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

King of Dust

Cornwall Historic Churches Trust

Stonemason Alex Woodcock has been kind enough to provide entertaining a fascinating lectures for us on the historic stonecarvings in our churches. His latest book King of Dust is a craftsman’s journey through the landscapes and ancient sculpture that inspired him to pick up tools. Weaving the author’s own history with the potency of the stonecarvings and stories of their medieval carvers, the book is a meditation on craft, the importance of the handmade, and the transformative power of art in our lives. It explores how stone connects us with others through time and can help us find our place in the world.

You can purchase copies online at Little Toller Books or order into your favourite bookshop

Good News from St Pol de Leon Church, Paul.

Cornwall Historic Churches Trust

Arts and Crafts WW1 Memorial East window at St Pol de Leon church in West CornwallCHCT was delighted to hear from Mary Wooding (former church warden and key player in the project) that the restoration of the beautiful Arts and Crafts WW1 Memorial East window at St Pol de Leon church in West Cornwall was completed in time for a re-dedication ceremony in May 2018. Originally commissioned by the Bolitho family in memory of their only surviving son who had been killed at Ypres in May 1915, it was the creation of prominent Arts and Crafts designer Robert Anning Bell. Today it is highly regarded as a unique window of the highest artistic and historic significance, ranking as one of the most important stained glass windows in Cornwall of any age. A team of craftsmen from Humphries Glass of Wells worked closely with Cornwall-based stone carver and sculptor Reuben Marsh. Reuben was shortlisted for a prestigious Angel Award (co-funded by Historic England and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation) in the category which recognizes ‘a craftsperson who has demonstrated skills which have been key in repairing or rescuing a historic site’. CHCT allocated the project a grant in 2014.

Next CHCT Event

Cornwall Historic Churches Trust

Currently our events are suspended due to Covid-19.

We are hoping to get back to normal as soon as we can. In the meantime why not take a virtual trip around some of Cornwall’s historic churches here or if you fancy a day out why not try one of our Drive About Trails.

Local Fundraising Events

Cornwall Historic Churches Trust

We do not have any details of community fundraising events at the moment but will post them here as soon as they come in.

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 2018 we awarded more than £80,000 in grants to churches and chapels in need and helped them raise additional funds from other sources.  However it is sobering to note that the total project costs for these churches was just shy of £2,000,000.

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.

Recent Fundraising

Cornwall Historic Churches Trust

2019

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

West Wivelshire

Carole Vivian Driveabout  2019 – Pelynt £520.25
Liskeard Church held a walk about  and raised £165.00
Penrose Chapel £35
Talland £25
Lansallos £10
Lanreath £85
Donation £50
Maker with Rame- £130.50

Trigg Major

Egloskery with Tresmere had a coffee morning which raised £200
South Petherwin hosted a talk by Jo Mattingly raising £75
Werrington the summer walk around the park and cream tea raised £310

Trigg Minor & Bodmin

St Mary’s Bradoc raised £125  Walk from Bradoc to St Winnow

Powder

Roseland Festival Committee hosted a talk by Christine Edwards and Joanna Mattingly, raising £100
Tresillian - £50 donation
Ladock Church hosted a talk in church on stained glass windows by Michael Swift, raising £125
Grampound with Creed  Beating the bounds  £100
Probus - A coffee morning raised £195

Kerrier

St Corentyn’s Church Cury  raised £200
Mawgan in Meneage – coffee morning £46.50
St Keverne raised £67.79 for their Coffee Morning/Radio Day

St Austell

St Mary’s Biscovey  raised £400

Carnmarth North

Cambourne £35.00

2018

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.
Warleggan raised £100

Powder

Grampound with Creed raised £205 from Beating the Bounds
Ladock raised £100 from Beating the Bounds
Ruan Lanihorne raised £115
Veryan a coffee morning was hosted by Mr and Mrs Blair Jobson £200
Mouth Hawke with Mithian held a coffee morning raising £60

Trigg Minor & Bodmin

Tregadillett Methodist Chapel from a coffee morning - £130
Braddoc A walk between Bradock and St Winnow via Boconnoc and St Nectans chapel raised £110

Trigg Major

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
Egloskerry with Tresmere held a mouse festival and raised £100.00

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
Balwest Methodist Chapel took part in the annual Rise & Stride and raised £150.00

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

 

£200 was raised for CHCT and the same for Veryan church. A celebration of cupcakes!

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.

flower arrangement inspired by Damian Hirst at Withial.

 

Area Representatives

Area 1 - Penwith - Alexandra Bolitho
Area 2 - Kerrier - Cecilia Bisson
Area 3 - Carnmarth North - David Purser
Area 4 - Carnmarth South - Libby Reed
Area 5 - Powder - Caroline Tetley
Area 6 - Pydar - Katharine Willis
Area 7 - St Austell - Emma Thompson
Area 8 - Trigg Minor & Bodmin - Andrew Langdon
Area 9 - West Wivelshire - Jill Jobson
Area 10 - East Wivelshire - VACANT
Area 11 - Trigg Major - Willa Bailey
Area 12 - Stratton - VACANT

If you would like more information on how you can support CHCT please contact your area representative using the form below.


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.

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Our website is kindly sponsored by:

Scott & Co is an independent practice of Chartered Building Surveyors concentrating on Building Surveying and Building Conservation who work on listed buildings and non listed properties for private and corporate clients, trusts, charities and churches.

They survey and report upon repairs, prepare detailed plans for submission to the council for Planning Permission and Listed Building Consents, draw up specifications, tender and administer projects on site. A personal service from inception to completion.

They are based in Truro and work throughout Cornwall and the Scilly Isles.