A Monumental Improvement
About
The Monumental Improvement project (MI) was developed with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Aim
This five-year project sought to ensure that the 40 Scheduled Monuments in the Cornwall National Landscape were better identified, supported and enjoyed by a wide range of people.
Project Overview
The Monumental Improvement project has protected these important historical sites for the benefit of future generations.
This project was funded primarily thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
MI Project Video
Footage from 2022
View our Scheduled Monuments
Filters
During the project lifetime we have…
7
Number of Scheduled Monuments removed from the Heritage At-Risk Register
12
Number of heritage sites with improved biodiversity and habitat creation
620
Total number of attendees from Guided Walks and Talks
More than 348
Total number of attendees from Creative Workshops and Storytelling
119
Number of University, College and School students engaged
3,353
Number engagements from outreach events
180
Total number of attendees from Health and Well-being workshops
Project Detail
Cornwall National Landscape’s Monumental Improvement project is now in its three-year delivery phase and will be supporting a wide-ranging volunteer programme around Heritage at Risk interventions. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other partners, the project is seeking to ensure that 40 scheduled monuments listed on the Heritage at Risk Register or classified as vulnerable, are better identified, supported and enjoyed by a wider range of people by 2025. With 18% of the 988 scheduled monuments listed on the Southwest Heritage at Risk Register located in Cornwall, it is hoped that the project will deliver on the Cornwall National Landscape (AONB) Management Plan 2022-2027 aim to bring the historic environment in the protected landscape back into better management.
Images
Our archaeological team will be working other project partners on the physical conservation of some of these sites as well as writing up management plans for them going forward. So there will be lots of opportunities for volunteers to be involved and learn new skills whilst improving the historic environment of Cornwall.
With a strong health and wellbeing focus to the project, there will be numerous opportunities for people to get involved in the work to remove as many sites as possible from the Heritage at Risk Register. Wellbeing focused activities such as forest bathing and meditation will be on offer, as well as a wide-ranging volunteer programme focused on archaeology and ecology to help conserve the scheduled monuments. By providing opportunities for people to connect to their local heritage, spend more time outdoors, meet new people and actively make a difference to their local area, the project is aiming to boost wellbeing and empower local communities to care for the scheduled monuments on their doorstep.
Project legacies will include on site interpretation at some of the sites, management plans and also tool kits and training packages to enable communities to carry on with the works in the future.
Benefits
Our Primary Purpose is to conserve and enhance Natural Beauty.
Our priority is to lead and support projects which deliver under these four key categories.
People
We will actively engage with over 200 community volunteers to improve awareness for the importance of Cornish heritage and culture
Place
40 heritage sites will be significantly better understood and more easily accessible
Nature
26 heritage sites will have improved local diversity of wildlife and flower forna
Climate
We will seek to make more than 100 people have greater awareness of current climate challenges
Archaeological Works
View the works taken on by the MI team
King Arthur’s Hall – September 2022
A Monument Celebration Week Event 2022 Brought to you by the Monumental Improvement Project What is King Arthur’s Hall? In September 2022, the Cornwall National Landscape’s (AONB) Monumental Improvement project…
Fox Tor Stone Alignment – July 2023
About the Monument This monument is a prehistoric stone alignment with two outlying stones, situated on East Moor on Bodmin Moor. The monument is one of many local, broadly contemporary…
Emblance Downs Stone Circle – August 2023
About the Monument This monument includes two stone circles situated on Emblance Downs. They are positioned close to one another at approximately 2.5m apart. The western circle survives as a…
Castle Dore – September 2023
About the Monument Castle Dore is a small multivallate hillfort, surviving as a roughly circular central area defined by a well-constructed inner rampart and ditch. A partial excavation of the…
Tehidy Round – April 2024
About the Monument Tehidy Round is located in Section 6 (Godrevy to Portreath) of Cornwall National Landscape, north-west of Redruth, in the parish of Illogan. It is situated on level…
Chapel Porth Chapel – May 2024
About the Monument Chapel Porth Chapel is the earthwork remains of a rectangular chapel first listed in 2000. The monument is situated within Section 5 (St Agnes) of Cornwall National…
Wardbrook Farm Prehistoric Cist – July 2024
About the Monument This monument consists of a Bronze Age cist situated near other broadly contemporary funerary monuments, some also including cists, and close to extensive prehistoric field systems and…
Kynance Gate – September 2024
About the Monument Kynance Gate is a Prehistoric settlement site consisting of 2 discreet groups of Roundhouses. Located on the Lizard Peninsula, this monument sits within Section 8 of Cornwall…
St Constantine’s Chapel – May & June 2025
About the monument Located at Trevose Golf & Country Club on Trevose Head in Section 04 of Cornwall National Landscape (Trevose Head to Stepper Point), St Constantine’s Chapel is the…
A Monumental Improvement
The Monumental Improvement project we be hosting no more future events. Feel free to explore other upcoming events and activities run by Cornwall National Landscape.
Check out our webinar series covering various topics about Cornish heritage and history
Volunteering
Find out about volunteering opportunities on our Volunteer Hub page
For any other queries contact monuments@cornwall-aonb.gov.uk
Follow our Social Platforms for regular updates
Thank you to our amazing funders
