St Sampson’s Update September 2026


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

Restoration of St Sampson’s Church is progressing, helping preserve a Christian presence in South Hill and ensuring the heritage building remains accessible for community use now and in the future.

We continue to hold a weekly Sunday service. Our doors are open when the building works permit . Our parish hall is home to Sampson’s Supertots, a lively weekly toddler group, providing a welcoming space for local families. In April, we hosted another  well-attended Easter trail and Easter egg hunt, and in the summer we held a children’s’ holiday club themed around Creation. We have hosted musical events, with performances by Barretts Privateers, Sam Sweeney, Aderyn String Quartet, plus the ‘Big Sing’, and a memorable Medieval Summer Fayre with a falconry display. 

Work began on the Manaton Chapel in October  and we had an exciting time with the archaeologist discovering four Manaton burial vaults, which needed to be excavated before the new floor could be built. This culminated in a wonderful and moving  memorial service and concert to re inter the disturbed Manaton remains. We are awaiting the final report, results from facial reconstruction from some of the skulls and DNA analyses.

The week of January 13th 2026 saw the exciting return of our bells after a four year absence and 50 years silence. They are now ringing out once more.  Over 50 people welcomed back the bells and were able to view them closely before they were hoisted back into the tower.

Since the start of the project we have raised an incredible £750,000 from over one hundred successful grant applications, many generous individual donations, and fundraising.

We are truly thriving in this lesser-known part of Cornwall.

2025 has been busy year and 2026 is promising to be equally busy!  Below is a summary of our plans and everything the St Sampson’s Unlocked project has achieved so far.

2026 plans

  • Manaton Chapel renovations and creation of Community Room continues – due to be completed April/May.
  • Tower roof and internal louvre weatherproofing work
  • Nave roof and ceiling replacement £190K
  • Creation of digital trail, virtual tour and church guidebooks
  • More concerts
  • Medieval Summer Fayre

Plus ongoing fundraising for the next phase: the remaining roof and ceiling works ( south aisle and chancel),  south side rainwater goods, WC facilities, kitchen, flooring and redecoration.

The ending of the Listed Places of Worship VAT reclaim scheme has left us with even more funds to find, an extra 20% on all works. Which we particularly now need to raise for the Nave roof and ceiling works scheduled for October 2026. We were told recently our ‘roof  batons are mush and slate nails are dust’,  highlighting the urgency of these upcoming 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)
  • Restoration of all thirteen windows, including stonework (2021-2023)
  • 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 Church of England faculty approval granted for roof, ceiling, WC facilities, and kitchenette, with phased work planned (2023)
  • West door restoration (2024)
  • Installation of new overhead heaters (2024)
  • East wall external masonry repairs (2024)
  • Tower stair door restoration (2024)
  • Additional lightning protection on east end (2025)
  • Rainwater goods on north side (2025)
  • Restoration of internal tower screen door (2025)
  • Tomb recess and dragon corbel repaired and restored (2025)
  • Building regulations approval for WC facilities and drainage (2025)
  • Planning approval for air source heat pump in Manaton Chapel (2025)
  • Repointing various areas of the tower (2025) see photo
  • Repair of tower roof door (2025)
  • Tower pointing and downpipe refurbishment (2025)
  • West end rainwater goods (2025)
  • Bell restoration and re-hanging (2026)

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 Charitable Trust, Jill Franklin Trust, Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, Cornwall Community Chest (Viscountess Boyd Charitable Trust), 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 Natural Beauty Sustainable Development Fund, Kingsgrove Charitable Trust, Lady Neville Charity, Lord Clinton’s Charitable Trust, Abba Charitable Trust, Ian Foulerton 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,  Miss Anna Maria Gurney Charitable Fund, Fentogollan Farm, Brags Garden Supplies, and the Woodland Trust.

We are also deeply grateful for the contributions of individual donors and  those who organise and attend our fundraising events and activities,

 

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.  If you would like to visit and chat with us about what we have achieved and our continuing progress and needs, please contact me below.

Watch this space!

Blessings,

Judith Ayers Local Lay Leader

Stsampsonssouthhill@gmail.com

Affordable Housing in Golberdon


On 10th November 2025 a public meeting was held at the Parish Hall to discuss options for the small field next to Moorland View in Golberdon.

Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting.

Chris Sims {Community Link Officer – Tamar to Moor Community Area Partnership}, Justine Rolfe {Affordable Housing Officer} and our Cornwall Councillor, Jim Gale were able to answer some of the numerous questions asked and concerns raised.

This presentation shows the main points covered at the meeting:

Affordable Housing pptDownload

Cornwall Council owns this field, which produces very little income rented out at agricultural rates. They are proposing to sell it on the open market, unless there is an interest in the Community to use it for affordable housing.

The consensus from the meeting was that we need to know more about affordable housing and how that might be a possibility in Golberdon. The way forward and to get answers to our questions is to form an Affordable Housing Working Party which will ensure that the local community is involved in any development.

Copies of a questionnaire were handed out. Thank you to everyone who provided Justine with valuable information by answering the questions. She will very soon be providing a summary which will be posted here.

If you weren’t at the meeting, you can still complete this questionnaire and bring it to the meeting advertised below.

QUESTIONNAIRE

Around 10 people expressed an interest in being part of a Working Party. That is encouraging. If you want to help, the work won’t be on just a few people’s shoulders.

The Parish Hall has been booked for a first meeting:

Working Party , Monday December 15th at 6.00 pm.

This is a public meeting. Anyone is welcome whether you want to join in or just see what’s going on.

The first thing to decide is Terms of Reference for the Working Party. See link to draft below. Next, we will be working towards submitting a pre-application to the planning department. We can also apply for a grant which is available to explore the possibility of forming a Community-Led Housing Organisation. Hopefully we can have another meeting early next year with Simon Ryan as guest speaker. Simon is part of Three Seas, a small independent housing creator for Cornwall.

Draft Terms of Reference

St Sampsons Church Awarded £200k grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund


Securing the Future of a Historic Landmark

The congregation of St Sampson’s Church, South Hill, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a £200,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to safeguard the future of the Grade I listed building and increase public engagement with its rich heritage.

This transformative funding will enable urgent restoration of the church’s roof and ceiling, which have suffered extensive deterioration. With 50% of the roof and ceiling now set to be repaired, the church takes a major step towards being removed from the Heritage at Risk Register.

St Sampsons Church is one of the oldest and most historically significant buildings in the region. Without this funding, its structural decline would have continued, threatening both its physical stability and the history and community stories it holds.

In addition to vital structural repairs, the grant will support the refurbishment and rehanging of the church’s ancient bells—an enduring symbol of community and tradition. A new digital trail and tower tour will also be developed, offering interactive and educational experiences for visitors and helping to share the story of St Sampsons with a wider audience.

This project reflects The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s investment principles by:
– Saving heritage: preserving a Grade I listed building and its historic bells.
– Protecting the environment: following sustainable restoration practices.
– Inclusion, access and participation: creating a digital trail and volunteer opportunities and hosting community events.
– Organisational sustainability: strengthening the church’s role as a community hub.

Church leaders, local residents, and heritage supporters are united in their gratitude for this support. This award not only preserves a cornerstone of local history but also increases engagement with the church’s remarkable legacy.

Reverend Andy Atkins, Vicar of St Sampsons Church, said:
“We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we can now protect the future of St Sampsons Church and share its story with the wider community.”

Look out for upcoming events to view the stripped-back ceilings and follow the progress of the bells project. Visit our website for updates and opportunities to get involved.


For further information, images and interviews please contact:
Judith Ayers  judithayers@yahoo.co.uk  Phone.07748 773416 or

Miranda Lawrance-Owen mlawranceowen@icloud.com  Phone. 07595878867

Notes to editors

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That’s why as the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past. Over the next 10 years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.

heritagefund.org.uk

Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund

SHARE AGM Sept. 23rd 2025 7:30pm


Its been a busy year for SHARE. TAKE A LOOK at what’s be happening.

We need extra help with running the group. We could do so much more then. Otherwise we’ll just tick along and miss many opportunities.

Email SHARE@south-hill.co.uk or speak to David, Mel or Astrid

Take notes at monthly committee meetings. In person or Facetime.

Arrange visits to places of interest to the group.

Update the SHARE web page to be more engaging and less clunky.

Directors to help shape the groups future, ideally individuals with fresh ideas, leadership, organisational & management skills.

Ideas for future projects and Project manager to bring to fruition.

Liaison to improve connections with local communities by attending meetings and events.

Book keeper and a Financial Director. We may well have to pay for these services.

SHARE sponsoring classes at the Horticultural show


South Hill Horticultural Show August 16th 2025 … SHARE are sponsoring some children’s classes, so any 15’s or under take a look and maybe win the prize money. !!

The SHARE classes are:

  • 107. A model made from recycled items (max size 12”)
    • 108. A4 size poster, collage or drawing depicting
      “How can you reduce energy usage at home?”
      109. A Photo of Renewable Energy (Children < 15 years,
      photo no larger than 6 x 9” & mounted on card)

St Breward Jubilee Rock 7 mile loop July 2025


2 walks in 2 days. STARTING outside the church in ST BREWARD, we headed down to St James Holy well, and the RED TREES installation, which just opened on May 18th 2025 www.thewildcircle.co.uk/redash .

Through the farm at Coombe Mill, with deer, pigmy goats, chickens, pigs. We split our paths here. ONE group headed up then down into DE LANK quarry and up through a jungle of overgrown head height bracken, the other also went down past the quarry turbine house and up coming out at Pendrift… both arrived at Jubilee rock.

Granite from the De Lank Quarry was used for The Eddystone LightHouse 1882, the Beachy Head Lighthouse 1900 and Tower Bridge 1890. Dring this time the quarry was very prosperous and employed nearly 100 local men and women. During the WW1 the majority of the work came from making grave stones and street curbs. After WW2 cheap concrete was used for building purposes and work again slackened, despite this De Lank granite was used to construct the Karl Marx memorial 1956, the Magna Carta memorial at Runneymede 1957, a granite statue of Lord Baden-Powell 1958 and Granite from the quarry was used to build the Tamar Road Bridge. In the 60’s the quarry work flourished again and by the 1980’s up to 2500 tonnes of finished stone per year was being produced and shipped world-wide. The Hydro turbines went live in 2011, originally drills and saws were powered by compressed air now 680 litres per second generates electricity, between 300 – 400 megawatt hours per year using the original pipeline.

Jubilee Rock a 10′ by 25′ granite, is listed as a Grade II monument. In 1810. Lieutenant John Rogers to celebrate King George III’s Golden Jubilee carved this giant rock. He also engraved the coats of arms of Falmouth, Morshead, and Molesworth. Since then, the rock has been spruced up a couple of times and added, Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 and Queen Elizabeth II’s in 2012. Read some interesting facts here > https://cornishbirdblog.com/jubilee-rock-bodmin-moor/

From here the routes took us to Delphi bridge and back to the church and pub next door. Thank you Bill for letting us make some noise on the bells and going up the tower.