Welcome
Since 1969 the aims of the Cornish Buildings Group have been to stimulate interest, appreciation and knowledge of good building in Cornwall, and to encourage the erection, protection, repair and recording of such buildings.
Like any amenities group, we depend on numbers, strength and support of our membership, who provide the force and knowledge that have made us effective for over fifty years.
We encourage the protection and repair of historic buildings whether these are listed buildings or simply good examples of traditional building. We aim to encourage good architecture and to raise the general standard of building throughout the county. We hope that our generation may leave behind it buildings which will be looked back on with that same pleasure and enjoyment that we experience when we look at the architecture of past ages.
NEWS
OPPORTUNITIES WITH CBG COUNCIL
The Council of the CBG are recruiting for a SECRETARY and MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY and anyone else who would consider joining the CBG Council.
In order for the CBG to run we need an active Council to manage our membership, help with visits and events, be present at meetings to add to the discussion, keep all our members updated, and also contribute to furthering our aims – including responding to planning applications and launching new initiatives.
Over the past three years, the Council has reduced in number to a meagre seven, and six is the minimum required to be quorate at our monthly meetings; if two members cannot attend then we are not complying with our constitution. In addition to the six Officer roles we should have not less than eight and no more than twelve other members of Council. This lays out how necessary it is for us to recruit at this time. We know how much the CBG means to our members and the wider historic environment sector, and no one wants to see it diminish or disappear.
The roles are voluntary and unpaid. Attendance at our monthly Council meeting will be required, and at other times (such as to help at visits) would be really helpful. CBG Council largely comprises the judging panel for the annual Award scheme which really is a privilege to be part of!
Please email CBGenquiries@gmail.com if you would like to find out more about what joining the CBG Council means, and especially if you would like to know more about the two secretary roles.
NICK CAHILL AWARD 2023
The Diocese of Truro Advisory Committee and Cornwall Council are now welcoming entries for the 2023 Nick Cahill Award.
This annual award commemorates our friend and esteemed colleague Nick Cahill. A hugely influential and highly respected member of the heritage community, Nick was a scholar and authority who was unfailingly generous in sharing his wealth of knowledge and expert opinion, leaving no corner of Cornwall or aspect of our regional heritage and historic environment forgotten.
The award scheme, established will the full support of Mary and Joe Cahill, reflects Nick’s passion for Cornish churches and chapels.
The award is open to projects carried out on Cornish ecclesiastical buildings or within their settings and associations (graveyards, cemetery buildings, Sunday schools). It will recognise excellence in design and craftsmanship in restoration, conservation and/or improvement projects. Entries are welcome from all faiths and denominations.
More information, including the criteria, terms and conditions and how to apply are available on our website here.
NEW BOOKS!
'The Cornish Buildings Group: First 50 years'
Dedicated to the four Council members we have sadly lost since 2019 - Hugh, Jenny, Nick and John - this book tells the full story of the CBG's battle to encourage good design and preserve Cornwall's rich built heritage over the years 1969 to 2019.
Our members will have received a complimentary copy of our new publication, celebrating the first 50 years of the CBG.
To buy a copy for £15 including P&P please email us.
'The Distinctiveness of Cornish Buildings'
Conference Papers Marking the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Cornish Buildings Group Presented at St Austell in 2019
The 15 papers in this richly-illustrated volume were presented at a conference marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Cornish Buildings Group, held at St Austell in 2019. They cover a broad range of subjects including the uniqueness of Cornwall’s building materials, the domestic and ecclesiastical architecture, the advent of new schools after the Education Act of 1870, the new cathedral at Truro in 1876, the contribution of several architects of distinction to the county’s buildings, and the challenges of meaningful conservation today. Archaeology is also featured, with a major essay on the recent excavations at Tintagel, and there is a comprehensive index.
For details of the contents and how to buy a copy, please follow this link to our Buildings at Risk blog.
BUILDINGS AT RISK PROJECT 2020-2023
The Cornish Buildings Group are leading a three-year Historic England/ Cornwall Heritage Trust grant funded project to identify and campaign for Cornish buildings at risk. The Group has maintained a register for buildings at risk since 2014, but this has been done with volunteer support only. This funding upports a case officer who has dedicated time to champion buildings at risk in the county.
The aim of this project is to identify and monitor buildings at risk and seek solutions for neglected, redundant or derelict listed buildings.
All project news will be communicated through a new BLOG. This will record all of the updates, news, photos and more to do with the project. Please do sign up to it; this will allow you to be notified when new content is added. There is no mailing list so this is the best way to stay up to date.
There is also an updated Buildings at Risk section on this website and a dedicated project page. The main updates will occur through the blog and social media.
