A Window in Time- Roseland Remembers

‘A Window in Time- Roseland Remembers’ uncovered stories of the historic buildings at the heart of St.Mawes and St.Just on the Roseland Peninsula. Through Memory Walk s and oral histories, the project revealed the wider heritage of the place and people who lived and worked here.

Stories behind the Buildings

Using longstanding buildings made a fantastic starting point for sharing and discovery. Over the years people have peered through the windows and doors of these longstanding buildings. They have also looked out at village life and the ever changing land/sea scape. As craftsmen, fishermen, shop owners, artists and families go about their daily lives, these historic buildings have provided a stage for community life.

Memory Walk s and Oral Histories

Delivered in partnership with the St.Just and St.Mawes Heritage Group, ‘A Window in Time’ begun with a series of oral history interviews and Memory Walk s. Storylines provided oral history training to volunteer community members, enabling further oral history collection. These captured memories of buildings at the heart of the 2 villages, exploring their shifting place within village life. Through leading a small group of locals in a Memory Walk around a familiar place, people are prompted by both what they see and the stories of others. As we heard about the buildings change of use and occupancy, we in turn learnt of the wider social, cultural and economic activities of the villages.

Pomerys Garage

In St.Mawes the project focused on a row of shops and houses that overlook the harbour. These include ‘Pomerys Garage,’ a prominent building that the St.Just & St.Mawes Heritage Group co-inherited in 2016. The heritage group are now working hard to renovate this building as a permanent Heritage Centre. This building has had a fascinating history and its many usages. This includes being a pilchard shed, a reading room for American soldiers in WW2, accommodation for local hotel staff, a garage, artist’s studio and gig club.

St.Just in Roseland

In St. Just in Roseland the project will centre on the buildings that surround the square. These represented the oldest part and heart of the village.

Sharing & Celebrating Community Heritage

‘A Window in Time’ produced 2 films, bringing oral histories together with Memory Walk footage and archive photographs. These films were shared at 2 screening events and exhibitions. This was a lovely opportunity to bring the local community together to celebrate their unique heritage and learn about the buildings they pass each day.

The oral histories, photographs and research gathered through the project were also used to engage young people. Workshops with St.Mawes Primary School and the local Youth Group helped children learn about their villages’ heritage. All material gathered through the project was archived through the St.Just and St.Mawes Heritage group. It will later be made accessible to a much wider audience of visitors through the future Heritage Centre.

This project was made possible with thanks to a £10,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). You can read more about the project through our blog posts here…

Videos

Photos

Testimonials

• “It is important that young people in the village know about the past to make it better in the future.” Tony Tiddy, St.Mawes
• “Wonderful achievemant and priceless archive for the future.” Polly Gegg, St.Mawes
• “ I am proud to be part of this project. It is bringing a lot of memories back for me.” Fleetwood Butland, St.Just

Funders & Links