The Newlyn Environment Group has achieved an important step in its efforts to preserve and enhance the attractive character of Newlyn.  Funding amounting to more than £23,000 has been granted by the Local Heritage Initiative to research, restore and celebrate six sites in Newlyn relating to the historic water supply from the medieval era to the 1920’s.

The project will invite local craftspeople to help restore the sites, which will be recorded visually and orally. Local schoolchildren are being invited to join in developing an information gathering study.  As they are repaired, the sites will  be added to the already existing Newlyn Trail and accompanying guide.  A relevant logo will be needed and suggestions are invited from the general public. 

The group would welcome any volunteers who would like to contribute to uncovering this slice of Newlyn history.  It is hoped to reveal old shutes, pumps, standpipes and wells which in their time provided the main water supply to the fishing community’s homes and industries. Once all the sites are restored in approximately a year’s time, there will be a launch of the new guide and a public celebration.

Latest news:

The Environment Group of the NFIF held a Heritage Day at the Centre on 18th March 2009. The day was in keeping with the Group’s aim to preserve and enhance the character of Newlyn. The day was very well attended, drawing together many people with an interest in the history of Newlyn. People brought objects, papers, photographs and stories and generated a great deal of interest. The Group is now starting an archive and would very much like to hear from anyone interested.

The following are some of the comments:

Some comments received on the Heritage Day, 18th March 2009

Hilary Gillard:    Excellent idea. Let us hope Trinity Chapel will get funding to house the archives.
Nick Tregenza: Newlyn is the most interesting vibrant town in Cornwall! It should have an archive.
Dawn Walker, Penwith Local History Group: Very good idea..
Margaret Mitchell: Excellent idea – a good use of the building.
Heather White: It would be marvellous if Trinity Church could get funding for a Heritage Centre.
Jenny Dearlove: Great idea.
Mary Hawken: A wonderful display of Newlyn’s history.
Mary Warren: What a wonderful display and such enthusiasm.
Charmaine Tonkin: A lovely display. Very interesting.
S. Vingoe: Am all for it.
JE Simpson: Very fine.
SM & RG Lowry: Hope your archive succeeds – a good show.
John Lambourn: A great start.
Trish Broune: Wonderful. Please repeat.

Also see:

Keel Alley - Newlyn Environmental Group findings

Over 20 volunteers from the Newlyn community have been walking around the streets of Newlyn on your behalf, making notes to create a report about parts of the Village which need to be improved. We have been looking at issues including: telegraph poles and getting cables put underground, bad and patchy road repairs after the Services have repaired pipes, poor, uneven pavements and also restoring the cobbles where appropriate and the blue and white enamel signs.

We want to:

• Tidy up not prettify
• restore visual features
• establish future standards
• maintain and enhance the distinctive character of Newlyn.
Our report will be used to help draw up two important documents for Newlyn: Planning Policies and a Design Brief. This will make sure that any new building work adheres to some basic principles to make sure that they are visually in keeping with the character of Newlyn and sustainable regeneration will be promoted. We are going to be working closely with Penwith District Council and the County Council.

Other projects which the Subgroup are looking to do include

• managing the Bowjey
• managing the walkway to the Seafood park, making sure that local species of plants are used to encourage local wildlife.
• Restoring the old Water Features, which are in various locations around the village.

For more information, or if you would like to get involved in some of the projects contact:
Tom Jane (Community Regeneration Facilitator for Penwith District Council): (01736) 336 899

PREVIOUS NEWS

Despite howling wind and pouring rain about 40 people attended the Public Meeting in St Peter’s Hall on 11th March. 23 people volunteered to work in three areas—the Coombe, Tolcarne and Street-an-Nowan led by Nick Howells, Newlyn Town with Grevis Williams and the rest of the Conservation Area towards Sandy Cove with Ron Hogg. The work—to identify problems, note possible improvements etc is ongoing.

Ruth Simpson is involved with volunteers for improving Green Spaces. The neglected areas in Rue des Beaux Arts are already being worked on. It is hoped that volunteers and Conservation Groups will manage the Bowjey (see information below from Karen Clowes.)

Historic features are being identified, possibly some of these could be sympathetically restored.

The group’s aim is to improve the quality of the environment whilst reinforcing the distinctive identity of Newlyn.