On Friday March 4th 2022, the amazing Kit Hillbillies played at Calstock Arts, at the Old Chapel, Calstock.
A great time was had by all, and a generous collection for the UK Red Cross Ukraine appeal raised £1500.
How to describe the Kit Hillbillies?
Old-timey, good-timey bluegrass! With rousing vocal harmonies that smuggle in occasional quirky local references.
Instrumental tasting notes: Banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar. Irresistibly tappy on the toes, with a crisp percussive finish.
Think Betty Stogs, rather than Harvey’s Bristol Cream!
In their words: “We throw in some original bluesy songs with many a knowing nod to the backwoods and badlands of Devon & Cornwall. These *usually* avoid causing offence (happily people don’t always listen to the words!). We always do some 20thC classics by the likes of Johnny Cash & Steve Earle. And like Hayseed Dixie we throw in songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Clash and even Radiohead – all delivered in good-time string band style. In short, it’s the makings of a rousing, stomping night of tunes.”
As well as the on line newsletter we also offer a print copy which can be delivered to you within the parish. We love your feedback and articles email to editor@south-hill or call Ali on 07305 044049.
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Wear or carry bells and raise funds for St Sampson’s bells fund to rehang & ring the church bells. RAMBELL starts South Hill church Dec. 11th 9:30am Unique experiences as we cross fields not usually allowed, bell ringing, tower climbing, lavender field, private property, Polhilsa , Whiteford Temple…. Dogs on leads and children under control at all times.
We had a great time on the walk and raised lots of money > St Sampson’s Historic bells – JustGiving , raised awareness and raised our spirits !! THANK YOU to everyone that made it such a success.
I think you all know the bat situation. The licence application has now been submitted to allow us to do the works planned for the summer and we should be able to do everything starting in October. This has however left us with an extra cost of £6,000 +. Therefore we have a new campaign:
South Hill Bat Project – helping bats and humans share their space.
This is an opportunity not just to raise money, but to think about how we interact with the wildlife in the churchyard (and church) and make it a community project. There will be a bat talk event and a bat box making workshop. Any other ideas will be welcome. We have recently secured a £1,000 grant from Tamar Valley AONB sustainable development award towards the project.
Rain stops play on SHARE hydro project… but only for a while
If you even glanced out of the window in mid-December, you may have noticed the rain…lots and lots of it. So even though SHARE are pushing full tilt to getting the hydro project monitoring, we have to recognise that the extreme downpours and Orange weather warnings all impacted what we do. But there has been plenty of progress all the same.
Lots has been happening in the background since Christmas, with quotes, condition reports and plenty of visiting experts on bells, ceiling, gutters, windows, monuments and heating. We are working closely with our architect, who has to oversee a lot of the work because our wonderful grade 1 listed building needs to be cared for sensitively, to preserve our unique heritage and at the same time make it fit for 21C use by the community and congregation. We are blessed by having a 14thC piece of Christian Cornish history in our midst (Trelawny himself would have set foot here in his first parish as Rector) and we must be thankful to all those who have cared for it over the years. Now it is our turn to be tasked to care for St Sampson’s and maintain it for the future. Older members of the church and community may remember that it was thought when the tower work was done 20 years ago, that the roof would need re-slating in 10 to 20 years. Thankfully all the advice we have received is that the roof generally remains in good condition. A recent survey revealed that some slating and timber work is needed in the roof valley, but the rest was ok. The ceiling, however, is proving to be a major job. Conversations are ongoing with a specialist plasterer, our architect and Historic England. The mains water and path lighting will commence soon. Many thanks to the Treffinick Solar fund for a generous funding contribution towards this work. Funding for all the different elements of the improvements are being sought from here, there and everywhere and fundraising events are being planned. Including; Beating the Bounds walk on Sunday May 24th, a dance festival June 13th and a murder mystery evening in November. We will, of course, adhere to government advice regarding coronavirus and postpone if required. If you would like to hold a fundraising event on our behalf, big or small, please get in touch.
It would also really help our forward planning and funding applications if a few more people could make regular donations by standing order, however small. Again, please get in touch if you can help and thank you to the people who are already helping in this way. South Hill quiz night in January raised £168. Thank you to the 50 people who supported it. It was a fun evening especially trying to work out the location of the Cornish elevators!
The four pews dating from 1873, which were removed to make space for hospitality, have all found loving homes in the parish. There may be a few more at some time. The relocation of the font, from the back of the church to in front of the organ, which completes making the space for hospitality and a future mini kitchen, should take place soon when the faculty (church “planning permission”) is finalised. Some of you may remember it being moved to its present position about 50 years ago. If you have any memories of this, we would love to hear from you.
Thank you to everyone who is supporting this project, in whatever way. Community support is vital in securing St Sampson’s future. This is South Hill’s Church. It belongs to us all. Keep in touch by following St Sampson’s Unlocked on Facebook. Questions ? Ask judithayers@yahoo.co.uk 01579 384617 mlawranceowen@icloud.com 01579 382863
On Saturday 25th April, the Callington Singers will be giving a free concert in Stoke Climsland Church. The concert will incorporate lots of joyful music under the general theme of the coming of summer. The programme will include Vivaldi’s Magnificat, along with some madrigals, the Hallelujah Chorus and an original setting of the Jubilate, composed by our new Musical Director, Andrew Wilson. The Callington Singers has a long tradition of making music freely accessible to the community. It is our policy to strive, wherever possible, to give concerts completely free of charge. This is not always practical, as there are many expenses to cover, such as venue hire, publicity and the fees of hired musicians. The choir rely on a retiring collection after each concert to cover these costs. We are very pleased to be working again with Stoke Climsland Parish Church. The Callington Cluster (incorporating churches in Stoke Climsland, Linkinhorne, Callington and South Hill) have the admirable policy of hiring out these churches free of charge, which makes our job of providing free music very much easier.
The free venue and delightful surroundings are not the only reason we are pleased to be performing in Stoke Climsland church again. We also enjoy performing there as an unofficial honour to an important character from Stoke Climsland’s past, who strived as we do, to provide music in his community and who would be familiar with most of the music we are to perform on this occasion; namely Thomas Calvert, gentleman of Stoke Climsland. The impressive memorial to Thomas Calvert appears prominently in the foyer of Stoke Climsland Church: In Memory of Mr Thomas Calvert Late of this parish who in the year 1746 First introduced into this Church four part Psalmody and with Indefatigable Pains and perseverance not only encouraged but in a great measure supported it with great Reputation upwards of 30 years He Was an Honest Man a Kind Master a Sincere Friend And a good Christian He departed this life at Plymouth on June 3rd 1781 in the 71st year of his Age. Although described as being ‘of the parish of Stoke Climsland’, Thomas Calvert was born in Moor Monkton, just outside of York. He was the firstborn son of Joseph and Elizabeth Calvert (née Hunter) and was baptised on the 18th August 1710. How he came to be a pillar of the Stoke Climsland community is a complete mystery. He married a local girl, but had no children. He was employed as Coroner for Cornwall in 1756 and retired from this post in 1776. He spent his last months living in St. Germans (where he made his will) and he was buried in Stoke Climsland churchyard.
His contribution to village life is undeniable. Mr. Calvert’s promotion of four part psalmody singing reflects the growing popularity, at this period, of incorporating music into church services and we owe him a debt of gratitude for the continuing tradition of choral singing which is enjoyed in this country. The ‘Indefatigable Pains and Perseverance’ which are quoted on Thomas Calvert’s memorial stone are aptly illustrated here in a transcript of an extract from the Vestry minutes of Stoke Climsland. Any modern Musical Director will doubtless recognise the inherent challenges facing him. Vestry Minutes from 28th of November 1773: A Letter was read from Mr Thomas Calvert, setting forth the disappointments he has meet [sic] with in his frequent Attendance on the Singing owing to irregularity & Refractioness of many of the numbers, and Declaring that he wou’d not think of Attending many more unless the whole Body wou’d enter into an Obligation Consisting of Several Conditions which he propos’d for the better keeping up & bringing to perfec[ti]on & carrying on with Psalmody to the promotion of Religion and Harmony [in] the Performers; Observing at the same time however that the Parishioners who were the Singers had been at much trouble in Learning & many of them were put to Inconvenience by their Attendance & moreover that few or none has Books & others in general very bad; Proposing therefore as an Encouragement & Countenance to those who wou’d enter into & sign an Association to continue & practice the singing for three years, that the Parish at Large should contribute something towards purchasing proper Books, & defraying other Expenses, in which He, Mr Calvert wou’d also contribute & Mr & Mrs Call had also promis’d. The Members of the Vestry taking the premises with Consideration & being sensible of Mr Calverts Obliging Attendance & Trouble for many years, in promoting & assisting the singing & in doing many other Beneficial Acts to the Church, Do unanimously Agree, that the sum of Six Guineas out of the Church Rates be allow’d from Xmas 1773 to Xmas 1774 to be paid to Mr Calvert by the Churchwardens & laid out by him as he judges may best promote the good order, regularity & continuation of Psalmody, provided that the singers will all enter into such a Bond as he proposes, this contribution to be for one year only at this expiration of which the Parishioners will Continue or revoke it as they See it has Promoted, or Disappointed the End Propos’d.
We sincerely hope that Thomas Calvert would approve and enjoy this upcoming concert, as we also hope you will. Stoke Climsland church will shortly undergo a major refurbishment of the church roof, which we hope will go forward without a hitch. Come and help us raise the roof before it is repaired by joining us for a splendid evening of music on 25th April at 7pm.
