Category Archives: Parish Church

St Sampson’s Update September 2025


A big personal thank you for your continued support to St Sampson’s.

It is making a huge difference for the community, present and future, to maintain a Christian presence in South Hill and keep our heritage building open for all to use and enjoy, now and in the future.

Our church doors are open daily to welcome visitors, and we hold a weekly Sunday service. On the fourth Sunday we do things a bit different with a café style service. Our parish hall is home to a lively weekly toddler group, providing a welcoming space for local families. In April, we hosted a well-attended Easter trail and Easter egg hunt, followed by a summer holiday club themed around Creation. Our calendar has been brimming with musical events, including performances by Barretts Privateers, Sam Sweeney, Aderyn Baroque, The Big Sing, and a memorable Medieval summer fayre.

We have continued to raise funds and many of you will have seen the recent heroic tower pointing all done on ropes!   We were absolutely delighted to receive funding from The National Lottery Heritage fund  in August 2025 which means we can go ahead with 50% of our roof repairs and restore the bells.

We may be small, but we are definitely thriving!

St Sampson’s Unlocked Project – 2025 Roundup

So much has happened at St Sampson’s this year. Below is a summary of the St Sampson’s Unlocked project in 2025 so far, along with a reminder of previously completed works.

Previous Works

  • Relocation of Font (2020)
  • Installation of mains water supply (2020)
  • External path lighting (2020)
  • Roof valley gutter (2021)
  • Removal and storage of bells and securing the bell frame (2021)
  • Compost toilet installed in churchyard (2022)
  • Porch stonework repairs, including new stone and pointing (2023)
  • External masonry wall repairs (2023)
  • Restoration of the Michael Hill monument, now reinstated on the East wall in the Manaton Chapel (2023)
  • Full faculty approval for roof, ceiling, toilet, and kitchenette, with phased work planned (2023)
  • West door restoration (2024)
  • Installation of new overhead heaters (2024)
  • Restoration of all thirteen windows, including stonework (2021-2023)
  • East wall external masonry repairs (2024)
  • Tower stair door restoration (2024)
  • Additional lightning protection on East end (2025)
  • Rainwater goods on North Side (2024)
  • Restoration of internal tower screen door (2025)
  • Tomb recess and dragon corbel repaired and restored (May 2025)
  • Planning approval for trench arch drainage
  • Planning approval for air source heat pump in Manaton Chapel
  • Tower pointing and downpipe refurbishment (August 2025)

Works Starting Soon

  • Bell restoration and re-hanging
  • Manaton Chapel renovations
  • West end rainwater goods
  • Ongoing fundraising for the next phase: remaining roof and ceiling works, South side rainwater goods, toilet, kitchen, and flooring.

Living Churchyard

  • Interpretation board installed
  • New hedge planted along the East boundary
  • Hundreds of daffodil bulbs planted
  • Monthly volunteer working parties and a grass-cutting contractor manage this biodiverse space

Funding and Support

Our work would not be possible without the generous support of a wide range of funders, including: National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Churches Trust, Headley Trust, Cornish Historic Churches Trust, Historic England, Baker Estates, Sabrina Sutherland Charitable Trust, Doctor and Mrs Alfred Darlington, Jill Franklin Trust, Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, Cornwall Community Chest, Trefinnick Solar Fund, Church Care, All Churches Trust, Congregational and General Charitable Trust, The Wolfson Foundation, Rural Churches Repair Fund, William and Jane Morris Foundation, Beatrice Laing Family Trust, Bells Gives Back, Swire Trust, Tesco Bags of Help, Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Beauty Sustainable Development Fund, Kinsgrove Charitable Trust, Lady Neville Charity, Lord Clinton’s Charitable Trust, Abba Charitable Trust, Ian Foulterton Charitable Trust, Peoples Postcode Lottery, Funds for Mission, Penuel Trust, National Grid Electricity Distribution, Worshipful Company of Ironmongers, Buildings for Mission – Truro Diocese, The Saint Andrew Conservation Trust, Quick Wins – Truro Diocese, Benefact Trust, Sharpe Trust, Elmgrant Trust, Choral Evensong Trust, Give to Go Green, Foyle Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Aurelius Charitable Trust, Fentogollan Farm, Brags Garden Supplies, and Woodland Trust.

We are also deeply grateful for the contributions of individual donors and the proceeds from our own fundraising events, including four concerts, our medieval fayre, and plant sales.

Thank You

A sincere thank you to all our funders, large and small. This is a remarkable achievement for a small rural parish, and a true testament to our commitment to serving the South Hill community.

Watch this space!

Blessings,

Judith Ayers, Local Lay Leader

2023 Barrow Push


Anthony Bagley, the new farm manager at Duchy College led the procession in a tractor on Saturday 24th June for St Sampson’s Church annual medieval barrow push and summer fete. Duchy College came to our rescue at the last minute to pull the trailer of dignitaries from Callington to South Hill.

An assortment of decorated wheel barrows, were entered and wheelie bins from SHARE Recycling for Charity project were pushed the 2 miles from Callington to South Hill preceded by our Knight carrying the St Sampson’s banner, followed up by our local dignitaries; Callington Portreeve – Pete Watson, the town crier – Tony Stentiford and local lay minister Nigel Cooper.

The winning ‘barrow’ was a wheelie bin with a real child inside! They were awarded the trophy made from the old bells headstock.

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Aderyn strings meets St. Sampson’s Giant Monk


Music for a Summer evening came to St. Sampson’s, South Hill on 24th May,2023, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of a St. Sampson’s Unlocked sponsor.  Over 50 people filled the church to hear Cardiff-based string players, the Aderyn Quartet – who met St Sampson sharing their ‘green room’.

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Barrow Push 2023


Come and commemorate the route that the people of Callington had to walk to attend church or bury their dead at South Hill, before they were allowed to build their own church in Callington.

Create a barrowful of something you feel passionate about – food, film or favourite anything! Wear Fancy dress to match your theme. Teams of up to 6 people. Families, organisations, businesses, young and old. No restriction on the size of your barrow, but you will have to push it the 2 miles to St Sampson’s Church.

Best decorated barrow 1st, 2nd & 3rd Prize, including an annual engraved Trophy made from St Sampson’s bell frame.

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Churchwarden’s Retirement Ramble


Offa’s Dyke – May 17th… Miranda Lawrance-Owen

After six years, the time has come to swap my churchwarden’s staff for trekking poles and attempt a long-held ambition to walk the Offa’s Dyke Path. Peter and I will be starting from Chepstow on 17th May, carrying our tent and kit, and rambling slowly along the 177 miles towards Prestatyn.  We will take our time, stopping to visit places on the way, and in particular I hope to visit all twenty churches along the path. My indefatigable churchwarden colleague, Judith, has persuaded me not to forget St Sampson’s and to raise funds for the St Samson’s Unlocked Project as we go.  Hopefully, she will be able to post updates of our progress whenever my phone has enough battery or signal to send them to her.

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April Inspiration at St Sampson’s


An Inspiring Evening,

‘Inspirations’ was a very well-chosen title for a really original ‘arts evening’ at St Sampson’s on 27th April. The chief organising spirit behind it was a well-known member of our congregation, Jane Newberry, who drew together a foursome of people with varied talents and great enthusiasm for their respective forms of creative art.

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