carving
Take a closer look at this heritage craft, which, using repurposed stone, will result in a bespoke sign that could last for centuries!
Storytelling and Song
Story Republic
Cornwall’s beloved team of tale-telling troubadours cut quite a dash dressed in their Sunday best, brandishing suitcases and performing poems. Their repertoire includes new Cornish stories and poems inspired by Looe, Polperro, Liskeard and Redruth, as well as the Clay villages and St Just. These are intermingled with poems by Charles Causley of grumbling kings, fighting pasties and the sisterly competition for a Cornishman!
Cobweb Tours with music from Nancothan
Come and join Will and Hetty from Cobweb Tours around their campfire and explore the lives of miners and bal maidens during Cornwall’s industrial heyday.
In the morning, they will be joined by local musicians Nancothan singing their captivating songs about Cornish women.
Mazed
Experience piskey mischief with Mazed, a project about Cornish folk tales which tells them in ways old and new. Meet the wonderful string puppet of Cornish folklorist Enys Tregarthen, and hear a tale or two that she told.
Multivax
Join Jasper the Dragon and Ramblefast as they tell stories, play games and help you learn the odd Cornish phrase or two!
Meet the museums and heritage organisations
Cornwall Heritage Trust
Discover more about Awenek’s organisers, the independent charity protecting Cornwall’s heritage for one and all.
Founded in 1985, the charity protects and offers universal free access to 18 of Cornwall’s most iconic and important historic sites, 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.
Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek
Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek aims to revive, promote, and sustain the Cornish language as a vibrant part of Cornwall’s culture. They’ll be hosting a range of fun-filled interactive activities to introduce you to the wonderful world of Kernewek.
Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery
Discover the Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery, Cornwall’s largest museum of cultural history and stories about the life and people of Cornwall. Having recently undergone a major refurbishment, it is home to over one million objects which can help us uncover how the Cornwall we know today came to be.
Truro and Penwith College
Learn more about how heritage and archaeology could be your future. The college’s offering ranges from its History, Heritage and Culture Foundation Degree to FdSc Archaeology.
Kresen Kernow
Find out more about Kresen Kernow (‘Cornwall Centre’), home to the world’s largest collection of documents, books, maps and photographs related to Cornwall’s history. Activities will include the chance to try on a wealth of historic outfits.
Penlee House Gallery and Museum
Take a closer look at Penlee House Gallery and Museum, the perfect place to discover the art of West Cornwall, including the works of the Newlyn School and Lamorna artists. The museum covers local history, from amazing archaeological finds to fabulous ceramics, and social history.
Mor Media
Discover Mor Media, a dynamic cultural organisation based in Cornwall whose mission is to break down social, cultural, and economic barriers by providing media education and creative opportunities — particularly for hard-to-reach and marginalised groups.
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site
Shaped during a period of intense industrial activity, the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site is testimony to one of the greatest periods of economic, technological and social development Britain has ever known. Explore this internationally important landscape with their team.
CASPN
Learn more about the charitable trust which aims to protect, preserve and promote Cornwall’s ancient sites.
The Ladder
Learn more about this space for stories opening August 2025. Located in the former Redruth Library, it includes performance spaces, workspaces and studios supporting artists and makers in the creative industries.
The Poly
Find out more about this live arts venue, arts cinema, galleries, community pottery and makers guild in a beautiful historic venue in the heart of Falmouth, Cornwall.
The Trevithick Society
Richard Trevithick, the son of a mining captain and born in the mining heartland of Cornwall, was an early pioneer of steam-powered road and rail transport. Learn more about the society which celebrates this engineering trailblazer and encourages interest in Cornwall’s industrial heritage.
PK Porthcurno – Museum of Global Communications
PK Porthcurno – Museum of Global Communications invites you to step inside and discover how this small valley in Cornwall became the most important communications hub in the world.
Cornwall National Landscape
Cornwall National Landscape is unique – it is the only protected landscape that has 12 separate sections totalling almost a third of Cornwall, an area bigger than Dartmoor National Park. Find out more about this incredible place and enjoy their Drolla storytelling bench, crafted by renowned Cornish metal sculptors Thrussells.
Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
Discover the Old Cornwall movement, which is dedicated to researching, recording, and promoting Cornish history, heritage and culture. They have been safeguarding Cornish culture since 1920, and there are now 40 Societies all across the Duchy, which are coordinated by the Federation.
Cornwall Archaeological Society (CAS)
Learn more about the excavations, surveys, site clearance, free lectures, walks and training days hosted by Cornwall Archaeological Society. The society aims to undertake and foster archaeological research in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and to disseminate knowledge of Cornish Archaeology by publication or other means.
Geevor Tin Mine
Geevor Tin Mine, on the rugged cliffs of the Tin Coast in West Cornwall, is a stunning place to discover the story of Cornwall’s tin and copper mining at this incredible World Heritage Site. Take a closer look at rock samples, photos, tools and clothes from Cornwall’s mining past.
Wheal Martyn Clay Works
Learn more about Wheal Martyn, the UK’s only china clay museum, set in two Victorian Clay Works, which includes a Scheduled Ancient Monument, exhibitions and gallery, cafe and working waterwheels.
Historic Environment Record
Explore the wealth of archaeological information about Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on offer through the record’s digital mapping system.
Sports
Cornish Wrestling Association
See Cornwall’s very own martial art in action, learn about this fun-filled traditional sport from the experts and have a go yourself.
Cornwall Shinty Club
Cornwall Shinty Club is reviving one of Cornwall’s oldest and most exciting traditional sports. Shinty is a fast-paced, mixed-gender Gaelic stick game – a Celtic cousin to hurling, and ancestor to both hockey and golf.
Once hugely popular in Cornwall until the 1920s, it was even said that Cornish teams were champions of the sport. Join the team and have a go!
Hands-on heritage activities
Meet the Cornwall Heritage Trust Ranger Team
Watch ancient cooking, sample Iron Age autumn honey bread and have a go at grinding wheat on a rotary quern.
You can also discover how our team cares for our 18 historic sites across Cornwall to increase biodiversity, improve public access and protect historic monuments.
An Virva – Cornwall Heritage Trust’s brand-new heritage hub
Dive into the incredible world of Cornwall’s unique and distinct heritage and discover its landscapes, stories, traditions and people.
A dive into Glasney College
Step back over 750 years into the past to explore the incredible history of Penryn’s Glasney College – Cornwall’s most important centre of learning, which, for nearly 300 years, promoted and protected the Cornish language and culture.
Design your own fish tile, make a pilgrim badge and learn how to roll beeswax candles just like our medieval ancestors would have done.
Cher’s Funky Faces
Get your face adorned with Cornish-inspired designs. Creating smiles on children and the bigger kids in life!
Food and drink
Ann’s Pasties
Nothing says Cornwall like a pasty. Based in Porthleven, Helston and The Lizard Village, Ann’s suppliers are all based within 10 miles of their HQ and are deeply connected to the land, our history and the rich farming heritage of Cornwall
They will be serving up steak, cheese and vegan handmade pasties, which are also available to pre-order, priced at £5.50 and £3.95. Pre-orders will close at 9am on Friday 5th September.
Helford Hog Roast and Kerra’s Catering
Using the finest of local ingredients, the team will be serving up a delicious hog roast, jumbo sausages and chips.
Espresso Cornwall
A small family business, providing locally roasted Cornish Coffee, St Piran’s Tea and Hot Chocolate, with a selection of homemade bakes and authentic Sicilian Cannoli.
Miss Marple’s Ice Cream
An established independent local business based in Cornwall serving award-winning Roskilly’s organic Cornish ice cream in a choice of traditional waffle cones or tubs.
Our series of pop-up wellbeing days for care experienced young people got off to a flying start last week, with our first group of 11-16-year-olds heading out to explore Caer Bran and Carn Euny with our Education and Outreach Manager, Caroline Davey.
We are hosting these sessions as part of an ongoing partnership with Carefree Cornwall.
Carefree is a Cornish charity for young people with care experience aged 11-25. It aims to help care experienced young people have a good life through positive relationships, support with transitions and helping young people improve the care system for themselves and others.
This is what the young people said about their day…
“I’ve made new friends.”
“We had freedom and with freedom we can create our own rules.”
This is what the team from Carefree said…
“The young people had a joyful and enriching day.”
These days are part of our ‘Lowena’ wellbeing project, which is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.
This initiative provides young people in Cornwall with opportunities to experience the calming and restorative benefits of nature within Cornwall’s unique historic landscapes.
We know what a huge impact engaging with our shared heritage can have on mental health, wellbeing and social connection, and that’s why we believe offering these experiences to young people through partnerships like this is so important.
Funded by…
Experimental land management was top of the agenda for our Youth Rangers this week as they spent the day supporting our team at Tregonning Hill near Helston.
Our award-winning Young Rangers ‘Climate Action Youth Group’ offers the chance to take action over the climate crisis, assist with environmental work on historic natural landscapes and develop skills in countryside management.
Due to the complex needs and varied terrain of the historic sites we care for, our Rangers are firm believers in exploring a wide variety of techniques to improve biodiversity, protect archaeological features and ensure that these special places are accessible to the public.
This week’s session saw the group trialling different methods of bracken management in this diverse archaeological landscape, which has monuments dating back to the Bronze Age.
Ancient monuments can be seriously damaged by bracken roots, whilst the monoculture the vegetation creates severely limits biodiversity. Its management has huge archaeological and ecological benefits, helping to protect these special places and encouraging the regeneration of heathland – a habitat which supports a much wider range of plants and animals than the bracken does and helps rare species thrive.
One of these methods was scything – a traditional skill which our Young Rangers have previously had the opportunity to undertake professional training in. This aims to support their work with our charity and give them an accreditation to take forward to help achieve their career or life goals.
This project is currently part-funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and holidaycottages.co.uk.
Cornwall Heritage Trust members enjoyed a walk into Medieval Cornwall this month with an exclusive guided tour of Restormel Castle with Dr Jeremy Ashbee, Head Curator of Properties at English Heritage, followed by a guided walk through the beautiful River Fowey Valley with Geraint Richards MVO FICFor, High Sheriff of Cornwall and Head Forester at The Duchy of Cornwall.
The huge and almost perfectly circular keep of Restormel Castle stands on a high and deeply ditched mound overlooking the river Fowey. Restormel was begun in the late 13th century but reached its greatest splendour under Edward the Black Prince.
The walk offered visitors a fascinating insight into the castle’s history and its links with the Duchy of Cornwall. The day was rounded off with tea, coffee and cake at the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, courtesy of the High Sheriff.
Thank you to everyone who came along. We hope you enjoyed exploring and learning about this incredible place!
This walk was made possible thanks to English Heritage and the Duchy of Cornwall, and we’re hugely grateful for their support.
Generously supported by…
Our members receive a range of benefits and exclusive access to events like this as a thank you for their support.
These include…
- Free entry to the Cornish sites owned and managed by English Heritage, including Tintagel Castle, Restormel Castle, St Mawes Castle, Pendennis Castle, Launceston Castle and Chysauster Ancient Village
- 50% off entry to PK Porthcurno, Geevor Tin Mine, Wheal Martyn Clay Works and The Vale of Avalon
- 50% off on Adult Admission to King Edward Mine
- Discounted entry to our Awenek! Heritage Festival taking place on Saturday 13th September at Enys Gardens, Penryn
- Early access booking to special events
- Member-only events throughout the year and an invitation to our AGM, held exclusively at the Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery
- Regular updates, newsletters and our bi-annual member magazine
This autumn will see an exciting four-week archaeological excavation taking place near Bodmin, which hopes to uncover a possible hidden stone circle at a unique prehistoric ritual site called Castilly Henge.
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
Not all henges contain stone circles, and there is only one other known to survive in Cornwall.
The project is a collaboration between the Cornwall Archaeological Society, the Cornwall Heritage Trust and Historic England.
To give people the chance to learn more about this fascinating monument and the important questions the dig will target about its character, date and potential later reuse, this month the project hosted the first in a series of free community talks with Dr Olaf Bayer, Senior Archaeological Investigator at Historic England.
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
Over 100 people joined us for the talk, which took place at Roche Victory Hall. Thank you to everyone who came along – we hope you enjoyed learning about Castilly Henge!
‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Mike Davey (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
The excavation is being funded by Historic England. Outreach for the project, which includes this free talk, has been made possible by a £42,990 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and a £10,000 grant from Historic England.
This project is a collaboration between…
Made possible by funding from…
We will be hosting the second talk in this series via Zoom on Thursday 4th September 2025 from 6pm – 7pm.
The talk will be repeated at one additional venue local to the excavation site during the next few months. Full details to follow.
Cornwall Heritage Trust has recently launched a fundraising appeal to rescue and secure the future of Castilly Henge.
We are hoping to raise £50,000 towards the acquisition of the monument and have so far raised over £10,000 thanks to the generous support of nearly 100 donors. We cannot thank them enough.
We still have some way to go to reach our target, so if you can donate, we would be hugely grateful. Every penny makes a huge difference and is vital in helping us to rescue Castilly Henge, secure its future through active management and enable the public to visit it for free all year round.
Please cite this resource as: ‘Castilly Henge Excavation’ Cornwall Heritage Trust (2025), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
A historic site in Newquay, thought to have been inhabited since prehistoric times, has been protected for future generations by our small, independent charity.
Cornwall Heritage Trust has taken ownership of East Pentire Headland – a historic clifftop site situated on the southern edge of Newquay between the famous surfing beaches of Fistral and Crantock. The site has evidence of human activity dating back over 8000 years and contains a number of archaeological remains, including Bronze Age barrows.
The site has been transferred to the charity from Cornwall Council.
The headland is a popular spot for marine wildlife watching, with whales, seals and dolphins often visiting the nearby shoreline, and is designated a “County Wildlife Site” renowned for its wide variety of mosses and bird life.
It is home to a large number of skylarks, which are a Red List species of conservation concern due to significant population decline. Kestrels, stonechat, ravens and peregrine falcons are also routinely observed on the site.
Cathy Woolcock, Cornwall Heritage Trust CEO said: “East Pentire Headland is an incredibly special place. It has huge archaeological and ecological significance, as well as being an important space for the local community to come together, so it’s such an honour for our charity to now be its custodian and ensure everyone can continue to enjoy it.”
Founded in 1985, Cornwall Heritage Trust is a small, independent charity which protects historic places across Cornwall, 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.
The headland adjoins a car park, which will now support this charitable work. The car park will be managed by the external parking management company, NPC.
If you have any questions relating to the car park at this site, please head to https://www.nationalparkingcontrol.co.uk
Three further transfers of historic sites to the charity from Cornwall Council are planned to take place over the next 12 months. They are Minions Heritage Centre, the Prince of Wales Engine House and Castle an Dinas (Penwith).
