Churches have long stood at the heart of many communities, particularly in remote or rural areas, where they offer opportunities for social interaction as well as religious inspiration. They are also treasure-troves of centuries-old stories – and an initiative that I have been running in Cornwall since spring 2026 is demonstrating the real benefits that people can gain from immersing themselves in local heritage sites, alongside the surprising discoveries that can be made during these visits.
First, a little background: as part of my community outreach work in Cornwall, I am the Archaeology Officer for the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies (currently 42-strong and growing), and I am keen to strengthen the bonds between all these groups, growing them from within. I also run a social enterprise business, Lore & Piece, which, in part, offers free and low-cost workshops in heritage venues, and school-based sessions, all incorporating living history and crafts practice. I find great joy in storytelling and bringing history and heritage alive. But I am mindful. Having grown up on the peninsula of Cornwall, and experienced the realities of rural living, I am concerned with how community educators can connect with marginalised or more remote audiences and offer them the same opportunities.
One way to combat loneliness – which, especially since COVID, affects more people than we may realise – is by offering groups a meeting place and immersing them in the heritage around them. This idea sparked ‘Saints and Socials’, an initiative focused on exploring Cornish churches, which I piloted with Lore & Piece earlier this year. The premise was simple: encourage community collaboration, explore historic settings in engaging ways, and enthuse people about how we can raise awareness of and protect these sites for future generations. My plan was to visit a handful of churches at a time, grouped under an overarching theme – and for the inaugural topic, being an early career wall paintings conservator, wall paintings seemed an obvious choice. We could take an interdisciplinary approach, exploring the art history, iconography, and sociopolitical context of the paintings, as well as discussing hagiography and conservation methods – and, in terms of interesting examples, we were spoilt for choice.
Scanning the Elgin Marbles