A project to restore St Hilary’s historic bells, improve inclusive access, and secure the church’s future as a place of worship, heritage and community life.
Heritage and Hope: Faith in the Future is an 18-month renewal project that will restore the historic ring of six bells, improve access and visitor facilities, and strengthen St Hilary Church’s role as a vibrant centre for worship, heritage, and community life.
At the heart of the project is the conservation and reinstatement of the church’s 1898 ring of six bells, currently removed for specialist restoration. Their return will secure the future of St Hilary’s bell-ringing tradition and celebrate the church’s place in national cultural history, including its connection to the first BBC outside broadcast in December 1926, when Father Bernard Walke’s Nativity play Bethlehem was transmitted from the church to a nationwide audience.
Alongside the restoration of the bells, the project will introduce thoughtfully designed improvements to accessibility, parking, interpretation, and visitor amenities. Heating and lighting systems throughout the church will also be upgraded using modern, energy-efficient technology to improve our eco rating. Together, these improvements will ensure that St Hilary is well prepared for the future, allowing more people to experience this nationally significant heritage site with dignity, independence, and confidence.
“The future of church buildings depends on their ability to serve the whole community in new and creative ways.”
— National Churches Trust
Why St Hilary Matters
For generations, St Hilary Church has stood at the heart of its community, a place of worship, creativity, celebration and shared memory.
The church’s story is woven into both local and national history. In December 1926 it became the setting for the BBC’s first outside broadcast, when Father Bernard Walke’s Nativity play Bethlehem was transmitted live to audiences across Britain. The church’s ring of bells, cast in 1898, formed part of the soundscape of that moment and have continued to mark the rhythms of village life for generations.
Today, St Hilary remains a place where heritage, faith and community meet. Through the Heritage and Hope project, we are working to ensure that its history, traditions and stories remain alive, while opening the church more fully to the people and communities of today.
By restoring the bells and improving accessibility and visitor facilities, we can ensure that more people are able to discover, experience and participate in the life of St Hilary Church for generations to come.
Project Importance
St Hilary Church is a Grade I listed parish church of exceptional historic, artistic and communal significance. Its architecture, artistic heritage, historic bells and cultural stories together form a richly layered heritage asset of local, regional and national importance.
However, important aspects of this heritage are currently at risk of being underused, inaccessible, or gradually diminished.
The church’s historic ring of six bells, cast in 1898 by John Warner & Sons, has been silent since their removal for conservation. Without restoration and reinstatement, a significant part of St Hilary’s living heritage, the sound of the bells marking worship, celebration and community life, will remain absent from the village and surrounding landscape.
At the same time, the church’s limited visitor facilities and accessibility arrangements mean that many people cannot easily access or fully experience the building and its heritage. The absence of modern facilities such as accessible toilets, improved access routes, modern heating and lighting and clearer interpretation restricts how widely the church can be used by visitors, community groups, schools and those with additional access needs.
Without investment, the risk is not only to the bells themselves but to the ability of this nationally significant historic building to share its heritage with the widest possible audience. Important stories, including the church’s artistic heritage, its role in Cornish culture and its place in broadcasting history, remain less visible and accessible than they could be. There is also a risk that the memories and lived experiences of current church users are lost over time; this project will address this through the creation of a digital archive preserving oral histories, ensuring that these voices become part of the church’s enduring heritage.
This project provides a timely opportunity to safeguard the church’s living heritage, improve inclusive access and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the building as a place of worship, heritage and community life.
By restoring the bells and improving accessibility and visitor facilities, St Hilary Church will be better equipped to welcome people of all backgrounds and abilities, ensuring that its heritage can be experienced, understood and valued by future generations.
Together, the church’s architecture, artistic heritage, historic bells and cultural stories, including its role in the BBC’s first outside broadcast in 1926, form a distinctive and nationally significant heritage narrative that deserves to be preserved, shared and experienced by wider and more diverse audiences.
Welcoming Everyone: Accessibility and Inclusion
The improvements we are planning will help support people with a wide range of needs, including:
-
wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties
-
visitors with visual or hearing impairments
-
neurodivergent visitors
-
people living with long-term health conditions or hidden disabilities
-
older visitors, families with young children
As part of the project we will introduce new and improved facilities, including accessible toilets, more inclusive visitor amenities, clearer signage, improved access routes where possible, and better parking arrangements.
These changes will help ensure that more people can visit St Hilary Church and share in its heritage comfortably, independently, and with confidence. Our hope is that the church will continue to be a place where everyone feels able to come, belong, and take part in the life of the community.
A key part of the Heritage and Hope project is making the church easier for people of all abilities and backgrounds to visit, worship, and enjoy. We want to remove barriers so that more people can experience the beauty, history, and community life of St Hilary.
"Having a disability shouldn’t limit my experience of places like churches. Everyone should have the same opportunity to visit, feel welcome, and take part. Accessibility simply means giving people the same rights and chances as everyone else." Millie
Community Impact
Church buildings have long been places where people come together — to celebrate, remember, learn and support one another. As recognised in the UK Government’s Taylor Review:
“Church buildings are places of celebration, culture, commemoration and community gatherings…
a resource for people of all faiths and none.”
By improving access, facilities and interpretation, St Hilary will be better able to welcome local residents, schools, families, volunteers and community groups. These improvements will make it easier for people of all ages and backgrounds to gather, participate and feel at home in this historic place.
The project will also create new opportunities for volunteering, learning and shared activity, strengthening connections between people while building pride in the church and its place in the life of the community.
What the Project Will Deliver
The project will deliver a coordinated programme of heritage conservation, accessibility improvements and public engagement. It will be informed by specialist advice from our appointed architect, alongside input from heritage specialists and an archaeologist where appropriate throughout the works.
Key elements include:
-
Restoration and reinstatement of the historic ring of six bells
-
Improvements to accessibility within the church and its grounds
-
New and improved visitor facilities, including accessible toilets
-
Enhanced interpretation to share the church’s heritage and stories
-
Improvements to parking and arrival arrangements
-
Heating and lighting systems throughout the church will be upgraded using modern, energy-efficient technology to improve our eco rating.
These improvements will help ensure that St Hilary Church can continue to serve both its worshipping community and the wider public, while protecting the heritage that makes it special.
Project Timeline
Planning & Consultation 2026
Detailed planning, specialist consultation, and community engagement will shape the project. We will work with disabled people and community partners to ensure proposals support accessibility and inclusion.
Approvals & Fundraising 2026
Plans will be refined and submitted for the necessary permissions and approvals. At the same time, the church will undertake fundraising and grant applications to secure the resources needed to deliver the project.
Delivery 2027
Once funding and permissions are in place, the works will be carefully delivered. The implementation group will oversee the project to ensure high-quality outcomes and improved access and welcome for all.
How to Support or Get Involved
The Heritage and Hope appeal relies on the support and involvement of the community. There are several ways you can contribute and help ensure the future of St Hilary Church.
Donate
Financial support is essential to delivering the project. Donations and other funding contributions will help restore the historic bells, improve accessibility, and introduce inclusive facilities so that more people can visit and experience St Hilary Church. Every contribution, regardless of size, plays an important role in helping the project move forward.
Volunteer
Volunteers will play an important role in supporting the Heritage and Hope project and the wider life of St Hilary Church. Opportunities will include helping with events, welcoming visitors, and sharing the church’s heritage. We warmly encourage anyone with an interest in the church or the community to get involved and be part of the project.
Stay Connected
Support can also be shown by helping raise awareness of the project within the wider community. Sharing information with friends, family, and local networks helps build understanding and support for the work being undertaken. Community interest and engagement are vital in ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of the project.
Looking to the Future
Heritage and Hope: Faith in the Future is about more than restoring a historic building. It is about safeguarding the traditions, stories and shared heritage that make St Hilary Church such a special place within the Cornish landscape and community.
By restoring the historic bells, improving accessibility and introducing inclusive visitor facilities, the project will enable more people to discover, experience and participate in the life of the church. It will help ensure that St Hilary remains a place where heritage, worship, creativity and community life can continue to flourish together.
Through this work, we are not only protecting an important historic site, but ensuring that its heritage remains alive, welcoming and accessible for generations to come. To find out more, why not get in touch with the team.
