In a special on-site edition of our Cornish Story Cafes, we welcomed James Gossip, Cornish archaeologist and president of the Meneage Archaeology Group, to introduce the findings at Boden Fogou on the Lizard Peninsula.
With over three decades of archaeological experience and a long-term member of the Cornwall Archaeological Unit, there is no one better to provide an insightful deep dive into Boden Fogou. James gave an engaging narrative of the process of discovery and excavation, from its humble beginnings in an early 19th-century report to the geophysical survey undertaken by Natural England and further community digs and conservation of the last two decades.
This Story Cafe occurred on-site, bringing the account to life and giving an excellent opportunity for guests to ask questions and better understand the layout of the digs. This site includes an Iron Age Fogou, enclosure and also Bronze Age roundhouses that date back to 1400BC.
Despite a day of mixed weather, the tours were really enjoyable, giving the chance to explore and examine key findings from the site’s excavations which began in 2008. The excavations have been carried out by Meneage Archaeology Group with help from local volunteers.
We want to thank James for sharing all that has been discovered at this site and delivering such an interesting tour!
We know how popular this Story Cafe was, and if you couldn’t make it, weren’t able to get a ticket or want to watch it again, a full recording of the tour is available to watch here.
We are part of an exciting series of events coming up in Padstow this October exploring the discovery of the skeletal remains of a shipwrecked sailor on the cliffs near Trevone and raising funds to commemorate them.
In November 2022, skeletal remains were found on a cliff above Newtrain Bay, Trevone, following a storm. Radiocarbon dating indicates the remains most likely date from the 18th century, and analysis of the bones and distinctive wear on his teeth, believed to have been caused by biting rope, give strong evidence to suggest he was a sailor.
The remains will be reinterred at Padstow Cemetery next year. To mark the grave, which will also be used for further storm-washed remains as and when they are discovered within the parish, Cornwall Council has commissioned a local artist to carve a bespoke headstone in tribute to all those lost at sea.
These events aim to help people learn more about this exciting discovery and raise funds for the memorial stone. Any additional funds raised through the events and donations to the fundraiser will be given to Padstow RNLI.
Tickets for the events, which are listed below, must be pre-booked.
This is a partnership initiative between Cornwall Council, Padstow Town Council, Cornwall National Landscape and Cornwall Heritage Trust.
Lost, Forgotten, Rediscovered: Trevone Coastal Grave
A Cornish Story Cafe
Thursday 10th October | 6.30pm – 8pm
Organised by Cornwall Heritage Trust
Location: Padstow Social Club, The Lawns Senders Hill Padstow PL28 8DT
Price: Pay as You Feel – Suggested donation £10 (Minimum donation £1)
Led by Richard Mikulski from Cornwall Archaeological Unit, this talk will explore the discovery of the remains and describe the findings from the analyses of the bones so far. Richard will also discuss interpretations for the grave and compare the site to other burials discovered around Cornwall’s coastline.
Richard has over 20 years of experience as a professional osteoarchaeologist. During his career, he has analysed and recorded more than 1,100 sets of human remains and was part of the Museum of London team which delivered the ground-breaking Wellcome Osteological Research Database (WORD) project. He is currently a Senior Archaeologist with Cornwall Archaeological Unit (CAU), providing a range of professional archaeological services incorporating archaeological and heritage fieldwork, osteological assessment, processing and analysis, community heritage project management and outreach.
Due to the nature of this subject matter, the talk will include images of human remains.
Refreshments including saffron buns, tea and coffee will be served.
Can These Bones Live? A Local Story of the Bones of Trevone: Introduction, Q&A & Author Reading
Friday 11th October | 2pm – 4pm
Organised by Cornwall National Landscape
Location: Padstow Church (St Petrocs), Church Street, Padstow PL28 8BG
Price: £15 to include a limited edition signed copy of the book, ‘Give Him a Little Earth’, poster and tote bag featuring one of Anupa Gardner’s beautiful illustrations
Following the discovery of the remains at Trevone, Cornwall National Landscape commissioned local author, Gareth Rees, to create a fictional account of the man’s life – what it may have been like based on the incredible information that archaeologist Richard was able to provide.
Join them at Padstow Church to learn more about the bones of Trevone, with talks and audience Q&A with those involved in the project. Plus, an author reading from our newly commissioned book.
The Bones at Trevone Discovery Club Special
Saturday 12th October | 10.30am – 12noon
Organised by Cornwall Heritage Trust
Location: Padstow Community Hub, Lawns Car Park, School Hill, Padstow, PL28 8EB
Price: £8 per child (plus booking fee)
Calling all young archaeological detectives – it’s time to solve a history mystery!
This October, children aged 8 -14 have the chance to investigate the findings from the archaeological dig which uncovered human bones on the cliffs near Trevone.
Due to the nature of this subject matter, this workshop will involve discussion about and images of human remains. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
Parents and guardians may accompany their children but are also welcome to drop them off at the workshop, if they prefer. Accompanying parents do not need to purchase a ticket for the workshop. Our Team Leaders are fully DBS checked and First Aid trained.
Can These Bones Live? A Local Story of the Bones of Trevone: Music and Author Reading
Saturday 12th October | 6pm – 9pm
Organised by Cornwall National Landscape
Location: Trevone Cafe, Trevone Beach Stores, Padstow, PL28 8QY
Price: £20 to include a limited edition signed copy of Give Him a Little Earth, poster and tote bag featuring one of Anupa Gardner’s beautiful illustrations from the book
Cornwall National Landscape has been working with local author Gareth Rees and musician, Toby Lobb (Fisherman’s Friends, Loveridge) to creatively and sensitively bring these bones to life.
Join them for an evening of music and reading to mark the publication of Give Him a Little Earth by Gareth Rees, a book that imagines the possible lives of the bones of Trevone.
A project which aims to connect communities surrounding the Treffry Viaduct near St Austell with their unique industrial history has received a £8,105 grant from Great Western Railway.
Built between 1839 and 1842, Treffry Viaduct was designed to carry trucks and water across the Luxulyan Valley for local mining entrepreneur, Joseph Thomas Treffry. The first large civil engineering structure of its kind to be built in Cornwall and the only known viaduct in Britain to combine these two uses, it is now a Scheduled Monument and part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage site, as designated by UNESCO.
It is one of 16 historic sites cared for by the small, independent charity, Cornwall Heritage Trust, and is free to visit all year round. It can be reached via Luxulyan Valley train station, on the Atlantic Coast railway branch line between Par and Newquay, which runs directly underneath the monument.
The project will focus on uncovering hidden parts of the historic site with a week-long archaeological dig and a community day, where the public will be invited to see the work in action and chat with the excavation team. A series of free fun events, health and wellbeing activities and educational workshops will also be hosted as part of the project to help more local people engage with and benefit from the site.
Cornwall Heritage Trust CEO, Cathy Woolcock said: “We’re hugely grateful for this funding from Great Western Railway. We know what an incredible feeling it is to experience the past being uncovered, so it’s wonderful to be able to deliver this exciting programme of archaeological work and engagement activities to give local communities the chance to learn more about this nationally significant site and discover its story for themselves.”
GWR West Regional Growth Manager, David Whiteway, said: “The Customer and Community Fund is a fantastic opportunity for us to invest in projects that really make a difference to our customers and communities at a local level. We were delighted to support this particular initiative, which will help to connect local communities to one of the most historically-important industrial sites in Britain. The series of events planned by the Cornwall Heritage Trust promise to be absolutely captivating.”
A project to enable more schoolchildren and young people to learn at Cornwall Heritage Trust’s historic sites is set to become a reality thanks to a £6509 donation to the charity via NFU Mutual’s ‘Agency Giving Fund’.
The project will see the charity create a moveable outdoor classroom space to allow more students to take part in its growing programme of heritage discovery workshops.
Cathy Woolcock, CEO at Cornwall Heritage Trust said: “Workshops at our sites are so inspiring for children and young people. They are the heart of our education programme, but Cornwall’s weather can sometimes make them a real challenge given how exposed the historic places we care for are. Having a dedicated, sheltered space for outdoor learning is going to have a major impact on learning at our sites, and we’re hugely grateful to NFU Mutual for making this possible!”
Richard Angove from the NFU Mutual Central Cornwall Agency explained; “During the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020, the NFU Mutual recognised it was vital to support local frontline charities and from its reserves created a £3.25million pot called the Agency Giving Fund. This was shared equally throughout its national Agency network who each nominated a chosen charity for support. The NFU Mutual has continued its support of local charities in subsequent years and this is our 2nd successful nomination for Cornwall Heritage Trust. We are delighted our 2024 donation will provide the outdoor classroom.”
Cornwall Heritage Trust offers a wide range of free workshops at the historic sites it cares for aimed at students in KS2, KS3 and KS4. The workshops cover topics ranging from life in the Iron Age to the Industrial Revolution.
The workshops are open to both schools and community groups, and grants are also available to fund transport costs for the trips.
Find out more about Cornwall Heritage Trust’s free Discovery Workshops here https://www.cornwallheritagetrust.org/learn/school-workshops-programme/
We have a new benefit to thank our members for their support. They can now receive 50% off entry at PK Porthcurno!
The UK’s only dedicated museum of global communications, PK Porthcurno explores how a once uninhabited valley in Cornwall became the heart of worldwide communications, how it remains so today, and what might happen tomorrow.
Photo Credit – PK Porthcurno
From the invention of electricity and Morse code to fibre optics and future technology, this award-winning museum combines the wonder of science with amazing histories and tales of human endeavour from around the globe, right where the story of communications.
Photo Credit – PK Porthcurno
Porthcurno Valley, or ‘PK’ as it is known in the telegraphic code, owes its unique heritage to the arrival of the first undersea telegraph cable in 1870.
By 1920, PK had become the largest and most important telegraph station in the world, shaping the landscape of the valley and the community that grew up around it. At one time, the whole valley was owned and operated by the telegraph company, and in wartime, Porthcurno was only accessible by special pass. It is now host to fibre optics which carry virtually all our communications today.
Photo Credit – PK Porthcurno
Our members are the reason we can continue our charitable work and that’s why providing benefits like this is so important to us.
In addition to this new benefit, just a quick reminder that Cornwall Heritage Trust members receive discounted or free entry to several heritage sites and museums as a thank-you for their support. These include…
Free Entry
The sites in Cornwall owned and managed by English Heritage
Free entry, plus 75% discount on special event charges
Photo credit – Tim Pearson
Tintagel Castle
Pendennis Castle
Chysauster Ancient Village
Launceston Castle
Restormel Castle
St Mawes Castle
Discounted Entry
Geevor Tin Mine
50% off entry
Photo Credit – Geevor Tin Mine
Geevor Tin Mine was the last mine to work the famous St Just Mining District, the site of the largest number of undersea tin and copper mines in the world. Today, it is a family-friendly multi-award winning heritage attraction and museum and a must-visit location within the Cornish Mining World Heritage Sites.
Cornwall Heritage Trust membership is not eligible for use by school groups at Geevor Tin Mine. Our One Adult Family and Life memberships permit 1 adult and up to 3 children 50% off entry and our Two Adult Family and Joint Life memberships permit 2 adults and up to 6 children 50% off entry. A physical Cornwall Heritage Trust membership card is required to receive discounted entry.
The Vale of Avalon
50% off entry
Photo Credit – The Vale of Avalon
Located near Tintagel, famous for its association with Arthurian legend, The Vale of Avalon is known as the traditional location of Camlann, Arthur and Mordred’s final battle.
Taking visitors on a journey through time involving Arthurian legends, Cornish history and folklore, there is much to explore at the 16-acre site including the 6th-century inscribed ‘Ogham’ Stone, which is a National Scheduled Monument.
Wheal Martyn Clay Works
50% off entry
Photo Credit – Wheal Martyn Clay Works
China clay mining has shaped the landscape, lives of people and economy of mid-Cornwall for over 250 years. It is Cornwall’s largest mining industry.
The UK’s only china clay mining museum, Wheal Martyn Clay Works tells the story of this fascinating industry and the people who worked and lived in the shadows of Cornwall’s iconic ‘white pyramids’.
King Edward Mine Museum
50% off Adult Admission
Photo Credit – King Edward Mine Museum
King Edward Mine is the oldest complete mine site in Cornwall and one of only two Cornish tin mines left in the world. Unlike all the other tin mines in the surrounding landscape, it has been unaltered for over 100 years because it was used for teaching practical mining from 1897 until 2005.
The museum has won several awards and there’s lots to explore there including an indoor exhibition, restored machinery and working engines.
Looking for a great day out exploring Cornwall’s heritage this September?
Following the huge success of our Awenek! festival last year, our Cornish heritage extravaganza is returning to The Lost Gardens of Heligan on Sunday 8th September from 10am – 5pm.
Cornwall Heritage Trust members enjoy free entry to The Lost Gardens of Heligan on this day and, for those of you who attended last year, you’ll know that it’s an event you won’t want to miss.
This one-day festival is packed with an array of hands-on activities, demonstrations, re-enactments and performances showcasing everything that makes Cornwall special.
Visitors will be given the chance to explore the gardens and watch demonstrations from artists and traditional craftspeople, take part in heritage activities, listen to Cornish music and enjoy Cornish dancing and storytelling.
Try your hand at Cornish wrestling, have a go at archery, explore an Early Medieval encampment or see the endangered craft of Cornish hedging in action with our friends from CREST. You can even sit back and watch Ed Rowe, ‘The Kernow King’ regale you with stories of Cornish heroes and heroines or cheer on our Cornish warriors in an exciting battle at the end of the day!
Cornwall Heritage Trust members enjoy free entry to The Lost Gardens of Heligan on this day.
Free entry on this day will be granted on presentation of your Cornwall Heritage Trust membership card at the entrance gate, and failure to present this will result in the refusal of entry.
For those who aren’t our members, there are no charges in addition to the cost of their garden entry and entry as always remains free for Heligan Local Pass and Membership holders.
Awenek! is a huge undertaking which comes at considerable cost to our charity, so if you are able to make a donation to support the event, we would be hugely grateful.
Awenek! has been organised by Cornwall Heritage Trust and is kindly sponsored by Coodes Solicitors. The festival is a huge undertaking which comes at considerable cost to Cornwall Heritage Trust, so if you are able to make a donation to support the event, we would be hugely grateful.
Photo credits: Keith Larby / Cornwall Heritage Trust volunteer
Classic Cottages has pledged support to Cornwall’s rich and distinct heritage by joining the top level of Cornwall Heritage Trust’s business sponsorship programme.
Dominique Adams from Classic Cottages said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring the wonderful Cornwall Heritage Trust this year. With our head office being based in Cornwall and many staff members living and working there, we are passionate about protecting Cornwall’s special heritage and environment. We really admire the work of the Trust and everything they do to preserve and restore heritage sites, provide education for Cornwall’s residents and visitors, and support inspiring projects throughout Cornwall.”
Cathy Woolcock, CEO at Cornwall Heritage Trust said: “As a small, independent charity, partnerships like this make a huge difference to our charitable work, and we’re hugely grateful for Classic Cottage’s support!”
More information about Classic Cottages can be found on its website: www.classic.co.uk
Are you aged 14 – 18 and want to make a difference to the environment this Summer?
Our Climate Action Youth Group Young Rangers Project is hosting a mid-week Summer session at Caer Bran near Penzance on Wednesday 21st August, and we would love as many young people as possible to get involved.
Running from 11am – 3pm, the session will be focussed on grassland management, which aims to encourage wildflowers to improve the biodiversity of the area.
There will also be the chance to learn more about Carn Euny ancient village, which is located nearby.
Anyone aged 14 – 18 is welcome to attend to get a taste of what this environmental project is all about and develop their skills in countryside management.
Whilst the group does meet once every month, if you only wish to join us for this one-off session our team would still love to hear from you.
This project is supported by English Heritage’s national youth engagement programme, Shout Out Loud: http://shoutoutloud.org.uk/
A project to explore the potential for Minions Heritage Centre to be reopened has been given the green light thanks to a grant from the Community Capacity Fund.
Minions Heritage Centre was a free-to-enter visitor attraction located in the restored Houseman’s Engine House of the South Phoenix mine on the eastern edge of Bodmin Moor. It has been closed since the start of the pandemic.
The building is currently in the ownership of Cornwall Council and this project, which is being undertaken by Cornwall Heritage Trust in conjunction with the Council, aims to establish solutions to the issues with the building which could potentially result in its reopening.
Cornwall Heritage Trust CEO, Cathy Woolcock said: “This project is the first step towards hopefully reopening this invaluable visitor attraction so that it can once again provide interpretation and information to visitors to Bodmin Moor and the surrounding area. It is a fantastic resource for raising awareness of the historic landscape and the rich mining and industrial heritage it contains.”
“We hope the space will help facilitate activities both for ourselves and partners such as the World Heritage Sites and Cornwall National Landscape (AONB) teams. We also hope that it will be used by local groups and organisations too and will be consulting them throughout the development stage of the project.”
The project is located within the Tamar to Moor Community Area Partnership.
This funding has been allocated from Cornwall Council’s Community Capacity Fund. The Community Capacity Fund is part of the Good Growth Programme, which is delivering the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.
“Fantastically bonkers!”
“Fresh approach, well acted, best performance I’ve seen for ages!”
“High energy and fun. Such a wonderful venue.”
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our open-air improvised retelling of Tristan & Yseult at the end of last month! It’s wonderful to receive feedback like this, and we’re so glad to hear how many of you enjoyed the show.
The entirely improvised take on this beloved legend was fun, fast-paced and had our audiences in fits of laughter throughout. Eggy, Eilish and Rachel from Smashed Window Community Theatre were truly fabulous – we’re thrilled to have collaborated with them for the show!
Indian Queens Pit provided the perfect backdrop for the production too. Thank you for hosting us!
This event has been made possible by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and we’re hugely grateful for its support.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for an Open Garden this year – your generosity has helped us raise a truly phenomenal figure to help our work protecting Cornwall’s heritage. We’re hugely grateful for your support!
We’ve been overwhelmed by the popularity of this year’s events and have welcomed over 1000 visitors across the season.
Our dedicated events volunteers did sterling service helping set up, directing traffic, welcoming visitors, serving cream teas, and so much more, and we would like to thank them for all their hard work! A special mention goes to Keith, our volunteer photographer, who captured fabulous images of the days at Boconnoc, Trevince and Trenarth.
We’re incredibly grateful to Elizabeth Fortescue and the team at Boconnoc House and Estate; Richard and Trish Stone, the owners of Trevince; Jan Trefusis and the Trefusis Estate; and Lucie Nottingham, the owner of Trenarth; for all so generously opening their gates to help raise funds for our work.
We are also hugely grateful to Laurence Jarrett-Ker, the Director and Founder of Soul Farm; printmaker Lou Tonkin; artist and blacksmith Lisa Wisdom; woodturner Jamie Lovekin; basketmaker Lin Lovekin; and pole lathe woodturner Joseph Huggett; for their support in making our event at the Trefusis Estate possible.
Thanks also go to Coodes Solicitors for sponsoring Open Gardens 2024.
Photo credits: Keith Larby / Cornwall Heritage Trust volunteer
A project to make it easier for people throughout Cornwall to enjoy some of its most iconic historic sites and strengthen the rural communities which surround them has received a major boost, thanks to a grant of £241,260 from the Rural Prosperity Fund.
The project involves the 16 historic sites protected by the independent Cornish charity, Cornwall Heritage Trust. These span the breadth of Cornwall from Caer Bran in the far west, to Dupath Well in the east, and cover a broad spectrum of history; from Neolithic remains such as Tregiffian Burial Chamber near Penzance, to the 19th-century Treffry Viaduct near St Austell. They are all set within historic landscapes and are free for everyone to visit all year round.
The project will see the charity improve facilities at the places it cares for; make them easier to access and understand; and provide opportunities for the public to engage with them.
A key part of this involves the introduction of innovative on-site and online interpretation and wayfinding, ranging from digital tours and information boards to reconstruction images and a fully equipped ‘mobile museum’.
Cornwall Heritage Trust has received £241,260 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The Rural Prosperity Fund is part of the Good Growth Programme, which is managed by Cornwall Council and funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The funding will also be used to help schools and education groups struggling with the cost of transport for trips to these historic places. This will include providing grants for transport hire, offering pick-ups for volunteers and groups using public transport, and introducing guided tours for visitors. This part of the project builds on the charity’s School Transport Grants Scheme, which has helped over 20,000 schoolchildren visit Cornwall’s historic places and museums since its launch in 2014.
The charity also plans to invest in accessible compostable toilet facilities, benches to enable those with reduced mobility to explore its sites more fully, a machinery shed and the creation of an outdoor classroom inspired by a Bronze Age round house.
Cathy Woolcock, CEO of Cornwall Heritage Trust said: “This is a really exciting step forward for us. Our charitable work and the team who make it happen have grown significantly over the last few years, and the Rural Prosperity Fund award will now provide us with the capital investment we need to carry out our plans and accelerate our growth in a sustainable way. Our sites are set within incredible historic landscapes and represent free to access green spaces bursting with historic and ecological significance. We want to keep growing the ways local communities can benefit from them and investment like this is going to ensure that vital work can continue to happen!”.
