Cornwall Heritage Trust to connect Luxulyan community with local heritage thanks to £10k boost from Great Western Railway
A project which aims to connect local communities in Luxulyan, near St Austell, with their unique industrial heritage has received a £10,105 grant from Great Western Railway.
Cornwall Heritage Trust successfully applied for the grant from the train operator’s Community Fund, which was launched in May to support local communities and address areas of social need.
The project will focus on the history and heritage of Treffry Viaduct and the Luxulyan Valley, near St Austell. One of 12 historic sites which the Trust protects, Treffry is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, as designated by UNESCO. This unique heritage site can be reached via Luxulyan Valley train station, on the Atlantic Coast railway branch line between Par and Newquay.
The project will involve local people in a number of ways, including collating their views and connections to the viaduct and the valley, producing a film about its history with local expert John Smith, path clearances to improve the area, a guided walk around the site, and a special talk to offer people the chance to celebrate their heritage together.
Cornwall Heritage Trust CEO Cathy Woolcock said:
“We’re extremely grateful for this funding from Great Western Railway. Connecting local communities with Cornwall’s unique cultural heritage is at the heart of everything we do, so it’s incredibly exciting to be able to deliver this exciting programme of interpretive and access works to bring this nationally significant site to life for the people of Luxulyan.”
South East Cornwall MP Sheryll Murray said:
“It is good to see Great Western working with our local communities to promote the wonderful heritage of South East Cornwall.
“The Treffry Viaduct and Luxulyan Valley are very important sites, and I am really pleased that Cornwall Heritage Trust was successful in its bid for community funding.
“I very much look forward to seeing the film when it is finished and hope all goes well with the project.”
GWR Business Development Director Tom Pierpoint said:
“The Community Fund is a fantastic opportunity for us to invest in our communities in projects that really make a difference at a local level.
“We’re delighted this funding will help to support the production of a film about the valley and the viaduct’s history and we look forward to seeing the end results.”
To find out more about the project, visit https://www.cornwallheritagetrust.org/
Contact Information
John Carter
Media and Communications Manager
Great Western Railway
0845 410 4444
Notes to editors
For further information or photos, please contact Grace Kennard Marketing and Communications Officer at grace@cornwallheritagetrust.org or call 01209 707008
First Greater Western Limited, trading as “Great Western Railway” (GWR), operates trains across the Great Western franchise area, which includes South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, across southern England and into London. GWR provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services, and before the covid-19 pandemic helped over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year. GWR has been awarded a National Rail Contract to continue operating the Great Western network, which shall run up to 21 June 2025, with the potential for a further three years at the Secretary of State’s discretion. Find out more here: https://www.gwr.com/about-us