We have moved into colder, darker days, and the 2022 summer heatwave seems a million miles away. Tough as it was, it had some unexpected results.
For example, the wine-making team at Knightor saw a bumper yield of goodquality grapes thanks to weather more familiar to the Mediterranean (see p64). Meanwhile, in the Tamar Valley, the National Trust celebrates its 75th anniversary of looking after Cotehele by producing an unusual golden Christmas garland which owes less to the occasion and more to the flowers that could survive and thrive in the sweltering climes, such as statice and xerochrysums (pictured).
There are plenty of events in this issue to fill your calendar, from festive pantomimes to ongoing art exhibitions. You might be minded to participate in the RSPB Garden Bird Watch in January (p8), and learn about the species on the British Trust for Ornithology’s red list, as featured on our cover (p28).
You can also find out more about two characters from Cornwall’s past: Edward Hain, whose post-war hospital is in the process of being handed over to the St Ives community following a successful campaign (p30); and Elizabeth Carne, the plucky Penzance native whose story has inspired Jill George’s historical novel (p32).
Elsewhere, Elizabeth Dale – recipient of Cornwall Heritage Trust’s prestigious Heritage Volunteer award - meets Samuel Davison, whose new book showcases his stunning photography of Cornwall’s ancient stones (p43). If you appreciate them as much as he does, consider supporting the trust – find out more about it on page 34.
Nadelik Lowen ha Bledhen Nowdydh da! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Oll an gwella Kirstie
Cornwall: A walk in St Nectan’s Glen
Oh yes, it is! A novel inspired by amateur panto
Curtain Up! A round-up of Cornwall’s Christmas shows
Gift guide: Something special from Cornwall and Scilly
Happy New Year! Plus traditional winter celebrations
Celebrate in style: Let someone else do the work with a hotel break
In the red: The bird species facing decline and extinction
Remembering Edward Hain: The St Ives soldier who gave his name to a hospital
The Light Among Us: Historical fiction inspired by the life of Penzance woman Elizabeth Carne
Cornwall Heritage Trust: Preserving sites for future generations
A cosy home: Tips from interior designer Charlotte Dawson
Above Par: A community garden in South Cornwall
The Want List: Just Delights, Penryn
Adore My Store: Uneeka Truro and Falmouth
Cornish Language: Christmas Day swims
Matter of the Other World: Stunning photography of ancient stones
My Cornish World: South African musician Jeremy Loops
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Tintagel Castle’s footbridge has been named overall winner at The Royal Fine Art Commission Trust Building Beauty Awards 2022, celebrating the best of new architecture. The walkway spans a 190foot gorge and follows the line of the original historic entrance route – a narrow strip of land, long lost to erosion – between the 13th-century gatehouse on the mainland and the courtyard on the jagged headland, jutting into the sea. The structure also scooped the best Engineering Award. Judging panel chair Stephen Bayley praised the response to a challenging terrain and the weight of heritage and natural beauty, predicting it would be as much of a draw as the castle itself. “How best to complement the dramatic context? The answer is not timidity but the kind of boldness that suits the rough and raw Atlantic coast of Cornwall....” The footbridge will represent the UK in the World Architecture Festival’s International Building Beauty Prize in Lisbon on December 2. l
Announcements are coming in thick and fast for next year’s entertainment headliners. Rock Oyster Festival (July 27 to 30, www.rockoysterfestival.co.uk) has revealed an impressive line-up, led by the epoch-spanning Nile Rodgers and CHIC, plus kitchen disco diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Gwenno, playing songs from her recent Mercury Prize-nominated Cornish language album Tresor. In the kitchen, you’ll find Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Andi Oliver and Rick Stein. Primal Scream take to the stage at the Great Estate in Scorrier (June 2 to 4, www.greatestatefestival.co.uk) while Lionel Richie is first out of the stalls for the Eden Sessions on June 7 (www.edensessions.com). At the Hall For Cornwall in Truro, comedian and Falmouth University Chancellor Dawn French has announced two shows on November 8 and 9, 2023 (www.hallforcornwall.co.uk). l
Members of a Bodmin crochet and knitting group took the brave decision to bare all for a cheeky new fundraising calendar. The Knit and Natter group meet at Knit Happens to improve their crafting skills and socialise with likeminded people. The Knit Happens - Knit Natter and Nude Knit 2023 calendar features group members in tastefully posed shots with their modesty preserved by well-positioned balls of wool. All proceeds will be donated to Cornwall Air Ambulance and the Mermaid Centre at the Royal Cornwall Hospital. The calendars are on sale in-store at Knit Happens; in Cornwall Air Ambulance stores at Bodmin, St Austell, Camborne, Truro, Helston, Newquay and Wadebridge; and online at www.knit-happens.co.uk l
Spaceport Cornwall has been awarded the licence to host UK’s first space launch. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced that the site at Newquay Airport could be used for sending satellites into space. Cosmic Girl, a repurposed Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 aircraft fitted with a rocket that will propel nine satellites into orbit, arrived at the spaceport on October 11 and had been waiting for the go-ahead. Meanwhile, Goonhilly Earth Station is the only tracking support in the UK for NASA's Artemis 1 Moon launch, receiving radio signals from the spacecraft which will travel up to 448,000 km away from Earth. l
During the winter months, access to St Michael’s Mount’s historic harbour, visitor centre and exhibition space in the Steward's House is free until April 30, 2023. The Island Café serves warming dishes - stews, Cornish pasties, homemade mince pies – and hot drinks including gingerbread or Baileys lattes, mulled wine and apple juice. Head to the Island Shop for an array of gift ideas, from pretty bags and homewares to Cornish food and drink, as well as gorgeous Christmas decorations featuring exclusive Mount artwork by illustrator Jennifer Armitage. Opening days and times vary until March 26, with access only via the cobbled granite causeway when the tide permits. From March 27, the Mount will open Sunday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm, with ferry boats transporting visitors at high tide. Please note: to visit the castle, a ticket is required. www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk
The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch provides an annual snapshot of how garden birds are faring in the UK. The 2023 event takes
place from January 27 to 29, and people in Cornwall are asked to spend just one hour watching and recording the birds that land in their garden, balcony or local park, then send their results to the RSPB. Last year, nearly 700,000 people across the UK helped to count 11 million birds. The house sparrow was the most commonly seen garden bird with more than 1.7 million recorded sightings, followed by the blue tit and starling. The song thrush, in the top 10 when the event launched in 1979, came in at 20 in the 2022 rankings, further proof of its decline. Registration opens on December 13; to take part, text BIRD to 70030 or visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
Can you spare some time to help keep our beaches looking beautiful, and safer for wildlife? The Beach Guardian team hosts an hour-long clean at Trevone Beach on Monday, December 19 from 10am; all equipment is provided, and all waste removed and processed for art pieces, workshops and educational resources. In January, the National Trust on the Roseland peninsula is calling for volunteers at Porthcurnick (January 2,
10am), Pendower (January 2, 2pm) and Hemmick (January 10, 10am). Dogs on leads and children are very welcome. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/roseland
An ambitious project giving a voice to Cornwall’s homeless people is on show at the Royal Cornwall Museum until December 23, following external exhibitions at venues including The Eden Project and Truro Cathedral. Social documentary photographer Gavan Goulder has shot portraits in collaboration with homelessness charity St Petroc’s and community arts organisation StreetDraw24. The team heard heartbreaking stories of housing insecurity, from life on the streets or in cars or vans, to eviction, sofa-surfing or living with extended family in cramped conditions - as well as uplifting advice on how to survive tough times. A book is to be published, with copies to be archived at Kresen Kernow, Cornwall’s historical archive, and the National Library. Look out for a portrait-themed creative workshop on December 13. www. PeopleProjectCornwall.co.uk
Cornish Spliced host a seasonal wreathmaking workshop at Surfhouse St Ives on The Island. Learn how to repurpose discarded Cornish fishing gear, cosied up to a log burner with the wind howling outside. These hardy wreaths are built to last and can be dressed throughout the year to reflect the seasons, from spring foliage to conkers and acorns, and festive fairy lights. but I’ve been adding conkers and acorns to mine for autumn. As they are hardy rope, they are also ideal for outside. Experience gift vouchers available. Friday, January 27, 7pm. £45pp, including materials and hot toddy. Facebook @Cornishspliced, email hello@CornishSpliced.co.uk
Cornwall theatres strive to lighten the mood in the darkest months of the year. Singer-songwriter and Squeeze frontman Chris Difford comes to The Acorn, Penzance on Tuesday, December 20, performing classic songs including Up The Junction and Cool for Cats, while Hall For Cornwall in Truro offers The Commitments starring Corrie actor Nigel Pivaro. For something more experimental, try a rehearsed reading of Blue Moon at the Minack Theatre on December 13. This story is about what happens when the sea meets the land, in response to climate change, set at the island end of Porthmeor beach and has
The Dance.
Cornish organisation Arts Well (Facebook: @ArtsWellCIC) claims creative pursuits are just as important to our health and wellbeing as being physically active. It is encouraging people to adopt them into their long-term daily or weekly routinesyou don’t have to become an expert, or make an onerous commitment. Just find a daily habit that can bring rewards very quickly, whether it’s actively listen to music, engaging in mindful doodling, picking up some knitting or taking a photograph –whatever floats your boat. During January, Arts Well is supporting the 64 Million Artists campaign, which encourages people to get involved with 31 creative challenges – one for each day. Find out more at https://64millionartists.com or find a directory of Cornwall creatives at www. arts-well.com/resources/directory
Ruth Wall and Graham Fitkin perform on December 9 at Gerrans and Portscatho Memorial Hall on the beautiful Roseland Peninsula. For the last year, harpist Ruth has been exploring the theme of Migration in its many forms. Composer Graham has re-worked old Gaelic songs and tunes from bagpipe and fiddle books for Ruth's three instruments – the buzzing Renaissance bray harp, the medieval
Gaelic wire harp (clàrsach) and the Scottish lever harp. The ancient music is re-imagined in looping, evolving patterns. www.carntocove.co.uk
If you haven’t overdone it the night before – and even if you have – a run up to the summit of Brown Willy – Bronn Wenneli, Cornwall’s highest point on Bodmin Moor – could be just the tonic you need after the excesses of the festive season. Organised by Truro Running Club, it’s a well-signed informal run (not a race) of about seven miles, leaving Jamaica Inn at 11am. Most of the terrain is open moorland, which can be wet, slippery, boggy or frozen in places, and is definitely steep, so come appropriately dressed. There’s no entry fee, just donations in the charity box to the Cornwall Search & Rescue Team and this year’s chosen charity for that year. For further information, email the run directors at bwr@trurorunningclub.org.uk
Enjoy an evening dedicated to the great work of poet Robert Burns on Saturday, January 27 at The Vine by Knightor in Portscatho. Tradition is key, from piping the arrival of guests to toasting the haggis. Finally, you’ll dance the night away with a traditional Ceilidh band. Tickets £40pp, including a welcome drink. Knightor, page 64.
Distance: 1 mile each way. Allow 20 to 30 mins for each direction.
Starting point: Trethevy (PL34 0BG) on the B3263 coast road from Tintagel to Boscastle.
Parking: Car park situated just off the road in Trethevy. Find more information at www.st-nectansglen.co.uk
Waterfall access: Tickets are required to visit the waterfall. Check opening times, prices and accessibility at www.st-nectansglen.co.uk
St Nectan’s Glen is a magical place, with a fascinating history and a beautiful waterfall, deep in the woods just off the north coast between Tintagel and Boscastle.
According to legend, St Nectan lived in the sixth century and is believed to have had his hermitage just above the waterfall. He was keen to help those imperrilled by storms on the rocky north coast, and would ring a bell when poor weather and rough seas put ships at risk of a brutal end on the treacherous rocks near the mouth of Rocky Valley.
Today, the site of the hermitage hosts a café and shop. The glen remains a very sacred place, popular with walkers and those wishing to pay their respects.
This is a beautiful woodland walk by the river. Some claim the woods here are haunted by mysterious hooded figures. Our experience - it is definitely spooky!
Remember: tickets are required to visit the waterfall during opening hours.
• From the car park, cross the main road and continue up to the right past the inscribed Roman pillar on the roadside by St Piran’s Chapel, a former monastery. Continue past some houses.
• The path soon turns to woodland track, following the river through the ancient woodland leading to St Nectan’s Glen. It can be muddy here and there is slate on the path, so wear good footwear and allow 20 to 30 minutes for the walk in each direction.
• Follow the track and you will come to St Nectan’s Glen Hermitage. It’s well worth paying to see the waterfall; entry fees help towards conservation. Dogs are allowed here, but need to be on leads around the waterfalls. The owners ask that dogs aren’t allowed to make too much noise, lest they disrupt the tranquility of this beautiful space.
• At the bottom, a magnificent 60ft waterfall cascades through a hole through the original kieve (basin). Following on from the shallow pool at the foot of the kieve, water flows down into the stream and leads on to another beautiful waterfall in the valley below. For the more adventurous, an eco-friendly walkway has been opened up to another, more secluded waterfall not previously accessible to the public – it's worth discovering if you’ve visited before and missed it.
• This is a there-and-back walk, but do leave plenty of time in winter months for the return journey. The woods get dark quickly and, ghostly companions aside, there are many treacherous tree roots and lots of mud to navigate. Go carefully, and take a towel for muddy paws! l
For more dog friendly adventures around Cornwall visit www.dogfriendlycornwall.co.uk
The spectacular Tunnel of Lights experience at Charlestown’s Shipwreck Treasure Museum returns for another festive season, with an allnew Christmas theme complete with thousands of twinkling lights. This year’s edition of the popular event will again centre around the UK’s longest indoor tunnel lit with Christmas lights, this time extending more than 220 metres in length. It will be adorned with an incredible 4.5 miles of sparkling festive lights.
The new immersive experience will see visitors descend into the historic tunnels beneath the museum through a magical wardrobe and into the frozen wonderland of Narnia, and then rediscover the museum which has been transformed into every Christmas setting imaginable. From Santa’s very own workshop and a room of giant baubles to an entire world of beautifully wrapped glittering presents and Candy Land.
Explore the museum’s replica Shipwreck that overlooks Charlestown Harbour as snow falls around you and take a pit stop in the mini German Christmas Market. Then pause along the way for some fun Christmas Crafts that the whole family can take part in.
Finally, follow Santa’s footsteps through the glittering North Pole and walk amongst hundreds and thousands of twinkling lights on dazzling display.
A new addition this year is a Giant Yule Tide Snow Globe, complete with room inside for up to six people and perfect to capture fantastic festive family photos and a selfie for Instagram.
Visitor engagement manager Lynné Raubenheimer said: “We can’t wait to turn the museum into the most festive place in Cornwall for families to enjoy in December and January. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to our brand-new immersive Christmas experience, which will be our best yet. It’s been another difficult year, so this is an opportunity for a little escapism and a chance to have some fun and unwind at this magical time of year.”
The museum will reopen in its usual format next spring. The award-winning attraction boasts 8,000 finds from over 100 shipwrecks. See the only intact barrel of coins ever recovered from a wreck, feel the weight of a cannonball, and imagine the devastation it wrought in battle at sea. There are stories of hardship and horror, hope and hair-raising feats of human instinct, each one a doorway into a world of imaginings.
The fascinating Shackleton exhibition will also be available to enjoy during the main season. It tells the story of the celebrated arctic explorer and his incredible exploits and survival on the ill-fated Endurance expedition. l
Tunnel of Lights: This is Christmas! opens on Saturday, December 3 and runs daily until Sunday, January 8, 2023, closing only on Christmas Day. Tickets must be booked in advance at www.shipwreckcharlestown.co.uk
1. SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP!
That’s the mantra in Cornwall’s only city. Truro Farmers Market BIG Christmas Market takes place on selected dates from Friday, December 2, then daily from December 14 to Christmas Eve. Wednesday is late-night shopping night, with traffic-free shopping streets from 2pm to 9pm. Elsewhere, you’ll find Christmas illuminations in Victoria Gardens, switched on daily at selected times. www.visittruro.org.uk
Head to Falmouth for its fabulous Festive Weekend on December 10 and 11, with ice rink, curling lanes, festive land train, live music and more – plus snow machines to provide that special Christmas factor!
3.
There’s plenty of sparkle to be found around Cornwall, from the beautiful lantern installations of Heligan Night Garden (until January 2) to the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth, with its magically lit boats (December 17 to January 1, www.nmmc.co.uk). Even Trengwainton Garden will be lit by the warm glow of
fairy lights and lanterns made by local schools, artists and partner organisations. (until December 11, 4.30pm to 7.30pmbooking essential).
The Eden Project’s ice skating rink is in place until February 19. Booking options include general skating session, family fun skating sessions for children aged 12 and under, parent and toddler iceplay sessions and one-to-one lessons.
On selected dates between December 2 and 30, the site will be open until 8pm with captivating light displays and live music. The Winter Locals’ Pass provides more than two-thirds off standard admission prices and grants access up to the end of March 2023. Find out more at www.edenproject.com
How does Father Christmas manage to be everywhere at once? It must be magic. Among other places, you can find him in Truro Cathedral with his friends from Coppice Theatre (selected dates from December 7, booking essential); sharing tales and traditions of Christmases past in the drawing rooms of Lanhydrock and
Trerice, dressed in pre-Coca Cola green coat (booking essential, www.nationaltrust. org.uk); and travelling by steam at Bodmin & Wenford (www.bodminrailway.co.uk).
The 13th-century creekside church and gardens of St Just in Roseland host a magnificent Festival of Light from December 18. A 12-day Christmas tree display will form the backdrop for lighthearted seasonal music, activities and festive refreshments. The fun reaches its peak with two spectacular Light Show Nights on December 29 and 30 from 4.30pm to 7.30pm. For these, the church car park will be blue badge only, with organised parking and shuttle buses from nearby fields, and extended running hours on the King Harry Ferry for the light shows. For more details, call 07785 772178.
There are bracing coastal walks to enjoy at Pentire on the north coast, as well as an orchard reindeer trail during December. Treat yourself to a hot drink and something tasty from the café in the indoor seating
area, warmed by a wood burning stove. Choirs will sing on selected dates, and a Tramper mobility vehicle is available (check website for details). Every Wednesday to Sunday until December 31, 9.30am to 3pm. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Or go to several – there are plenty to choose from. Bude offers a Beach Hut Christmas Market at Crooklets Beach on December 10/11; Mount Edgcumbe Christmas Fayre boats over 70 stalls selling everything from local produce to a wide variety of local gifts and crafts, on December 10/11; Healeys Cyder Farm, near Perranporth, is transformed into a fairytale world of mulled cyder and hearty food on December 10/11 and 17/18; and Mount Pleasant Eco Park in Porthtowan offers the Roots Culture Christmas Market Weekend from December 9 to 11, with independent local crafters, makers, upcyclers and inventors.
In Mousehole, the annual harbour lights will be switched on gradually from December 12 to 17, then lit each evening until the end of the first week of January. Remember, on December 19, all lights bar three crosses
will be switched off for an hour from 8pm in memory of the tragic loss of the Penlee Lifeboat Solomon Browne and the coaster Union Star in 1981. See also Cousin Jack's puppet/live-action production of The Mousehole Cat - the heartwarming story of the friendship between a fearless fisherman and his devoted cat - at the Solomon Browne Hall from December 13 to 31. Tickets via The Minack on 01736 810181 or at www.cousinjacks.org
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra presents On Your Doorstep Christmas Crackers, a concert of festive favourites and magical winter music: think Sleigh Ride, White Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, Jingle Bells, Silent Night, The Skater’s Waltz, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Winter, Handel’s Messiah and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. December 8: The Tolmen Centre, Constantine; December 9: St Endellion Church; Maker with Rame Community Hall. www.carntocove.co.uk
Every Christmas, Trevena Cross, at Breage near Helston, raises the bar with its jawdropping in-store festive display. This
year is no exception, with a wall of gonks, a woodland scene and a sensational selection of garlands, ornaments, lights and nearly 9,000 different baubles – a veritable Christmas feast for the eyes. The centre sells thousands of trees each year, the biggest draw being the large cut Nordmann Fir (56ft tall), from £25. The first three weekends of December will see a food and drink market, and look out for free festive family selfie opportunities with big Christmas props. Open daily (closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day). Tel 01736 763880, www.trevenacross.co.uk
The Nine Lessons and Carols service began at Truro Cathedral long before it became famous at King’s College, Cambridge. You can hear it at 7pm on December 23 and 24 – get there early, as it’s very popular. Alternatively, catch the Redruth Carol Choir singing local Methodist carols by the likes of Merritt, Broad and Nicholas – such as Hark The Glad Sound – around Redruth and Camborne (you can even request a visit), finishing at the Countryman Inn, Piece on New Year’s Day. For more dates and locations, find them on Facebook l
The village panto is the colourful setting for author Angela Britnell’s latest novel. A Little Christmas Panto is set in the fictional village of Polcarne, and draws heavily upon Angela’s own experience with the historic St Stephen Pantomime Company, which presents its 76th production - Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood - from January 29.
In the novel, troubled Hollywood heartthrob Zach Broussard has abandoned Tinseltown for a more private existence in rural Cornwall. The last thing he wants is to be railroaded into joining the community pantomime production - but upon meeting ex-concert pianist Rosey, he starts to wonder whether he could change his mind, and not just about acting....
Angela admits her own panto memories are “lost in the mists of time”, but produces photographic evidence including the ensemble image shown below. "I was in the Junior chorus rather than having an acting part,” she says, “but it was great fun to be involved with lots of the friends I was growing up with."
The company was created by Harold Lander in the 1940s to raise wartime funds for the village, touring the clay villages to entertain the wider community. The group has seen highs and lows in its eight decades, among the latter a devastating case of fraud that threatened its very existence. Fortunately, vigorous support from St Stephen and its neighbours –including fellow amateur groups – enabled 2020’s Sleeping Beauty, its 75th production, to go ahead as planned.
A two-year break for the pandemic did little to dim the enthusiasm - the company returns with a team of more than 80 volunteers, including a cast of 16 speaking parts, a 28-strong chorus line and a backstage crew managing scenery and props, lighting and sound, costumes, music and front-of-house.
While most professional pantomimes take place during December, amateur productions are popular throughout Cornwall in January and February. “It gives us all something to look forward to after Christmas,” says musical director Steve Polmounter.
Preparation begins straight after the previous panto: calling in perusal scripts for consideration - for many years, the company has paid royalties to use professional scripts by Alan Frayn - an initial readthrough in June, auditions in July and twice-weekly rehearsals from September.
The recipe: something for everyone. “Panto is probably a child’s first experience
of a live show, so we’re looking for that magic,” Steve explains, “as well as a bit of innuendo that will go straight over their heads but entertain the parents.”
Steve chooses the music, often writing topical and amusing lyrics to chart tunes that younger chorus members can learn easily. "There aren’t many groups where you can have eight-year-olds working alongside 80-year-olds, and where we all get along, learn from each other and have fun,” he grins.
“We have children in the chorus whose parents and grandparents were in the panto too. It’s lovely to see, and for the tradition of panto to be kept alive. Oh yes, it is!” l
A Little Christmas Panto is published by Choc-Lit and available via Amazon.
Robin Hood & the Babes in the Wood runs from January 29 to February 4 at St Stephen Community Centre. For tickets, call 01726 824248.
Dick Whittington, Redruth Regal Theatre, January 11 to 15. redruth.merlincinemas.co.uk/home
St Blazey Amateur Operatic Society: Cinderella. January 21 to 28, The Keay Theatre, St Austell. Tel 01726 879500
Jack and the Beanstalk, Epworth Centre, Helston, January 24 to 29, www.helstontheatrecompany.co.uk
Enjoy seasonal entertainment from pantomime to choral music and classical ballet
(aka Kernow King) as Long John Silver and is packed to the gunnels with songs you’ll know and enough silly jokes to make the sternest pirate giggle. Ooo-arr! www.hallforcornwall.co.uk
2. In Miracle Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty, the well-known fairy tale is given the Miracle treatment! At the Cornwall Riviera Holiday Camp in 1959, the Yellowjackets are bursting to entertain the campers with their mangled version of this classic story, following the adventures of a resourceful princess with insomnia when a resentful fairy’s wicked spell goes horribly wrong. Age 7+. December 8 to 11, Guildhall, St Ives; December 15 to 31, Princess Pavilion, Falmouth. www.miracletheatre.co.uk
3. Sit back and enjoy The Royal Ballet on the big screen, as Peter Wright’s spectacular production of The Nutcracker comes to Cornish cinemas. Created in 1984, it remains true to the spirit of the original Russian classic, set to Tchaikovsky’s irresistible score and featuring sweeping
Lighthouse and Redruth Regal.
4. ‘Owdyado Theatre’s Twisted Christmas is a darkly comic evening of seven macabre mini plays all with a festive flavour: how to buy the perfect gift for your unloved ones, the dark side of Christmas cracker jokes, and one woman’s maniacal plot to murder Santa Claus. Suitable for 14+. Saturday December 10: Blisland Village Hall; December 11: Cornish Bank, Falmouth; December 14: St Austell Arts Centre; December 16: Launceston Town Hall; December 17: Perranporth Memorial Hall; December 28: St Mawes Memorial Hall. www.owdyado.co.uk
5. The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness is a delightfully silly one-man show from Squashbox Theatre. Saturday, December 10, The Old Library, Bodmin; December 11, Princess
The Mediaeval Baebes perform Christmas carol classics, traditional folksongs and arrangements from their new MydWynter album at Truro Cathedral on December 15. A spirited show of beguiling choral music backed by exotic and period instruments. www.mediaevalbaebes.com
7. Near-ta Theatre’s cult comedy Christmas.Time. returns to The Poly in Church Street. Charlie and Toby are in the clink on Christmas Day. What’s stopping them from creating Christmas around them? Absolutely nothing! Join them in their festival of carols, Claus, Christ and custody... December 15 to 18, 20 to 23. www.thepoly.org The Alverton, Truro, December 27.
With gifting soon to be at the forefront of our minds, this luxurious silk scarf from Diana Wilson will make this purchase extra special.
A generous 40x40 inches of pure luxury these gorgeous limited edition designs are extra special. These scarves are versatile and will become a classic addition to any wardrobe.
Diana’s pieces are timeless and beautiful, alongside her scarves we stock her vintage re-purposed jewellery and her printed velvet cushions, if you are a fan of minimalism these aren’t for you!
Pop in to see them in all their eye popping glory, we open from Tuesday to Saturday 11-4.
The Grey Lurcher, 20 High Street, Falmouth, TR11 2AB www.greylurcherfalmouth.com.
Send sustainable Christmas greetings to friends and family with a gift box of scented narcissi, delivered straight to any UK doorstep direct from where they’re grown on the Isles of Scilly. These beautiful scented flowers flourish outdoors in the small traditional fields dotted across the islands. Blooms from Churchtown Farm on St Martin’s are sent wrapped only in paper to minimise plastic waste, and this Christmas, prices have been frozen so you pay the same great price as last year - from as little as £13 with free delivery, making this a great value Christmas gift.
Call 01720 422169 or visit www.scillyflowers.co.uk
Spread joy and cheer this festive season with Heligan’s specially curated Christmas gift boxes, inspired by the flora and fauna of the historic 200-acre estate near Mevagissey.
• The Bee Gift Set (£14.95): a sweet collection of honey fudge, honeycomb chocolate, a seedball mix and notebook.
• The Explorer’s Kit Bag (£19.95): everything a mini-adventurer will need to get up close and personal to nature this year.
• The Pineapple Lover’s Gift set (pictured, £17.95): a pineapple tea towel, fruit-flaked chocolate bar, soap and exclusive pineapple and rhubarb jam.
• The Potting Shed Essentials gift box: a practical collection of gardening must-haves. More information online at heliganshop.com
Could there be a more festive gift than Christmas Pudding Vodka? Aval Dor’s seasonal offering is a rich and decadent spirit infused with no fewer than nine exotic fruits, handpeeled fresh oranges and hints of cinnamon spice. Serve with premium ginger ale and a dash of bitters for the ultimate Christmas cheer. Sister spirit Colwith’s Christmas Gin entices with fresh orange and piney juniper at the fore, giving way to delightfully balanced cinnamon and nutmeg, plus lingering notes of aromatic cloves. Both are sustainably made from Cornish potatoes in small-batch production on the family farm near Lostwithiel, and retail at 35cl £29/70cl £42.
Find further information and view the online shop visit www.colwithfarmdistillery.co.uk
Welcome 2023 in
The wassail ceremony has its roots in the pagan custom of visiting orchards in the hope of ensuring a bumper crop the following season. Features include frightening away bad spirits by banging pots and pans in an infernal racket; hanging toast from trees to attract good spirits (usually in the form of robins); sprinkling tree roots with cider, and sharing a communal wassail bowl filled with warm spiced cider. In the Tamar Valley, Cotehele’s annual Wassail takes place at 11.30am on Saturday, December 17. Fancy dress encouraged! Free; no booking required, normal admission prices apply.
On December 21, Montol in Penzance revives Cornwall's traditional customs,
including Guise dancing and burning the Yule log. Family-friendly activities take place throughout the day and early evening around Market Jew Street, Green Market and Causewayhead - a procession leaves the top of Chapel Street at 6pm, and proceedings take a darker turn (aka “misrule”) later in the evening.
3.
On Saturday, December 31, there are two firework displays to be viewed from Truro’s Lemon Quay: one at the family-friendly hour of 7.30pm, and the main event at midnight. Both are organised by Truro City Council with kind permission from Truro School. www.visittruro.org.uk
4. CATHEDRAL MASQUERADE, TRURO The New Year’s Eve Cathedral
Masquerade returns for a second outing. Step into a whimsical world of masks, ballgowns and tuxedos and enjoy a whirlwind of entertainers, aerial acrobatics, live bands, lasers and a silent disco in the incomparable surroundings of Truro Cathedral. Over 18s only. www.quickpandaproductions.co.uk/nye/
5. TWELFTH NIGHT, FALMOUTH
Degol Stul, the Twelfth Night of Christmas, is celebrated with Cornish music and dance by Nos Lowen, a monthly night of Celtic wildness. Ceilidh band Skillywidden and vocal harmony trio Arbrevyn will play at The Cornish Bank on January 8. Be prepared to dive in and have a go at dancing, and if you play an instrument, take it along. l
However 2022 has treated you, New Year’s Eve is an evening to shrug off, celebrate, indulge and look ahead to 365 days full of positivity and possibility. A one-night New Year's Eve break at St Michaels in Falmouth gives you the opportunity to do exactly that.
Delicious Dining. Cornish executive head chef Darren and his brigade work closely with local producers, farmers and fishermen. Passionate about using Cornish-grown, reared and hooked produce, together with head chef Ady he crafts dishes that are big on local flavours and low in food miles. For New Year, Darren and the team have created something a little bit special, with the option of four courses or a seven-course taster menu designed to take you on a tour of Cornish fields, farms and waters.
More than just a meal. After an evening of relaxed refinement and
seasonal fare celebrating the very best Cornwall has to offer, it’s time to swing into the sounds of a live band, peruse the cocktail menu and countdown to midnight while being amazed by the magician doing the rounds.
A good night’s sleep. An airy Luxury King bedroom promises a blissful end to the night, as well as a full Cornish breakfast on New Year’s Day. St Michaels’ one-night New Year break starts from £249pp.
St Michaels Resort is delighted to announce its official charity partner of 2023. Cornish mental health charity Sea Sanctuary is one of the world’s leading advocates of ‘Blue Health’, championing the belief that being around any blue space - be it the sea, lakes, or rivers - rejuvenates the body and mind, reducing stress and anxiety. Call 01326 312707 or visit www.stmichaelsresort.com
Put your feet up on Boxing Day at The Polurrian on the Lizard, in the company of a Woodfired Sessions favourite: St Ives winner of The Voice, Molly Hocking. Keep the festive cheer turned up to 11 as Molly melts your heart with beautiful renditions of classic hits. Boxing Day available from noon to 4pm; to book, call reception on 01326 240421. Molly will sing at 5pm; entry is free. A New Year’s Eve masquerade house party with live music is the highlight of a three-night New Year break. Rates from £960 based on two adults sharing a room. www.polurrianhotel.com
Need to recover after the indulgence of Christmas? Whether you want to get away, or bring the family with you, there are plenty of quality Cornish hotels and resorts who can do the heavy lifting while you just relaaaaaax...
Twixmas breaks at Sands Resort Hotel are the perfect opportunity for a short holiday between Christmas and New Year. Relax, enjoy the stunning sea views, take time to explore the surrounding area, and make the most of the spa and numerous on-site activities including a warm indoor pool and a fun-packed family entertainment programme. Little guests can have a laugh with Chloe the Clown and Jules the Ventriloquist, explore the
enchanted winter maze, take part in the treasure hunt or boogie at the glow stick silent disco. Creative families will love the arts and crafts club, while grown-ups can recharge their batteries in the hot tub and sauna or catch up over dinner while taking advantage of the complimentary baby listening service. See in the new year with a special four-course dinner and kids’ party, as well as live music for all the family. Stay from £152 per night.
www.sandsresort.co.uk
At the Greenbank Hotel in Falmouth, you’re spoilt for choice. Head to the annual Riverbank house party, where you can graze on delicious canapés ahead of a three-course menu before strapping your dancing shoes on and twisting the night away before the big countdown! £89pp. Alternatively, splash out on a five-course feast in The Water’s Edge Restaurant £109pp; or if a cosy Cornish pub is more your style, tuck into five of the Working Boat’s favourite dishes from 2022, £70pp.
Call 01326 312440 or visit www.greenbank-hotel.co.uk
Keep the Christmas spirit going at The Alverton in Truro. Near-Ta Theatre make an annual appearance with anarchic comedy 'Christmas. Time.' on December 27. And on New Year’s Eve, you can raise a glass to 2023 while diving into a celebratory seven-course tasting menu held in the restaurant (sample dishes: lobster and crab bon-bon; Cornish gouda rarebit; trio beef, venison and pork fillet; prime local fish; chef’s assiette of desserts, and cheese board), followed by dancing in the magnificent Great Hall and Truro fireworks at midnight. £99.
Call 01872 276633 or visit thealverton.co.uk
Check out the latest availability for December and January at The Park, Mawgan Porth. You'll find a range of holiday accommodation nestled in 27 acres in a secret valley a stone’s throw from the beach. Choose from luxury lodges, cosy cottages, lavish yurts and stunning Park Cabins. The extensive facilities - swimming pools, sauna, steam room, pool bar and restaurant, DVD Library - mean you won't have to set foot off site, unless you choose to! Many properties are dog-friendly, some with enclosed gardens; pooches receive a complimentary bowl, frisbee and treats, and
are welcome in our restaurant. There’s also an enclosed dog exercise area, and dog showers - perfect after a day on the beach or a muddy walk! Look out for kids’ activities: on Tuesday, December 27, Screech Owl Sanctuary will bring birds to meet the children, and on Wednesday, December 28, it’s beach bushcraft time with Mark and Lizzie; build a den and toast marshmallows on the beach. Stay two nights or more and enjoy a free daily breakfast in The Kitchen By The Beach (until March 30, excluding February 9 to 26).
Call 01637 860322, www.theparkcornwall.com
Wake
Penventon is the place to be this New Year’s Eve. Glitz yourself up, put on your mask, and let your carriage bring you to the Masquerade Ball. You’ll be welcomed with canapés and a glass of fizz; mingle with your fellow Masqueraders before sitting down to an indulgent five-course meal in the Dining Galleries or Venetian Room. Dance the night away to classic hits in the Grand Forum Ballroom. Then comes the countdown, the stroke of midnight and the traditional bagpiper’s welcome. Grab a pasty if you’re peckish, and enjoy the celebrations until 1am. £90pp, or upgrade to an overnight package.
www.penventon.co.uk
A new book draws attention to the plight of increasingly rare birds
rtists and writers have joined forces to raise awareness of the plight of birds on the UK Red List, and to help secure their future by raising money for conservation work. Published by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Into the Red brings together 70 artists and 70 writers to raise awareness of the plight of 70 birds; contributors include artist/comedian Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves), musician David Gray, actor Mackenzie Crook, and TV environmentalist Megan McCubbin.
The Red List is revised every six years to reflect the species of highest concern as identified by Birds of Conservation Concern assessments. The first edition counted 67 species, meaning things are heading in the wrong direction. While species like curlew and turtle dove are regulars, the addition of relatively common birds like swift, house martin and greenfinch is new cause for alarm.
“Birds enrich our lives, but almost a third of UK species are now in population freefall,” says Into the Red editor Kit Jewitt. “For the 70 species on the UK Red List, their voices are no longer simply calls and birdsong, but SOS messages and clarion calls to take action. We must listen to them, before it is too late.”
A good number of the species in the book can be found in Cornwall, and one is worth singling out as both the artist and writer for the species are based in the Duchy. The shag has been depicted by landscape and bird artist Daniel Cole, who was named Swarovski Bird Artist of the Year 2016 and has work in the collection of the Royal Cornwall Museum.
Author, curator and environmentalist John Fanshawe first learned of the shag from Christopher Isherwood’s poem, The Common Cormorant, and discovered it in person after relocating from Buckinghamshire to North Cornwall.
"The move turned this mythical animal into a near daily reality, as shags are a regular sight along the north coast, and for the artisanal lobster-potters that venture out of Boscastle when the weather allows,” he says.
"Close to home, one small cove supports half a dozen pairs each year, and I loved lying in the warm heather watching their antics, not least the gathering (and robbing) of seaweed to build their nests.
“Shags strike an ancient cruciform pose in
early days, I watched them from afar with my first pair of binoculars, their awkwardness on land a contrast to their evident delight in the surrounding seawater.”
Falmouth illustrator Holly Astle takes inspiration from the natural world and is passionate about its preservation. She has previously worked on marketing campaigns for Unesco and charity Christmas cards for Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Holly provided the illustration of the roseate tern, seen on the cover of myCornwall. While common terns are, well, common in Cornwall, roseate terns are not; but Holly’s landscapes were nonetheless influenced by those she sees on a daily basis.
“When the BTO put a call-out for illustrators, I leapt at the chance,” said Holly. “I’m such an advocate for environmental causes –seeing the destruction of nature breaks my heart, so any way I can use my platform to encourage people to turn things around, I will.
“Birds are one of my favourite things to draw, and I was drawn to the roseate tern because I love the shape – it's quite angular - and living where I do, I naturally love sea birds.”
Elsewhere in the book, printmaker Faith Chevannes - whose work has been included in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition - indulged her love for wild birds by illustrating the willow tit.
BTO is the UK's leading bird research charity, with a growing membership and up to 60,000 volunteer birdwatchers who contribute to surveys, collecting data that underpins conservation action in the UK. Cornwall regional rep Simon Taylor took on the volunteer role in 2017, and in October
was awarded the BTO Jubilee Medal for his “truly transformative” work.
Simon joined the BTO as a volunteer in 2009, and later became volunteer warden at Stithians Lake, where he began contributing to the Nest Record Scheme, monitoring the breeding performance of a wide range of birds. “What started off as a casual interest became an obsession,” he says, admitting that his day job on the tugs in Falmouth Harbour “gets in the way but pays the bills”.
Today, he organises the local Heronries Census and surveys including woodcocks and wetland birds. He also organises talks, workshops and guided walks around Cornwall, handles social media coverage on Facebook and Twitter, sends out quarterly newsletters and coordinates a weekly garden birdwatch survey.
Why is it so important? “Some might say bird extinction is natural selection, but I believe human beings are destroying their habitats – field hedgerows and gardens, for example. Once you’ve lost something, it’s hard to get it back; reintroduction programmes can take years. It’s better not to go there in the first place,” he explains.
“If you do nothing, nothing will improve. BTO gives me the opportunity to turn my obsession in a direction whereby I can do something good, beyond personal satisfaction. I don’t want to sit in a bird hide all day, then go home; I feel as if I’m making a real contribution.” l
To obtain your copy of Into The Red and find out more about the British Trust for Ornithology, visit www.bto.org
For information about local events, visit www.facebook.com/BTOCornwall
When buildings bear the names of their benefactors, they also carry a huge weight of historical and emotional significance in their communities. This is certainly the case for the Edward Hain Memorial Hospital in St Ives. The NHS closed the inbed wards in 2016, deemed the building “surplus to requirement” four years later and announced its sale in December 2021, a century after it was gifted to the townsfolk.
The hospital's League of Friends charity made its boldest decision in its 60-year history: to buy the building and reopen it as the Edward Hain Centre for Health & Wellbeing. The bid was backed by members of the community and Hain descendants, and as myCornwall went to
press, contracts were due to be exchanged and a manager appointed.
That the purchase was able to happen at all is thanks to active community fundraising. When it closed, the Friends had a healthy nest-egg of £600,000, accrued over many years of campaigns and bequests, which gave them a solid foundation on which to build a campaign.
When a price of £1,020,000 was announced, the sizeable kitty came into play, along with private donations, a mortgage and further fundraising events: quizzes and luncheons, golf and gigs, fashion shows, a whisky auction and an ongoing GoFundMe campaign with a current target of £25,000.
Lynne Isaacs, secretary of the League of Friends of the Former Edward Hain Memorial Hospital, said: “If we hadn’t been in a position to launch the appeal, I have no doubt the building would have been converted or, worst-case scenario, simply demolished to make way for new holiday or second homes. I think that’s the main reason the town and community are so supportive of the fundraising.
“The hospital had a very emotional pull for a lot of people. Everyone has some memory of using it - it was easy to access, helped people’s lives go smoothly and contributed to the wellbeing of the community in general.
“Like most Cornish towns, we have lost all kinds of facilities and people are having to travel more. For hospital treatment, for most people that means TreliskePenzance has a limited range, Hayle too.”
Who was Edward Hain? The only son of Sir Edward Hain - six-times mayor of St Ives, MP from 1900 to 1906 and generous benefactor of the town - Teddy was a keen sportsman and member of the Oxford University dramatic society before training to take over his father’s business, the Edward Hain Steamship Company.
In 1913 he married actress Judith WoganBrown, but their marriage would be shortlived; Teddy joined the Devon Yeomanry as captain when war broke out, and was killed by shellfire on November 11, 1915, when handing over command of his unit within hours of shipping home from Gallipoli.
St Ives’ hospital bears his name, and is about to embark upon a new role in community healthHospital shot by Morag Robertson Edward Hain photos courtesy of the Hain family
To create a meaningful memorial to their only son which would also benefit the town, Teddy’s parents founded a hospital converting Albany House and putting it in trust for the people of St Ives. It opened in April 1920, shortly after the death of Teddy’s father (with no male heir, the Hain Steamship company was sold). Capable of taking 12 to 16 patients and geared towards seamen and soldiers, the hospital was initially managed by a trust including Teddy’s sister, Kate, until 1948 when it was taken over by the newly-formed National Health Service.
Kate’s granddaughter, Kit Hain Grindstaff (once half of the Marshall Hain duo, whose 1978 song Dancing in the City was an international hit), is now based in the USA but visits regularly and takes an active role in the campaign. In 2017, she and her brother Tim wrote a song, Hands Across the Harbour, to promote an event which saw 600 people gather in their dressing gowns, representing patients who had been denied care since the hospital closure.
A year later, on November 11, 2018 – the centenary of the end of the First World War – they were present to see Captain Hain’s portrait drawn in the sand on Porthmeor Beach as part of Pages of the Sea, an event conceived by film director Danny Boyle to commemorate the Great War heroes.
“Captain Edward Hain would have been my great-uncle,” says Kit. “My grandmother adored him, and he was a mythical figure in our family. When the hospital was closed, Having learned of the loyalty of the people of St Ives to the Hain name, how could I
not respond? The hospital was part of the town’s lifeblood.”
The idea of the hospital being disposed of by the NHS was so inconceivable that a clause was never added to ensure it should come back to the town in such circumstances. “The deeds were handed over, and what happened is entirely legal, if not as moral as we would like,” says Kit. “However, when buildings like this are given up, they have to be offered first to a local government body, and St Ives Town Council stepped in on our behalf to mediate.”
For the business side of things, the Friends turned to Simon Ryan, whose specialist field - creating community organisations and raising funding to buy obsolete buildings for repurposing as community facilities – mostly deals with housing, but fitted the Edward Hain to a tee.
Simon helped with “the dull but vital stuff”: the legal registration of the new charity; communications and negotiations between the Town Council, NHS Property Services and the Friends; setting up the detail of the contracts, including loan finance and staffing structure; and talking to funders, planners, lawyers and accountants “who each speak their own specific language”.
One area that posed no problem was raising community funding to match grants and loans. “I've been in this line of work for many years, and I've never, ever seen this level of community support - it's jawdroppingly amazing,” says Simon.
There are limitations to the services Edward Hain will be able to provide in future. “It’s
not cost-effective to run as a hospital today,” says Lynne, adding that any nursing care would need to be under the auspices of the NHS. “We have to be realisticmedicine has changed enormously, and there are things you can be treated for now that you couldn’t before.”
So Edward Hain will be a health and wellbeing hub, home to organisations like Age Concern. “There’s a huge need for services that support people who live here permanently, exacerbated by Covid and now the cost-of-living crisis, but there is more to medicine and good health than simply having an operation or taking tablets,” Lynne continues. “For example, there has been an increase in mental health issues, and anything that helps to alleviate that – including preventative medicine and social prescribing - is really valuable.”
Kit Hain is understandably thrilled to be close to completion of purchase, and grateful to everyone who worked and donated to make this happen. “I imagine that my great-grandparents would have something to say about us having had to buy back the hospital they provided for the benefit of the town they loved,” she says.
“But I also imagine that they would be blown away by the community’s dedication to the facility, and amazed that Teddy’s story is remembered with such love and respect over 100 years later.” l
To make a contribution to the campaign, visit www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-buyback-our-hospital-building
For details of how to send cheques or wire transfers, please contact edwardhaincentre@gmail.com
life of Penzance luminary Elizabeth Carne as told by American author Jill George
Elizabeth Carne (1817–1873) was a woman of many talents: author, geologist, mineral and shell collector, philosopher, philanthropist, even banker. Born in Phillack, near Hayle, to a wealthy and influential family of mining agents, merchants and bankers, she moved in distinguished circles: her friends included Quaker sisters Anna Maria and Caroline Fox of Falmouth's shipping and mining family. With them, she became an early member of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society, and was also the first woman to be elected a member of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall.
And yet, while so many of Cornwall’s male figures – Sir Humphry Davy, Richard Trevithick, Richard Lander – are commemorated in stone, very little is heard about Elizabeth Carne. American academic and author Jill George intends to change that with her latest novel: The Light Among Us is part biography, part love story; the profile of a brilliant woman with a quest to create a more unified and prosperous society.
Launched in July at Elizabeth’s former home, Chapel House in Penzance, the novel sees Elizabeth torn between her role as an heiress and her love for Henry, a man from the lower order. As a woman without a college education, she struggles to gain credibility in her father’s banks as she tried to maintain her family’s long legacy of wealth and philanthropy. Amid murder, smuggling, famine and restrictive social norms, Elizabeth fights not only for her love, but also for the rights of local miners in the face of a failing industry.
Jill lives in Pittsburgh, and is an industrial psychologist whose written work includes several books and articles on leadership in engaging work cultures. She has travelled the world and met thousands of leaders, using her findings to create deep and intriguing characters in her fiction, which draws equally upon her fascination with the Victorian era.
The Light Among Us grew out of lockdown. “I had three teenagers at home and was trying to home school being principal, nurse, janitor, counsellor and teacher all in one - it was completely overwhelming,” she recalls. “As a tonic for what felt like a world crashing all around me, I spent time
researching the geography of one of my favorite places: Cornwall.
“I came across a photo of Elizabeth Carne, and found that very little was written about the whole of who she was. She was listed by many websites list as a woman who inherited a box of rocks, and yet she was incredibly bright, an author, a scientist! I decided her story needed to be told.”
Jill came across an online article about Elizabeth by Melissa Hardie of the Hypatia Trust in Penzance. “I peppered her with questions. When she told me she herself lived on Elizabeth’s street, in a building that used to be a bank, and that Elizabeth’s own house was a B&B, my head exploded.”
Chapel House would provide the perfect accommodation when Jill visited Penzance to check the finer details of her setting in the company of historian John Dirring, a specialist in Victorian-era banking who would become a key collaborator.
“I was in history heaven,” says Jill. "We visited all the sites I had drafted in the book to make sure we described them accurately and their distances from each other. We went in St Mary’s church and its Methodist counterpart - everywhere we could think that Elizabeth would go. We walked through thick mud and bramble to see Boscawen-Un, the standing stones she owned and took care of near St Buryan.”
As well as discussing Boscawen Un with archaeologists, Jill and John corresponded with Victorian shipping experts, read numerous books on women in Victorian Cornwall, contacted and visited most of Cornwall’s libraries and worked with Exeter University and the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. “We had at least eight Ph.Ds working with us on this novel. That is why I say history is a team sport - no one person has all the answers.”
Much of the content is drawn from recorded fact. Elizabeth’s father, Joseph, was the director of the Cornish Copper Company, and the cellars of their home were fitted out as laboratories for exploring the smelting processes of copper and tin and the constituents of minerals and rocks - the young Humphry Davy visited for experience of a scientific environment. Later, Elizabeth would inherit her father's partnership in the Penzance Bank, and
used her wealth to build several schools in Penzance and a museum for the mineral collection she had amassed with her father.
More hazy is the existence of a suitor such as Henry. Elizabeth never married, but for Jill, Henry is more than just one man. “The clergyman at her funeral stressed that she was loved by everyone and many,” Jill explains. “To me, someone with her goodness must have been admired and adored by anyone who really knew her, as so many did from her generous service and philanthropic deeds. So I created Henry as an ‘everyman’ character to represent an amalgamation of the public she adored and served, and who loved her back.”
Although The Light Among Us is a historical novel, Jill feels many of its themes resonate today. “Key things are as precious and fragile now as they were then. Freedom, for example, was not a given in the Victorian era, for individuals or country states. Women in particular had little freedom to do anything without a man, and arguably we are still fighting this battle 200 years later.”
Sadly, the summer launch was marred by the untimely death of Melissa Hardie days before the event. “We’d planned a grand party at the Women in Words bookshop, but instead had a subdued book signing, during which I reflected on how lucky I was to have found her and worked with her. I dropped off copies at shops and local libraries - everyone knew Melissa and enjoyed the stories I told about us working together on this novel, which was one of her last projects."
While many a Cornishman went to the USA during the Great Migration, Jill has yet to find evidence of any family links to Cornwall, although she does have ancestors on this side of the pond. “I do feel as if I am in the wrong country, like I belong in the UK, and am just hotelling it over here in Pittsburgh. Most of the areas where the Cornish settled are far from Pittsburgh – and, well, that is a rabbit hole for another day.” l
The Light Among Us by Jill George with John Dirring, is published by Atmosphere Press. www.jillgeorgeauthor.com
It’s no secret that Cornwall is steeped in heritage, spanning all eras from the Neolithic to the 19th century Industrial Age. At the forefront of caring for this precious legacy is Cornwall Heritage Trust, which has 13 sites under its watchful eye, spanning the breadth of the Duchy. All are free to visit, making them the perfect destination for a winter walk.
Between Land’s End and Penzance, you’ll find Sancreed Beacon, an area of granite upland inhabited during the Bronze Age, now a Site of Special Scientific Interest and part of West Penwith International Dark Sky Park. In September, conservation and restoration work turned up archaeological finds in an area used as a 19th-century midden or refuse site. These included an Elliman’s Embrocation bottle, which would have originally housed a medicine made of eggs, turpentine and vinegar, said to help with aching muscles and joints.
In mid-Cornwall, Treffry Viaduct, near Luxulyan, was the first large civil
engineering structure of its kind to be built in Cornwall and is part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, as designated by UNESCO. Built between 1839 and 1842 by Joseph Thomas Treffry, the viaduct had the dual purpose of carrying both a tramway and a high-level leat across the Luxulyan Valley for the mining industry.
A recent appeal saw 15 people (including Kim Conchie, Chief Executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce) join as life members, raising £6,500 to conserve the adjacent 19th century Crib Hut which provided welcome shelter for viaduct workers during their breaks.
Further sites, all free to visit, range from Carn Euny, a well-preserved Iron Age village in West Penwith to St Breock Downs Monolith, the heaviest standing stone in Cornwall; and from The Hurlers, a line of three early Bronze Age stone circles on Bodmin Moor, to the little-known Trevanion Culverhouse, a 14th-century dovecote near Wadebridge. Having
taken on the ancient hill fort of Caer Bran in February 2022, the trust made its 13th acquisition in November: the 15th century St Cleer’s Well.
What makes it all so special for the trust’s CEO, Cathy Woolcock, is that heritage is far from dead, with current generations the latest in a long line of custodians who will one day join their predecessors. “Here in Cornwall, it’s part of everyday life to be in touch with the past, seeing the history and walking among it” she says. “The well house, for example, is situated in the middle of the village of St Cleer and we want this historic place to continue to be at the heart of the community for many generations to come."
The trust currently has around 7,000 members, including individuals and families. Why join when you can visit the sites for free? Well, membership will also give you free access to English Heritage’s Cornwall properties - including Tintagel, Restormel, St Mawes, Pendennis and
Launceston castles, and Chysauster Ancient Village - and Geevor Tin Mine, and half-price entry to Wheal Martyn, King Edward Mine (adults only) and the Arthurian Centre.
But you'll also be supporting the trust financially, enabling it to care for its sites and, crucially, to foster a love of heritage among younger generations. Since 2014, the School Transport Grants Scheme has funded 540 trips for nearly 22,500 Cornish primary schoolchildren. With the costs of petrol and vehicle hire rising and school budgets tightening, support like this is vital to enable the next generation to experience Cornwall’s ancient sites, museums and historic properties.
“Sadly, enrichment activities like trips are all too often the first things to be cut when times are hard,” says Cathy Woolcock. “When we asked schools what the biggest barrier was to visiting heritage sites, the vast majority told us it was the cost of transport. We get amazing feedback from
schools who apply to us for grants, so we know how much children benefit from visiting these special Cornish places and learning about their heritage.”
So much work is carried out by volunteers, including leading guided walks, helping at events, site conservation, research and recording finds. In November, many public-spirited individuals and groups were rewarded at a special event at Scorrier House.
The Heritage Champion Award was given to myCornwall contributor Elizabeth Dale, who also blogs as The Cornish Bird - you might even have seen her on television with the likes of Fern Britton. “What she has achieved is incredibly impressive,” says Cathy. “She has 7,500 Twitter followers and to be shining a light on Cornwall’s hidden places and untold stories for so many people is outstanding. She is an extremely worthy winner."
St Columb Old Cornwall Society received a group award for its active support, including hosting a Platinum Jubilee beacon at Castle-an-Dinas; while Trevor Smitheram, from Hayle, was given a special lockdown award in recognition of his social media presence during the pandemic, sharing historical anecdotes and dialect by video to keep spirits high.
“Ultimately, it’s not just about places – it's about people, stories and communities,” says Cathy. “They all make up Cornwall’s unique and distinct heritage, and to be the custodians of that is such a special thing.” l
For a full list of sites, and for details of how to become a member (from £15pa), visit www.cornwallheritagetrust.org
iWalk Cornwall have compiled a list of their circular walks that include Cornwall Heritage Trust sites. www.iwalkcornwall.co.uk/walks/org/cht
Charlotte Dawson of Chestnut Interiors turns her attention to the darker months
British sheepskin pads, £34 each - pop on a bench seat or armchair for added comfort and style; Faux eucalyptus garland, £29.95; Little red robin tea towel, £14 - 100% cotton, hand-illustrated, UK made; Handmade alder bowl, £48 - Cornish-grown alder wood, hand-turned in Penzance; Natural wood hanging star decoration, £4 each.
All from Marcel Rodrigues Interiors of Nansledan, Newquay. Facebook @marcelrodriguesinteriors, www.marcelrodrigues.co.uk
As the seasons turn and we begin to spend more time indoors, it’s a treat to make some simple adjustments that bring warmth and cosiness into our homes. Afternoons spent hibernating and watching the garden change through the window become all the more enjoyable with some scrumptious essentials. Snuggle down and read on for some quick tips that will help you maximise heat on cooler days.
These are a must-have for sofa and beds. When choosing blankets for a living room or bedroom, the priority is to opt for materials you enjoy to touch - that way, you’ll find it hard not to wrap yourself up!
Choose sumptuous fabrics and use colours that compliment your interior scheme. Consider the weight of the material to add extra cosy points and guarantee yourself a sweet spot you won’t want to leave.
It’s easy to transform a bedroom by layering blankets and mixing materials: for example, a fine knit mixed with a waffle cotton. Ensure choices are practical so as not to slip off, and not too heavy so they can be layered. My personal favourite places to shop for blankets in Cornwall are Atlantic Blankets, Brocante and Jenny Aves. In a recent project, my client chose to bring warmth to a white room by layering a green woollen blanket with a lightweight striped cotton bedspread.
Adding scatter cushions to your living room furniture and beds brings another layer of comfort. For an average threeseater sofa, it suits to pair a 22in cushion with an 18in cushion at each end. This is an opportunity to add some interest to a plain sofa, and the good news is they don’t all have to be the same – in fact, it’s better if they aren’t. It’s therefore possible to mix favourite colours, patterns and fabrics.
Something to consider to make cushion shopping easier is to stick to a colour palette and play with slightly different hues and textures: for example, a deep green velvet paired with a sage green and oatmeal linen stripe. Add in a burst of colour for a central cushion, in this example perhaps a print with green, rust and charcoal.
When purchasing cushions, feather-filled will be miles more comfortable. If you’re having covers made or buying them separately, remember to size up by two inches. Victoria Williams Upholstery offers creative upholstery across the county using an extensive range of gorgeous fabrics.
For a greater sensory experience, add the flicker of candle light to a relaxation ritual. By inviting other senses into your home and burning your favourite candle, you will enjoy a gentle glow and beautiful scents - absorb the tranquillity. Candle makers recognise the calming impact their candles have and tailor them specifically for sleep, to soothe the mind and ease anxieties. Just Delights in Penryn have recently filled their shelves with autumn and winter candles including fragrances such as Silver Birch &
While enjoying the physical nourishment and opportunity to rest and rejuvenate amongst comfortable cushions and blankets, the final addition for some extra cosiness is, of course, your favourite hot chocolate to be enjoyed from a finely crafted mug. In Cornwall, we are fortunate to have talented potters in our midst, among them artist Laura Lane, who has designed and created a range of beautiful cups and mugs using locally sourced clay from St Agnes. Perfect for those restful days at home. l
The National Garden Scheme (NGS) is well known for its annual donations to nursing and health charities, but it also supports community gardening projects under the Community Gardens Award Scheme and has dramatically increased its funding in this area.
“The pandemic highlighted the critical importance of access to green spaces for everyone’s health and wellbeing,” said NGS chief executive George Plumptre. “It’s easy to see why more and more people are creating or joining community gardens; these projects involve people from the whole spectrum of society, often giving crucial individual benefits while also having a substantial impact at a local level.”
Until recently, Jubilee Corner in Par was a derelict piece of land next to the highly successful Par Bay Community Garden. It had been an overgrown eyesore and hazard for many years, with two old fire engines left to decay on the site of an old house.
Work on the main garden had begun in 2015, with the aim of improving an unused parcel of land for the benefit of all. The site has been transformed gradually over the years: raised beds of different heights, accessible by wheelchair, have been built and planted with flowers and vegetables, grown from seed by local individuals and groups.
The garden is open daily for people to come and go as they choose, to tend the
beds or harvest the produce, or simply just to sit and enjoy the green space. A popular ‘swap and share’ arrangement allows anyone to take or donate spare seedlings, plants and excess produce.
The Community Garden has quickly become a central hub where people meet, socialise and enjoy the whole shared process of sowing, nurturing and harvesting. Primary schoolchildren get up close and personal with the plants, pushing their fingers in the soil and picking a few flowers to take home. Local groups meet or stop off here, while individuals without their own garden read the newspaper in the shade of the apple tree.
Friends bring a picnic and teenagers just hang out, sometimes over a pizza. During lockdown, musicians practised and T’ai Chi sessions took place in the open-sided covered area. In the summer holidays, home-grown talent ran art and craft sessions, while local churches organised Songs of Praise events.
Sonia Clyne, who had the initial vision for the project, says: “It’s wonderful to see the transformative effects the garden has on people, relieving anxiety, building confidence and self-esteem, and bringing such joy.”
Along with John Elkington, Sonia has enthusiastically taken up the challenge of the Jubilee Corner extension. The site has been cleared and work has begun to incorporate it into the Community Garden. “Lots of local residents have shown a great deal of interest in the initiative to reclaim the
site,” John explains. “People have come forward with so many stories and photos from years ago that we are working out how best to preserve and present the history.”
“We are very grateful for donations of benches to sit on, troughs to plant in and paving slabs,” adds Sonia. Eden Project staff visited to identify existing plants and offer advice on what to plant in the challenging conditions.
Earlier this year, the NGS gave Jubilee Corner an award under the Community Gardens Award Scheme. The prize money will be used to secure the site with fencing and to do the jobs volunteers can’t do themselves. Next year, Sonia and John would like to sow a mix of wildflower seeds and plant espalier fruit trees along the border. They anticipate that Jubilee Corner will become a space for open-air events to be enjoyed by the whole community.
Applications for the 2023 Community Garden Awards are invited from October 17 until midnight on January 31. NGS ambassador Danny Clarke says: “We want to see this funding going to the heart of community projects, helping to invigorate the people they support and introduce new audiences to the huge benefits that gardens and gardening bring to their health, wellbeing and to the surrounding environment.” l
To apply, visit https://ngs.org.uk/who-weare/community-gardens-award/ G @CornwallNGS
A @cornwall.ngs
Tell us how it all began
Louise Walter, Customer Care and Visual Merchandiser: Uneeka first opened as a small unit in Truro’s Lemon Street Market in 2004, sourcing creative and ethical products to an initial concept of ‘A Lifestyle Made Fair’. Over the years the business has developed and grown into three Truro stores: Uneeka Home in City Road, and Uneeka Life and Café Uneeka in Boscawen Street. Most recently, we have expanded to Falmouth, where we have opened two stores.
What’s it like being part of the independent retail community?
We are proud to be one of Truro’s small independent businesses. We firmly believe a busy local high street thrives on positive interaction between consumers and local businesses, and Truro has a great community which went out of its way to support city businesses during the pandemic - we really valued the support we received. Similarly, Falmouth has a high street with tremendous potential, and we are really excited to be part of that. We have a whole new team of creative staff who worked incredibly hard to establish Uneeka there, and people have been really welcoming and receptive to our brand.
Who comes through your doors?
Our customers are socially and ethically aware, and community minded. Falmouth also has a big university full of young creatives who want to support small
independent shops and keep their community interesting and thriving. We think a lot about that when we buy products, set up the space in our stores and employ staff.
And who will we find on the shop floor? We really are a multifaceted team. We pride ourselves on harbouring creativity in the workplace, and many of our brilliant staff are training in or have a background in the arts. We love to see their ideas flourishing in our stores: window art, shop displays, social media design, exciting new recipes in the café... We even stock products from previous staff members who have made ventures of their own.
What's on the shelf?
We have always supported local artists and makers, as well as sourcing stock from ethical and eco-companies who use sustainable practices, such as reusing and recycling. We have fantastic suppliers who are dedicated to innovative practices such as biodegradable packaging, chemicalfree dyes, water collecting and wind turbines/solar energy, as well as using recycled fabrics and reclaimed wood in manufacturing. It goes without saying that we are committed to reducing our own impact on the environment by reducing our carbon emissions throughout the business. You’re also committed to Fairtrade Yes, we support better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and
fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. Our Fairtrade suppliers seek to work with disadvantaged and marginalised producers and to develop business with them, helping them become financially stronger and more independent. When you shop with us, you don’t need to compromise on style to shop ethically.
What pieces are currently proving popular with shoppers?
It changes all the time, but most recently one of our popular lines at Uneeka Home has been the Ploughman Chair. It’s a really large, snuggly, velvet-covered armchair that customers just flop into when they’ve done a lot of shopping. Then they realise how comfy and cosy the chair is and order one for home! The Life Store’s selection of St Eval Candles is always popular, but even more so at Christmas with those gorgeous warm scents such as Embers, Orange and Cinnamon, Figgy Pudding and Inspiritus. And of course, the Café is always a popular meeting place for a chat over freshly baked cakes, toasties and salads. l
Uneeka
5 Boscawen St, Truro, TR1 2EL 39 Market St, Falmouth, TR11 3AR 01872 888530 hello@uneeka.com www.uneeka.com
Hedra vons lies den hwath ow tybri hansel po ygeri rohow dhe myttin Nadelik, kansow a dus a wra bos ow pareusi rag hengov dihaval yn tien. Oll a-derdro an Dhuketh, enevow hardh ha kales a wra mos dhe’n trethow rag an bledhynnyek Dydh Nadelik neuvya-mor. An bush a neuvyoryon a guntel yn nervus war an treth hag ena, dhe dheg po unnek eur, i a boen a-dreus an tewes oll warbarth ha sedhi pennkynsa y’n donnow, gans gwithyasow bewnans yn ogas parys dhe ri gweres. Dhe nebes hwarvosow, nyns yw alowys dillas-glyb hogen – saw dillas omvadya po tollwisk yw da lowr!
While many people will still be eating their breakfast or opening their presents on Christmas morning, hundreds of people will be preparing for a very different tradition. All around the Duchy, brave and hardy souls will take to the beaches for the annual Christmas Day sea swim. The crowd of swimmers gather nervously on the beach and then at 10am or 11am, they all run across the sands together and plunge headfirst into the waves, with lifeguards on standby to provide any assistance. At some events, wetsuits are not even allowed - only swimwear or fancy dress will do!
hedra while dybri to eat myttin Nadelik Christmas morning rohow presents hengov tradition hardh brave bush crowd yn nervus nervously poenya to run tewes sands sedhi to dive gwithyas bewnans lifeguard da lowr good enough alowys allowed dillas omvadya bathing suit tollwisk fancy dress
Leverys yw troghyans dowr yeyn dhe vos da rag agan yeghes, yn arbennik rag kylghresyas goos hag an system anklevesadow. Y tyllo ynwedh ‘dopamine’ neb a brovi neuvyoryon omglewansow meur a lowena. Yma towellow sygh ha diwosow tomm rag oll pan yns dus yn-mes an mor. Hwarvos an brassa yn Kernow a hwer dhe Treth Crooklets, Porthbud, le may kemerons rann moy es pymp kans neuvyoryon ow sevel arghans rag alusennow leel. Hwarvosow-neuvya re wrug synsys dres degvledhynnyow dhe Treth Porthminster yn Porthia, Porthsenan ha Pollsygh rag ensempel, gans choklet tomm, gwin tomm ha hogennow Nadelik rag an gevrenogesow, dendylys yn ta!
For general enquiries: maureen.pierce@kesva.org
For enquiries about publications: roger.courtenay@kesva.org
For enquiries about examinations: tony.hak@kesva.org
For enquiries about the language correspondence course: kernewekdrelyther@hotmail.co.uk
For more Cornish Language visit: www.kesva.org
It is said that cold water immersion is good for our health, especially for blood circulation and the immune system. It also releases dopamine which provides swimmers with great feelings of happiness. Once out of the water, there are dry towels and warm drinks all round. The largest event in Cornwall takes place on Crooklets Beach, Bude, where more than 500 swimmers take part raising money for local charities. Swims have also been held for decades on Porthminster Beach in St. Ives, Sennen Cove and Polzeath with hot chocolate, mulled wine and mince pies for the deserving participants.
troghyans immersion dowr water yeghes health kylghresyas circulation goos blood anklevesadow immune provia provide neuvyor/es swimmer omglewans feeling towell towel diwes a drink alusen charity sevel arghans to raise money hogen pie kevrenoges participant dendylys yn ta well-deserved
NEBES LAVARENNOW NADELIK | SOME CHRISTMAS PHRASES
Nadelik lowen ha Bledhen Nowydh da!
Happy Christmas and a good New Year (translated literally) Gorhemynadow an Seson Season’s Greetings Gans pub bolonjedh da... With best wishes...
“Yw dha wydh Nadelik afinys hwath?” “Is your Christmas tree decorated yet?”
“Ke dhe weli mar mynnydh Tas Nadelik dhe dhos!” “Go to bed if you want Santa to come!”
“Meur ras rag an ro splann!”
“Thank you for the great present!”
“Prag y hwruss’ta gasa dha gowlennigow?”
“Why did you leave your Brussels sprouts?”
“Moy a win tewyn, mar pleg!”
“More sparkling wine, please!”
Elizabeth Dale meets Sam Davison author of a new book showcasing stunning photography of Cornwall’s ancient sites
The Devil's Teeth, Bodmin Moor
With more prehistoric sites per square mile than anywhere else in Britain, Cornwall has a seemingly endless supply of enigmatic ancient remains just waiting to be discovered. So when Samuel Davison set himself the challenge in 2019 of visiting every standing stone in the county, it was an ambitious quest that would see him chased by angry cattle, lost on wild, foggy moorland, trudging through waist-high bracken, crossing rivers while balanced on rotten branches, and perhaps questioning his own sanity!
Three years on, Sam believes he has visited somewhere between 200 and 300 sites across Cornwall, and has just released his first book of photographs documenting this amazing adventure.
Matter of the Otherworld - the Ancient Stones and Megalithic Structures of Cornwall - is lovingly designed and thoughtfully curated. It does not contain images from every single stone that Sam has visited over the past few years
- that would be one weighty tome - but it does gather a wide range of ancient monuments from the familiar to the much more obscure.
Over more than 400 pages, the book covers some 44 prehistoric sitesstanding stones, stone circles and quoits, the length and breadth of Cornwall. Each entry contains multiple images of the featured megalith taken at all times of day and night and in different seasons or weathers, capturing the changing moods of these amazing monuments. A short description of the site’s history is included along with vital statistics and map coordinates to help you to discover these forgotten places for yourself.
Sam was born on Cornwall’s north coast, and beyond his love of landscape photography he has also worked as a luthier and jazz musician. His interest in the prehistoric world was piqued just a few years ago, when he was inspired to research some of the more famous megalithic
structures, such as the Great Pyramids and Stonehenge - places that have been puzzling and exciting archaeologists around the world for centuries.
“Esoteric science, geomancy, sacred geometry, quantum mechanics, ancient eastern philosophy, you name it, I was reading a book about it!” he told me.
“It sounds strange now, but for a while I had no idea of the parallels between the ancient stones in Cornwall and the rest of the world. One day, it just dawned on me to see what was here in Cornwall, and you can imagine my joy!
“Before I knew it, my dog Cody and I were travelling all over the place in my beat up 20-year-old car, trekking across all kinds of moorland and all sorts of offthe-beaten-track places, in all kinds of weather - often getting chased by large animals in the process!”
Once Sam started visiting the prehistoric sites on his own doorstep, such as Brown Willy, Rough Tor, Trethevy Quoit and the
Hurlers, he was completely hooked and decided that he wanted to see them all. “I became completely drawn to finding and photographing them as best I could,” he recalls. “It turned into a sort of treasure hunt, I guess, and it became impossible to stop.
“It wasn’t until I started capturing certain stones in a certain way that I began to see them in a different light, and then the idea to create a book about them was just something I had to do. Little did I know the challenge ahead!”
It seems a simple enough idea on paper; after all, plenty of these ancient sites are very well-known and easy to find. But there are many more obscure stones that are at best vague dots on an Ordnance Survey map, and at worst just a halfremembered rumour of some relic hidden somewhere in a bramble-covered hedge. Anyone who has found themselves wandering in circles on Bodmin Moor in the wind and the rain in search of a fallen granite standing stone among piles of,
well... granite stones will know just what a challenge this must have been.
“Some of the stones were so difficult to find, it almost felt like I was being put through some kind of initiation process by them, and only through sheer determination would they reveal themselves to me,” Sam laughs, adding: “Nothing to do with my inexperience of trekking in the wilds, of course.”
Sam re-visited individual stones many times to get the right shot, at different times of the day/year, in all kinds of weather. “I’m certainly not complaining - it’s been one of the best experiences of my life,” Sam explains. “But I didn’t quite realise the task at hand, if I’m honest!”
One site in particular became very special to Sam: Men Gurta, also known as the St Breock Downs Longstone. This giant standing stone towers nearly 5m high and weighs an estimated 16.8 tons – reputedly the heaviest standing stone in Cornwall. The menhir stands only a short distance from Sam’s home, but he didn't realise it
existed until he started his quest. His shots of this stone - and its close neighbour the St Breock Downs Menhir, juxtaposed against the backdrop of the nearby modern windturbines - are particularly striking.
What really shines through in these pages is the author’s love of and connection with these wonderful stones. And an important part of Sam’s mission is to get others interested in and excited about these ancient sites, and to encourage them to follow in his footsteps.
“By going to some of these places, you really get to see parts of Cornwall you would never normally know about - there is just so much to explore,” he says. “You never really know what’s going to be beyond that hill, across that field, or hidden in those woods. Whenever I’m driving around now, I’m always looking for where the next hidden stone might be!” l
Order a copy of Matter of the Otherworld from Sam’s website: www.matteroftheotherworld.com
Hi Jeremy! How are things?
Great, thanks! I’m at home in Cape Town, where it’s the end of spring. The skies are blue, the jasmine and bougainvillaea are in bloom. One of the benefits of being a touring musician is that you can chase the summer and leave when it gets cold! I was in the UK for your heatwave.
You first came to Cornwall in your teens
Yes, I was 19. Growing up, there was a real stigma attached to going to work in the UK. There was a stereotype called the Heathrow Injection: people would go to London, work in bars, eat lots of pies and come back 10kg heavier. Surfers like me vowed never to do such a thing. Instead, I worked my way through the RYA sailing qualifications and travelled the world on multi-million-pound yachts. Then a friend who was working in Polzeath said: “We’re having a blast – you should come.” It sounded more fun than being isolated on a yacht, so I did. I taught surfing and worked in bars such as Carter’s.
I camped, but was shocked to discover how much things cost, so I bought a tiny tent and a couple of chairs, thinking that would be enough. When my friend’s mum came to check on us, she was so appalled at my living conditions that she marched me to a camping shop in Wadebridge and kitted me out with a family-sized tent, a clothing rail... The end result was that I had an enviable bachelor pad for the summer!
How was the surf?
Terrible! But Cape Town is a surfing mecca,
It was often about hunting specific waves and breaks. Tregardock beach on the north coast was a favourite place.
I try and visit every year if I can. My friend still lives near Rock. I figure that if you can’t live in a place as cool as Cape Town, the next best thing is to live by the coast in a place like Cornwall; the communities are similar to those we knew growing up. I’ve also played festivals there, like Tunes In The Dunes and Boardmasters.
I was a late bloomer. After my travels, I went back to South Africa to do a business degree. It was horrific, and I bought a guitar as an outlet for my creative angst. I taught myself to play, then learned the harmonica. Then I found a loop pedal in a store – it allowed me to record and accompany myself at a time when I didn’t feel confident enough to play with others. I started busking, learned to interact with crowds and developed a cult following. Within my third year of performing, I was selling out 5,000-seater venues in South Africa; today, I sell out shows all over the world.
I’m very aware of my carbon footprint, and launched Greenpop, an eco-project that has planted more than 150,000 trees across sub- Saharan Africa, in a bid to offset it.
On your latest album, Heard You Got Love, you collaborate with Ed Sheeran and Ladysmith Black Mambazo
I’ve always been a huge fan of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who famously worked on Paul Simon’s Graceland. I had written This
just ring them up and ask, and he said: “If anyone can, you can.” So I asked – and they said yes! As for Ed, I was invited to his show in South Africa, and received a personal invitation to his private party. Several months later I went to his countryside studio to work on some ideas - Better Together was co-written with the team behind Shape Of You.
You’re a household name in South Africa –what's that like?
It’s a nice feeling, but I’m cognisant of the impact on my privacy. One thing I love about touring in Europe is I can go to a public gym, for example, or take a sauna before a show - hanging out semi-naked back home would be a recipe for disaster.
I’m looking forward to returning to the UK next summer to perform at festivals, and Cornwall is very much part of the plan. l
Heard You Got Love is available on streaming platforms including Spotify
The ongoing success of Whitewater Contemporary Polzeath has resulted in its expansion into the space previously occupied by its neighbouring gallery. Having generated huge interest in its monthly Featured Artist series over the last two years, owners Nick and Suki Wapshott are adding a host of new names to their coveted list of painters, sculptors, ceramicists and makers. “We’ve had a fantastic response to Whitewater Contemporary so far” says Nick. “We wanted to bring the perfect mix of Cornish and British art to Polzeath, and that has been well received by art lovers here, as well as our seasonal visitors from the UK and abroad. Our Featured Artist series means there is always something new to see at the gallery, and an additional collection of mixed works is always on show.” The series continues throughout December with an exhibition of work by emerging young talent Max Leuchars. l
Whitewater Contemporary, The Parade, Polzeath, PL27 6SR. For further information and to take a virtual tour of current gallery exhibitions see whitewatercontemporary.co.uk
A new collection of work by St Mawes artist David Gray has just arrived at the Customs House Gallery in Porthleven. David's work evokes a real sense of place and emotion, depicting harbours as moody and misty, or bright and colourful after a bout of rain. This collection is no different. "I have always had a love of boats," David explains. “If the tide is in with turquoise water, you get reflections and shadows; if the tide is out, the boats lean over as if they are drunk on the sand. The colours of boats, buoys, fishing nets and fishermen are all a pure joy to paint." The gallery is open daily in the run-up to Christmas and all work is available to view on the gallery website. l
Circa 21 joins the UK's freshest and finest creative independent shops and makers in the third Just a Card (JAC) online fair, this time with a Christmas theme. It’s free to view until December 23 at justacard.org. Circa 21 owner Esme Burton has been creating jewellery in her upstairs studio space, inspired by whatever the seasons show through the windows overlooking Mount's Bay. Butterflies are one such natural beauty, and the resulting earrings are now part of a limited edition jewellery collection this winter. Remember: Shop Small, Shop Local! l
Circa 21, 21 Market Jew Street Penzance TR18 2HR. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Call 07876 124449, email circa21pz@gmail.com or visit www.circa21.co.uk
The Cowhouse Gallery is run by a group of local artists and craftspeople and this independence allows them to offer a wide range of original arts and crafts at very affordable prices.
Painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, ceramics, glass, jewellery, textiles and woodturning are all beautifully displayed in this bright light art space.
A stroll away is Perranuthnoe Cove and breathtaking coastal walks, looking towards St Michael’s Mount in one direction and to Prussia Cove in the opposite direction.
I am a professional artist living in Poundstock Bude where I have my studio. Living in London, rural villages, and quaint market towns with lots of character has provided me with many sources of inspiration for my art.
After being enthralled the first time I saw Turner’s paintings in the National Gallery I quickly realised that my dream was to become an artist.
Over the years I have crafted an eclectic portfolio by painting in acrylic, oils, and charcoal.
At the beginning of every painting, I draw Reiki symbols on the canvas before applying the underpainting. It gives another dimension and positive energy to the painting that will remain within wherever is its forever home.
I have several exhibitions and events coming up in 2023 so please visit my website for details.
For more information or if you would like to visit my studio please telephone or text 07795 108577. www.gloriabardellart.com
Winter Openings: 11am - 4pm Lynfield Craft Centre, Perranuthnoe, Cornwall, TR20 9NE Tel: 01736 710538 www.cowhousegallery.co.uk
The Jackson Foundation is releasing a new limited-edition Kurt Jackson print to raise £30,000 for charities in the St Just area. As well as hosting world-class exhibitions by renowned artists, the Jackson Foundation Gallery in St Just also offers affordable and desirable Kurt Jackson related items for the art-lover (perfect as gifts) such as books, jewellery and prints including Four Seasons in One Day (pictured). The Jackson Foundation will donate 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this beautiful limitededition print, with the aim of raising £30,000 for the benefit of local groups and various projects including the Nancherrow Centre youth club, as well as helping to fund the provision of a minibus and free art equipment for local schools, and supporting a project that supplies and delivers free hot meals to elderly people in Penwith who find themselves alone on Christmas Day. l
Find our more at www.jacksonfoundationgallery.com/fourseasons
The gallery at Trelissick is always busy during the Christmas gifting season, then normal business resumes with the 2023 Exhibition Program, launching with Craftsmanship 2023 from January 28. Starting each year with a ‘Best of the Best’ of members’ work is something of a tradition for Cornwall Crafts, running since the association’s inception in 1973. That makes 2023 its 50th anniversary and there will be celebrations: watch this space!
Pictured: Ceramics by Karen Carlyon. l
www.cornwallcrafts.co.uk
An exhibition of work by nine Design-Nation members in Cornwall and Devon, runs until January 4 at the Bedruthan Hotel, Mawgan Porth. SHINE features work across several disciplines, including glass, textiles, ceramics, jewellery and lighting. selected artists showcase personal responses to the land, its history and its objects. Artists are guided by tactile curiosity and emotional response. For some, found objects are considered lost treasures and reinterpreted; for others, work grows organically and materials create exquisite results. Artists: Alison Shelton Brown, Bridget Macklin, Carin Lindberg,
Catherine Wallace is an independant freelance art historian, author and lecturer who has taught independent courses in Cornwall since 2013. Her January programme includes lectures on Canadian artist Elizabeth Adela Forbes (1859 - 1912), wife of Stanhope and member of the Newlyn School (January 10, 11am on Zoom or recorded on YouTube); and The NicholsonsAn Artistic Dynasty, a study day covering Sir William Nicholson (1872 – 1949), his son Ben and their wives and daughters, including Winifred Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth (Tuesday, January 17, Truro Library; Tuesday, January 24, The Centre, Newlyn Trinity Methodist Church; Thursday, January 26 on Zoom or recorded online video. All £35). Tickets via www.cathwallace.co.uk l
Plants feed, fuel and nurture humans, provide the very air we breathe, and colour the fabric of our lives. A new exhibition at the Eden Project explores this interdependency: Super Natural features work including site-specific commissions from a range of high-profile international artists, including Ai Weiwei, Kedisha Coakley, Patricia Domínguez, Iman Datoo, Ingela Ihrman and Eduardo Navarro. "Whether through senses and signals or elemental cycles, we are all connected to a complex and dynamic web,” says Eden curator Hannah Hooks. “Today, however, some cultures - including our own, for the most part - have become separated from nature, both in language and in action. The hope is that this exhibition will act as both inspiration and provocation to demonstrate that we - like all life on Earth - are just really, really natural.” Until February 26. l
Pictured: Ai Weiwei's Fly (2019)
A major new touring exhibition from Falmouth curator traces the stories of Arthurian legend and the Pre-Raphaelite artists across the UK. The Legend of King Arthur: A Pre-Raphaelite Love Story signposts relics and landmarks across the country, creating an immersive experience that allows audiences to walk in Arthur’s footsteps and see it through new eyes. Curated by Natalie Rigby of Falmouth Art Gallery, the year-long exhibition is currently at the William Morris Gallery in London, moving to Tullie House in Carlisle from February 2023 and arriving in Cornwall – famed for its geographical connections to Arthurian legend – on June 17 for a final stint at Falmouth Art Gallery, ending on September 30. Each stage of the tour sees the exhibition tweaked to tell the Arthurian stories relevant to the region. Work by PreRaphaelite artists such as William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones will be on display, as well as the entire Lady of Shalott series of paintings by English painter John William Waterhouse, exhibited together in the UK for the first time. l
www.falmouthartgallery.co.uk
Elaine Turnbull captures the essence of life in Cornwallrugged landscapes, rural scenes and ancient traditions - through a bold and sensitive use of colour and form. Cows amble back to their barns for the evening, sheep graze the fields, dog walkers meander through the landscape, and bathers brave the autumn sea. “When I look at a landscape, I see the human actions that have shaped it: the buildings, the cows that have trampled the paths, the feet that have walked across it. Those layers are fascinating to me, and I try to explore that through my work.”
When The Cows Come Home runs at Livingstone St Ives, Westcotts Quay until December 23. l
www.livingstonestives.co.uk
Cornwall-based artists aged 35 and under are invited to apply for a month-long exhibition in the Studio Gallery at Penwith Gallery, for a solo or joint show over Summer 2023, funded by the Penwith Society of Arts. The Young Penwith Artists scheme was launched in summer 2022 with invited artists Sophie Fraser and Alice Ellis-Bray. The deadline for 2023 applications is 11pm on Tuesday, January 10. l
For details, email mail@penwithgallery.com
A landmark exhibition has opened at Tate St Ives celebrating the work and influence of the iconic British artist Barbara Hepworth (1903–1975).
quickly embraced the artistic community and was a founder member of the Penwith Society of Arts in 1949, with Nicholson and artists including Peter Lanyon and Bernard Leach. The landscapes of West Cornwall captivated her and generated a period of extraordinary creativity which saw her adopt bronze as a principal medium.
The show will explore Hepworth’s forays into stage design and her interest in the movement of the body, with a particular focus on the creation of her monumental Single Form for the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The exhibition also explores her wider interests: music, dance, science, politics, religion and her lesser-known fascination with space and spirituality, including a visit to Goonhilly Earth Station on the Lizard.
Encompassing almost 50 sculptures, as well as rarely seen paintings, drawings, prints and designs, Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life will focus the special significance of St Ives on her work.
The show was originally staged at The Hepworth Wakefield, which collaborated with Tate St Ives to reimagine it for the Cornish context in which Hepworth lived and worked. It will emphasise how the area’s rugged landscape and close-knit artistic community became important sources of inspiration.
Hepworth was born in Wakefield in 1903, and relocated to St Ives with her husband Ben Nicholson and their young
family at the outbreak of war in 1939. She lived and worked in Trewyn Studios – now the Barbara Hepworth Museum –from 1949, buying the Palais de Danse opposite in 1961 for a larger working space. Hepworth died in 1975 following an accidental fire at Trewyn.
Visitors to the exhibition will follow Hepworth’s early artistic journey from her initial studies at Leeds School of Art in 1920–21 to her travels across Europe, and her subsequent life in London in the 1930s, where she started a family while continuing to create work, moving away from overtly figurative work towards abstraction.
During her early years in St Ives, she
This exhibition has already been on show at the Hepworth Wakefield gallery, near the artist’s birthplace, and now celebrates her extraordinary life and achievements in the place she considered her ‘spiritual home’. l
Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life is at Tate St Ives until May 1, 2023. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4.20pm until March 1, then daily, 10am to 5.20pm.
Cornwall residents can get unlimited yearround entry to Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden for just £5, by presenting proof of address. Find out more at tate.org.uk/stives
A new nature-inspired sculpture for the Lost Gardens of Heligan.
A beautiful listed building at the heart of The Lost Gardens of Heligan has reopened following a revitalising refurbishment project, with an exquisite sculpture as its centrepiece.
Nestled in the heart of the gardens, surrounded by pom-pom hydrangeas and lilac blooms in blues and cream, The Steward’s House was built around 1850 as a home for John Way, and was subsequently home to Samuel Gillard, James Wonnacott, John Martyn and George Hay Henderson. Squire Jack Tremayne moved in during the First World War, freeing up Heligan House for use as a convalescent hospital for officers of the Royal Flying Corps.
Most recently, The Steward’s House was used as a seasonal tearoom and offices until closing last autumn for renovation. The refurb team worked closely with two Cornish artists to connect past and present, inside and out, and using materials from Heligan’s woods wherever possible.
Sculptor, painter and site-specific artist James Eddy is no stranger to Heligan, having undertaken a year's residency in 2010, culminating in the creation of the Growth & Decay charcoal sculpture: a living and decaying piece which interacts with nature, gradually changing with its surroundings. His latest contribution is a tree sculpture created from fallen oak from the garden, now weaving and bending its way through the walls and ceiling of the dining room as though nature has magically sprouted within the house.
In fact, one led to the other. “I was on my way to tend to Growth & Decay when I noticed the building team in the Steward’s
House,” says James. “It transpired that they’d had a design meeting and had come up with the concept of having a tree across the ceiling – and my name had been mentioned.”
James produced a design, and the hunt was on for a suitable tree on the estate. Having consulted with the head gardener, it turned out Storm Eunice had brought down an oak tree only recently. The estate team swung into action, helping to extract the tree with tractors and chainsaws.
James stripped the tree of bark and pith, and carved the trunk with chisels for a permanent bark-like texture. An environmental science graduate, James has preserved mosses from the tree to be rehomed as part of a future project, while wood offcuts have been turned into pieces for his MA in Fine Art (one was even exhibited at the Inter-Celtique Festival in Lorient in August).
For the installation, it was important to consider that, unlike Growth & Decay, the work would be both indoors and permanent, in a public space used for all-day dining, celebrations and intimate weddings. As such, it needed to take building regulations into account, as well as health and safety requirements.
The finished work, known to James as The Lightening Dancer, is a bit of a “Frankenstein’s monster” by his own admission. “By its very nature, oak is zigzaggy and gnarly, and to keep it above head height across the ceiling, getting the angle right, could take forever,” he explains. “We used the middle part of the tree with other stable bits of wood added on, so there is clear space where
people are walking, but you’ll be sitting underneath the work.”
Branches have been positioned across over the doorway and arch, while another goes diagonally across the room. Each glistens with oak leaves and acorns, strategically added for depth of foliage and to cast delightful shadows in carefully planned lighting.
James called upon his friend, St Ives metalworker Sharon McSwiney, who drew each leaf by hand and brought it to life in rich red, copper and golden patinated brass, using a photo-etching process.
“My designs were transferred onto the metallic surface,” Sharon explains. “Each leaf was then individually soldered to a wire or rod, heated a couple of times, sometimes with added flux, to create the variations of surface colour. I aimed to emulate the natural forms you would find on autumn leaves, and applied a lacquer coating to bring out the colours.
“The acorns are made using the lost wax casting method and an actual acorn, hence the very realistic appearance. These were given a polished finish to contrast with the copper leaves. There aren't many acorns on the tree, so it is lovely when you spot one!
“It was a really exciting project to be involved with, especially with the scale and the fact it was to be a permanent display at Heligan. I love to visit the Gardens, and now feel I have even more of a connection to them.” l
The Steward’s House is available for bookings – visit www.heligan.com
The Steward’s House on St Michael’s Mount was built around 1815 to act both as a residence and an office for the Mount Steward. The village population at that time was about 300, with three pubs, a school and a thriving harbour.
The grand house is one of the few buildings to survive the great Victorian restorations on the island that started in the 1870s. It still belongs to the St Aubyn family, who recently transformed it into an art gallery; it now houses the Sheila Hichens Collection, comprising Newlyn School artwork depicting life in West Cornwall.
For a newly-created intimate walled garden at the rear of the house, Lord and Lady St Levan commissioned a new work by sculptural artist Tom Leaper. St Michael is an abstract artwork cast
in patinated bronze and plated with gold. The archangel is represented with sweeping wings, slaying Satan (in the form of a serpent) with his sword.
The precise placement of this piece is significant: when sunlight falls upon the work from the west, it casts a shadowy silhouette of the serpent on the ground. It also stands in alignment with the church on top of the Mount, which in turn aligns with the seven locations dedicated to St Michael found upon the ley line. These are also referenced by seven circles of gold on the handle of the sword.
Entry to the Steward’s House is free for visitors to the island until April 30, 2023. For opening dates and times, visit www. stmichaelsmount.co.uk
Feel inspired this winter - discover Circa 21, a wonderfully creative shop in the heart of Penzance, established in 2014 by Esme & Alan Burton.
XMAS SHOPPING event on Sunday 18th December 11am-4pm.
Spread over two floors, you’ll find work from some of the region’s top potters like John Webb & Lincoln Kirby-Bell. West Penwith is bursting with originality and Esme has captured some of this talent for you to admire and fall in love with.
Original art from Theresa Shaw and Steph Croydon are among 30 Cornwall based makers, including owner Esme’s pretty silver & copper jewellery that she makes in-house.
CIRCA 21, 21 Market Jew Street, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 2HR • Open 10am-4pm (closed Sundays & Bank Holiday Mondays) A circa21pz • www.circa21.co.uk
KURT JACKSON: HELFORD RIVER UntilFebruary2023. In this new collection Kurt Jackson revisits the Helford River, its creeks and tributaries reveal stunning beauty and incredible biodiversity.
Located towards
top
themselves. Check our website for details on what’s coming up.
Opening Times: Tues to Sat 10am-5pm Inspire Makers, 5 High Street, Falmouth, TR11 2AB • T: 01326 531176 E: create@inspiremakers.com • W: www.inspiremakers.com A @inspire_makers • G inspiremakers
ANDER GUNN: SEVEN DECADES UntilFebruary2023. Photographer Ander Gunn has spent a lifetime turning his lens to the world, from working class Londoners to the brightest lights of the St Ives School. This exhibition of black and white images reflects his output over the last 70 years to offer a small sample of his portrait, landscape and street photography.
Please check website for seasonal opening times North Row, St Just, TR19 7LB • T: 01736 787638 www.jacksonfoundationgallery.com
connections to Cornwall. Displaying in several local galleries, Martin’s work looks to capture Cornwall’s rugged and wild coastal areas, often en plein air when possible, and as a result has had his work exhibition both nationally and internationally in solo and mixed exhibitions.
www.martinjohnfowler.com
Sharon McSwiney, Gallery on the Square, 12 Island Square, St Ives TR26 1NX Tel 01736 448293 • www.sharonmcswiney.co.uk
the
of Falmouth High Street, Inspire Makers is a creative space showcasing the talent of over 50 Cornish artists and craftspeople. There is a wide range of contemporary work from both wellknown and emerging makers, across jewellery, ceramics, textiles, painting & prints, stationery, and homewares. There is also a pop-up gallery which hosts a year round programme of short exhibitions by Cornish artists, and a dedicated workshop space which offers classes to inspire people to become creative
Martin John Fowler is a professional working artist based in South Yorkshire with strong
SHARON MCSWINEY
A bright gallery space showcasing metalwork, silver jewellery & artwork. Inspired by the Cornish coast unique pieces created by Sharon in St Ives.
Chef-proprietor Ben Tunnicliffe is celebrating 10 successful years at the helm of The Tolcarne Inn in Newlyn. A Signature Dishes Menu featuring some of his favourites from the last decade will run every evening from Tuesday to Saturday until December 15, at £35 for three courses. At Ben’s second pub, The Packet Inn Smokehouse at Rosudgeon, the menu has been adapted to feature a competitively priced burger menu, early dining deals and loyalty cards in response to the current economic climate. “We’ve really cut back our margins because we want to see as many loyal regulars and new faces as possible,” says Ben. “I am so scared for the future of our industry - a lot of great, familyrun restaurants face going out of business this winter. Even if you can only afford to pop in for a beer once a week, or a modest lunch once a month, do it!” l
Porthleven Food Festival will return from April 21 to 23, 2023, presented in partnership with renowned chef Jude Kereama. The free foodie event attracts around 35,000 people to the picturesque harbourside and seeks to celebrate Cornwall’s leading food and drink producers, stimulate the local economy and raise awareness of key issues relating to the environment, food culture and sustainable food production. Watch this
Colwith Farm Distillery of Lanlivery has introduced a new limited edition aged vodka and gin to its award-winning collection of Aval Dor premium spirits. Founder Steve Dustow says: “We couldn’t resist laying down our award-winning vodka in first-fill American oak barrels, just to see - the result is better than we ever imagined!” The combination of time and charred oak can transform and enhance the spirit, offering both the trade and consumer markets something unique to experiment with in serves and cocktails. The Barrel Aged Vodka (70cl, £44) has
It’s all change on the restaurant front across Cornwall. The 16th-century Prince of Wales pub in Newtown on the Lizard has reopened following a successful community rescue mission; and William Speed and Tamara Costin, owners of the acclaimed beachhouse and schoolhouse in Devon, have taken over the Seven
been enriched with sweet, creamy vanilla undertones, subtle spice and charred oak, while the Barrel Aged Spiced Gin (70cl £47) with its juniper, orange zest and nutmeg botanicals, “has reached a whole new level” according to Steve. Both arrive in time for the festive season, along with a gift pack (4 miniatures, £27) and a hamper (£99) while stocks last. All products are distilled from Cornish potatoes, grown on the fifth-generation family farm. l
Find out more at www.colwithfarmdistillery.co.uk
Stars in Flushing, which will reopen in early spring 2023 following a full structural refurbishment. Route 38 US-style diner at Trefulefoot, near Saltash, has been acquired by Loungers, owner of Lounge café restaurants in Newquay, Truro and Falmouth. Meanwhile, The Harbourside Refuge in Porthleven – previously owned by Rick Stein and in Michael Caines’ stable since July 2020 - has closed “for the forseeable future" due to soaring cost increases, and the Old Grammar School in Truro is now permanently closed. l
The 2022 heatwave produced a bumper harvest for English winemakers like Knightor.
lining. English winemakers saw bumper yields in 2022 thanks to optimum vinegrowing conditions, while warmer temperatures have enabled growers to produce a wide variety of still and sparkling wines from grape varieties that were previously much harder to cultivate, such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling.
“The heatwave might not have been great for growing potatoes, but it was perfect for vines,” says David Brocklehurst, head winemaker at Knightor. “Flowering began around two weeks earlier than we usually expect, coinciding with good weather and resulting in a good fruit set.”
Having joined the team in 2012, one of the wettest summers on record – local attractions saw their income decimated
The winery was founded by Adrian Derx, whose Italian heritage ignited an interest in wine. Having sought out suitable sites, he planted his first vines near Looe in 2006, followed by Portscatho on the Roseland Peninsula in 2007.
Both sites are coastal and south-facing, meaning plenty of exposure to the sun. There’s another important factor: “The soil is free-draining,” David explains. “A lot of Cornwall is solid clay, and with quite a high rainfall you need something to offset that.” There are now 17,000 vines across the two sites, a mix of varieties: big hitters including Pinot Noir, Bacchus, Seyval Blanc and Riesling, alongside less familiar names such as Madeleine Angevine and Rondo.
Vines take three years to establish, so
winery site in a converted cattle shed at Trethurgy, next door to the Eden Project on land acquired from Imerys. It gave the wine its name - the settlement of Knightor is first recorded in 1305, and the 18thcentury manor house is now available as wedding accommodation.
David studied oenology and viticulture, and was looking at jobs around the world. He chose Cornwall for its variety and willingness to experiment. “Winegrowing regions are restricted by law as to what they can grow. In comparison to more traditional regions, English wine is relatively new, and we can grow grapes to produce white, rose, red and sparkling wines... It’s not your typical winery, which is why I enjoy it.”
Pruning is about to begin – about 90% of the previous year’s growth will be snipped off, leaving two shoots which are tied down to the trellis. Cornwall’s mild climate ensures frost, which can damage the buds, is less of a problem here than for other UK vineyards. By June (“usually around Wimbledon time”) the vines have grown and are flowering. “That’s the critical time, as it determines what the yield will be like. Good weather will ensure good fruit; bad weather, poor yields.”
Vine care continues throughout the summer, with trellis work and canopy management aiming for neat rows rather than a jungle, and leaf removal in midAugust to ensure a good flow sunlight around the fruit for maximum ripeness.
In 2022, the harvest began in the first week of September, with the team picking a high-quality Pinot Noir Précoce grape at Portscatho; the final variety of Seyval
Blanc was collected in the first week of October from Seaton vineyard. The wines are now ageing in a tank; still wines are aged before being bottled and some will be taken to retail within six months, while methode champenoise wines can be aged in the bottle for five years or more.
Yields are up on the previous two years, and David and his team are pleased the overall quality, anticipating that next year’s offerings will be some of the best yet. David predicts some good sparklings, very good still whites (including a “really promising” still unoaked Chardonnay) and rosés, plus the return of a few reds such as a Portscatho Pinot Noir Précoce red, which will need a year in the barrel to soften. “In general, everything from this year will be fuller bodied than typical – really fruity and characterful,” says David.
The urge to innovate extends to new products: last summer, canned rosé spritz
Aprèz was launched onto the market in a bid to appeal to a younger audience. “It’s a single serve and you can take it down to the beach as part of a picnic.” In 2023, you’ll see the winery’s first “orange” wine, a oneoff small batch of white Muscat fermented on skins. “We’re always looking for new and different things to do, which is great fun.”
The fun doesn’t stop at wine. You can tuck into Sunday lunch at the winery, while The Vine by Knightor at Portscatho serves small plates on long sharing tables with panoramic views over the Roseland coastline. Look out for special events including a Burns Night celebration, a Scandi feast night and a Valentine’s Day crab smash! l
Knightor Winery, Trethurgy PL26 8YQ. Wine shop and tastings: Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm, Sunday 1pm to 4pm (Sunday Lunch served noon to 3pm).
The Vine by Knightor, Portscatho TR2 5EH. www.knightor.com
Warm your cockles this winter with a delectable hot chocolate. Hunker down in front of a toasty log fire or brave the elements on the windswept coast. Apparently, January 31 is National Hot Chocolate Day, but why wait until then?
Where’s your favourite hot chocolate spot? Email kirstie@mycornwall.tv
It won't matter what the weather’s like outside when you’re wrapped up warm inside, sinking into a deep-set sofa with your hands around ‘The Naughty’ hot chocolate: Sloanes luxury hot chocolate with Curly Wurly chunks, topped with marshmallows, cream, dark chocolate shavings, caramel sauce, crushed Maltesers, a Curly Wurly and wafer rolls for garnish. Be extra Naughty and add a Baileys shot. It’s practically a meal! www.penventon.com
more as dessert: Tiramisu, Black Forest Gateau, Mint Choc Chip... all with a generous helping of squirty cream and special extras on top. It’s thick and creamy (the secret is in the cornflour). Peel your wetsuit/gloves off and wrap your hands around its cosy goodness. www.watergatebay.co.uk/eat/the-beach-hut/
(and walking distance) of historic Restormel Castle. Belgian hot chocolate buttons (choose from dark, milk or white chocolate) are steamed with Rodda’s dairy milk, with an optional luxurious topping: whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate sauce. The café will be closed from Christmas Day to January 16, and upon reopening will be re-homed temporarily in a tipi on the new Woodland Terrace due to exciting development works – watch this space! www. duchyofcornwallnursery.co.uk
You’ll find this street food vendor flying the Tricolore flag every Saturday from 9am to 1pm at the Food Barn, Tregew (TR11 5UG). French-born chef-patron Vincent lovingly prepares a Chocolat Chaud recipe influenced by his grandmother; made with 74% cocoa, full-fat milk and heavy cream, with a choice of toppings including whipped cream, chocolate shavings, marshmallow or the triple whammy, it's quite simply magnifique! It’s sure to be a highlight of the Food Barn Christmas Markets throughout December. Tel 07563 205281, Instagram/Facebook @ bienmangermangercornwall. www.foodbarn-tregew.co.uk
What started out in a domestic kitchen in Truro is now a fullyfledged café at the Via Ferrata Cornwall site near Penryn. Their hot chocolate is topped with the biggest marshmallow you’ve ever seen, and 10% of all café sales goes towards supporting the charity work of BF Adventure with young people. Van available for weddings, corporate events and festivals. Winter opening hours: 9am to 4pm, daily. www.thecornishbarista.co.uk
deep, sweet, creamy hot chocolate drink with tasting notes of nutty cocoa melting into sweet caramel and fudge with subtle flavours of soft brown fruit. Ooh la la! Alternatively, Kernow Chocolate and Josh’s Chocolate both produce hot chocolate spoons – dip in warm milk and watch the magic happen. Find a heart-warming Alpine hot chocolate (pictured on page 67) recipe containing Cornish clotted cream at www.roddas.co.uk/ recipes/cornish-hot-chocolate/
A contemporary coffee shop in Polperro with a chilled-out vibe, serving awesome specialty coffee and epic cakes and bakes. Owner Abby relocated from the Cotswolds in 2020, and has quickly established a following: one reviewer declared the white hot chocolate “to die for”. Open Thursday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm.
I was born in Devon and grew up absorbing cooking techniques from my family, following the breadcrumb trail left for me by my late grandmother. My formal training came in the British Army, then I took on my first chef role with Michael Caines at the Royal Clarence Hotel in Exeter and the twoMichelin Star Gidleigh Park. From there, I went on to head up the kitchen at the Five Bells in Cullompton, during which time it became one of the UK's Top 50 Gastropubs.
You took over as head chef at Hotel Meudon in August. Have you been busy?
Oh, it’s been crazy! I had to hit the ground running. Like so many restaurants, we have been short-staffed and just had to keep things going; now I have a great team, and a waiting list of people who want to work with us, which is a much better position to be in.
What rules do you live by in your kitchen?
Kindness, equality, patience and nurture. The stereotypical idea of a head chef shouting at people and bullying them isn’t my thing at all. I like to build a really strong team and give everyone a voice in my kitchen. Like Tom Kerridge, I see them as a little gang of pirates and treat them well. It works - I’ve got people on my team who have been with me five or six years, and have moved around with me.
You’ve been working on the menu –what should we expect?
The previous chef was very good – fish, fresh ingredients, classical style – so I didn’t want to fiddle around with it too
much, just put my own touch on what’s already there. I’ve gone for more seasonal variation - we’ve got Bodmin venison on the menu at the moment (and on New Year’s Eve) - and foraged ingredients.
Are you using ingredients from your doorstep?
Yes, we’re right on the cove, and I’m out there most days looking for inspiration. When I first came, it was fresh seaweed and herbs; now it’s mushrooms and rock samphire, which is great with turbot. We also have an exotic garden to pick from – I have made fig leaf ice cream, which is so fragranced and fruity, and the fruit of the dogwood tree is like a lychee and delicious in sorbet.
How would you describe your own food?
My food is quintessentially English but
drawing influence from my Nordic descent (on my father’s side) and time spent in Japan – I’m a third degree blackbelt in Aikido, and while studying in Japan on a ten-year hiatus from cheffing, I immersed myself in the local cuisine and studied that too.
Tell us about some of the highlights of your cooking career
Earlier this year I competed in BBC2’s Great British Menu. The theme was 100 years of the BBC, so for the South West heat I cooked dishes with a local flavour - based on Wallace and Gromit, which originated in Bristol, and a duck dish to reflect the classic episode of Fawlty Towers in Torquay. While I felt I didn’t achieve as much as I’d have liked on the show, people seemed to like the way I came across – real and honest.
Did it lead to other opportunities?
Yes, off the back of GBM, I was invited to cook for Boris Johnson PM at 10 Downing Street in June. Most recently, I’ve been busy filming content for an upcoming campaign with Italian cheese brand Galbani and Lactalis UK to introduce their products to a British audience. So far, I’ve devised recipes for canapes, Christmas snacks and family meals.
What ingredients couldn’t you live without?
My Japanese vinegars, dashi powder, seaweed and nature!
What is your guilty food pleasure?
Something comforting and sweet, decadent and indulgent. l
My food is quintessentially English but drawing influence from my Nordic descent (on my father’s side) and time spent in JapanThe Pimm's Patio
Mere minutes from the A30, The Penventon in Redruth is perfectly situated to explore Cornwall’s vibrant gardens and picturesque beaches, while tucked away from the crowds. Spend your evenings immersed in a lively atmosphere designed for late nights and long conversations, and be sure to eat in the Dining Galleries restaurant, enjoying global cuisine and a bewildering array of wines and gins. Forget about designated drivers - simply rest your head in an artisan room, each one different from the next.
The Penventon is a luxurious Georgian mansion built in the early 19th century by John Penberthy-Magor, a partner in nearby Redruth Brewery (now Cornish archive centre Kresen Kernow). The house was renamed Penventon, meaning “top of the valley”, by the following owners: the
newly married Molesworth-St Aubyns, who were seeking a marital home conveniently located between their respective families in North and West Cornwall.
Subsequent owners included county magistrate John Hayle, JP and Sir Arthur and Lady Edith Carkeek. The Penventon became frequented with wealthy and influential local, titled families, who enjoyed attending lavish garden events at the grounds. But having lost much of their wealth in the Great Depression of 1934, the Carkeeks became the last residents to occupy The Penventon as a private home. In 1969, brothers David and George Pascoe and their wives, Paola and Joan, pooled funds to buy The Penventon and run it as a hotel. It has been in the family ever since. Each room has a unique design based on the history of the hotel
and family, from Georgian to Venetian, reflecting Paola’s Italian background.
Feature rooms include hand-carved fourposter beds which were rescued from a Georgian manor house in South Devon, renovated and now sing with Cosmopolitan mattresses and crisp white linen; Steamer Trunk Bars, containing your personal fridge filled with a range of chargeable goodies; and on your first night, a gin decanter filled with two free double measures.
The hotel bar, meanwhile, draws upon Cornwall’s mining heritage with its rippled copper sheeting. This is Cornwall’s largest gin bar with over 140 gins, as well as more than 130 wines and counting. The Dining Galleries restaurant is famed for its steaks and Italian food, and The Penventon has a big afternoon tea following too.
During the quieter months, The Penventon makes the perfect base from which to explore Cornwall’s treasures – climb the lofty summit of Carn Brea, or walk the windswept sands of Portreath.
The Escape Together two- or three-night winter package runs until March 2023, and includes an afternoon tea, one or two evening meals, a Superior Double room and full use of the leisure facilities. Sink into the bubbling jacuzzi, take a dip in the swimming pool, relax in the infra-red or traditional saunas, and book an appointment with a spa therapist.
From £459 (two nights, based on two people sharing).
The January Sparkling Stay & Dine offer, which runs throughout the month, includes a glass of fizz on arrival in the Copper
Bar followed by a dip in the pool and a delicious two-course evening meal in the Dining Galleries, before sinking into bed for a peaceful night’s sleep in a Classic Double room. Rates from £179 (based on two people sharing).
Young and four-pawed family members receive the warmest of welcomes here. Kids stay free in family rooms, with dedicated family swim times and a teepee in your bedroom for younger children.
Well-behaved dogs also stay free; the ground floor Superior Family Rooms are ideal, with plenty of space for up to two dogs, and an open patio with a small lawn area. Dogs are welcome in the Arbour, Lounge and Copper Bar areas (but not permitted in the Dining Galleries), and receive pooch welcome baskets including
treats such as a cosy fleece blanket, a super-comfy sink-in bed, food and water bowls. Towels, blankets and water are available in public areas.
There’s even a doggy menu, thoughtfully devised with nutrition in mind, served at set times and cooked fresh to order (never from a tin!). Whether it’s baked chicken and pumpkin, a two-egg omelette or the 4oz sirloin steak and peas (endearingly known as “I’ll have what dad’s having”), it’s clear four-legs eat just as well as two here. So if you’re looking to escape the ordinary, look no further – The Penventon awaits you! l
To find out more and make a booking, call 01209 203000 or visit www.penventon.co.uk
Head to the Water’s Edge at The Greenbank on Thursday, January 26 to savour a unique dining experience that will have you lapping at the shoreline.
Bobby Southworth, head chef of the Greenbank Hotel, has expertly crafted and curated a tantalising six-course menu that will both excite and indulge your taste buds and give you a true taste of all our coastal region has to offer.
The menu has heavy influences of traditional Cornish recipes with a modern Greenbank twist. Take your seat in the intimate Sundeck area, with its panoramic views of the River Fal, and listen as Bobby chats informally throughout the courses so you’ll also be able to learn some tips and tricks for your own cooking at home.
Expect mouth-watering locally sourced ingredients, from grass-fed beef and cheeses to freshly caught lobster and sole. Dishes will also be devised to make the most of seasonal produce: for example,
October’s menu included Autumn apple and blackberry trifle with candied almonds and blackberry sorbet.
The wine flight has been carefully crafted by our expert sommelier Holly Bennetts, with each glass perfectly pairing with every forkful. If you’re coming to the end of Dry January, an optional non-alcoholic drink flight will also be on offer.
Alternatively, to avoid having to designate a driver, why not stay over? The Taste of Cornwall escape includes dinner with two tempting tipples, followed by a luxury harbour view room and a hearty Cornish breakfast.
Six-course menu £69pp; wine flight £25; Taste of Cornwall Escape from £439 for two people. Bobby’s Taste of Cornwall will also take place on April 27 and October 19, 2023. To book a place, visit the booking diary at www.greenbank-hotel. co.uk and choose the 7pm time slot on your chosen date. l
The Greenbank Hotel, Harbourside, Falmouth, TR11 2SR. Tel 01326 312440, www.greenbank-hotel.co.uk
