Welcome to the The Cornwall Historic Churches Trust

The Cornwall Historic Churches Trust (CHCT) was formed in 1955 to assist in the restoration and repair of Cornish churches which have architectural or historic merit.  Our patron is HRH the Duke of Cornwall.

The Trust has limited capital and resources and its work can only continue and be effective through the generosity and support of our Friends in Cornwall and beyond. The Trust is a registered charity and churches and chapels of all denominations are eligible to apply for assistance. For more information about the Trust, go to About Us.

Latest News

CHCT Offers Immediate Grants For Maintenance Work

Church maintenance helps avoid church restoration. Modest amounts invested in maintenance now will lead to savings later. The CHCT, with help from the Tanner Trust, announces a scheme which will allow churches to replace slates, attend to gutters and down pipes (also called rainwater goods) and maintain drains.

Read More Here

Next CHCT Event

Cornwall Historic Churches Trust

The Champagne
Christmas Party

at Boconnoc House

Thursday 20th Dec. 2018
6.30 – 8.30pm

Click here to buy tickets

Join us, become a friend

Would you like to play an active role in supporting us?

If so, become a Friend of the Cornwall Historic Churches Trust.

Click here to find out more.

Communities Preserving Churches

We are passionate about helping communities to preserve their churches and chapels for future generations; providing advice, support and grants to help them. But to enable us to do this we need the support of our Cornish churches communities.

In 2016 we awarded more than £110,000 in grants to churches and chapels in need,
and helped them raise additional funds from other sources.

However the total project costs applied for in 2016 were over 2.5 million pounds.

To support more projects we need more funds and your community can help. If each of our 250 parishes could fund raise just £100 a year for CHCT we would have an additional £25,000 to offer in support. Now imagine if each parish could raise £200 or even £400. We could double the amount of support we could offer!

So we are asking if alongside your usual fundraising events could you put on one event each year where you donate 50% of the funds you raise at that event to CHCT. Think of it like an insurance policy, helping us to continue support communities in preserving their churches and chapels and keeping us there for when you need that support.

Find out more on our Fundraising Page.

This Year's Community Fundraising

A huge thank you to all the communities who have raised funds for us so far this year. Your support really does make a difference and together we can help to keep Cornish churches & chapels open for future generations.

Pydar

Withiel raised £400 from their flower festival.

East Wivelshire

Maker with Rame are holding a sponsored cycle ride round the churches of the Rame Peninsula we look forward to hearing how it went.

Powder

Grampound with Creed raised £205 from Beating the Bounds
Ladock  raised £100 from Beating the Bounds
Ruan Lanihorne raised £115

Trigg Minor & Bodmin

We were very grateful to receive a private donation of £2,000
St Tudy held a coffee morning and new incumbents cycle ride to visit his neighbouring parishes raised £297.50

West Wivelshire

Pelynt raised £507.50 from the Carole Vivian Driveabout 2018 which explored Churches to the West of Newquay. One lady participant was  celebrating her 95 birthday the following week and even managed to make it to church on Sunday morning after!!  The following churches were part of the expedition and raised the following themselves;
Lanreath £55
Lansallos £20
Talland £20
Penrose Chapel Committee (St Eval) £50

Penwith

Paul Church, St Pol-de-Leon, raised £125

Powder

Mouth Hawke with Mithian held a coffee morning raising £60

St Austell

St Sampson Gollant hosted a talk given by Dr Joanna Mattingly, ‘Reading the church’, and raised £90
St Fimbarrus Fowey  raised £500 from Fowey Festival of Arts & Literature
Par raised £300

Kerrier

Mawgan-in-Meneage raised £37

Beating the bounds at Grampound with Creed

Revd Philip Greenhalgh played the fiddle, guitar and English concertina and sang folk songs whilst his audience sipped tea and ate cakes at Ruan Lanihorne.

A flower arrangement inspired by Damian Hirst at Withial.

Church Histories Project

duloesmallPublish your church's history on our website

Look at the Church Histories section and explore the map showing those churches and chapels which have contributed to this project so far. You'll find details of who to get in touch with.

We can put you in touch with our historian and archivist if you need help with writing your history, and we can provide photographs if necessary.

National Churches Trust

NCT-LogoAs a trusted partner of the National Churches Trust, we have access to a number of additional grants for projects as part of the Partnership Grants Programme. The Programme has provided over £1 million in grant funding towards repairs at churches and chapels over the last five years, and can now support some installation of facilities. Applications should be made directly to us by following the application procedure as set out under the Grants tab above.

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