Date: 6th March
What a fantastic turnout, for the St Piran’s Day celebrations in St Austell town
Some of our residents had a wonderful time taking part in the celebrations, proudly carrying the Harbour Housing flag. The community came together through songs, culture, heritage stalls, crafts and stories of the Clay country. During the celebrations, we heard speeches from St Austell Mayor Julian Young and local MP Noah Law, followed by a March through the town and the Cornish national anthem, The Trelawny Shout.
St Piran is still considered the patron saint of tin miners and the conversion of the raw black ore to the white liquid tin also inspired the colours of Cornwall’s national flag, adopted circa 1838.
Legend has it that St Piran arrived in Cornwall during the 5th century after the Romans had left. Arriving upon the Cornish shores at Perranporth, strapped to a mill wheel, after being consigned to the sea from Ireland, by the King of Leinster, as punishment for angering him with his Christian piety.
Once in Cornwall, he became a hermit and established his Oratory on the sands where he landed, attracting many followers, including a fox, a badger and a boar.
Many consider the Oratory to be the first church in Cornwall and perhaps the oldest church in Britain. It was located among the dunes at Perranporth and remained an important religious site until the 9th Century when it was abandoned to the ever-encroaching sands.
During 1789, a man named Christopher Jenkin was walking across the dunes, when he spotted the end of the building sticking out of the sand. Since then, it has incurred several excavations.
Today, the focus on the annual fifth day of March, is the St Piran’s Day feast and is marked by a procession across the dunes to the remains of the Oratorymand the ruin of the replacement second church, that was built during the 10th century. Here, it is tradition that daffodils are placed and a play in the Cornish language is performed in respect of the saints death.
It was here, that he is said to have discovered tin-smelting, by lighting his fire on a black hearthstone which turned out to be rich in tin ore. The tin smelted to the surface to form a white silver cross on the black background. The colours on the Cornish flag, are said to represent, the black ore and contrasting metal of tin.
This began the acceleration for an industry, that came to define Cornwall’s economy and culture for generations.
A good sword and a trusty hand!
A merry heart and true!
King James’ men shall understand
What Cornish lads can do!
And have they fixed the where and when?
And shall Trelawny die?
His twenty-thousand Cornish men
Will know the reason why!
And shall Trelawny live?
Or shall Trelawny die?
His twenty-thousand Cornish men
Will know the reason why!
Out spake the captain brave and bold
A merry wight was he
‘If London Tower were Michael’s hold
We’d set Trelawny free!’
We’ll cross the Tamar land, to land
the Severn is no stay.
With one and all and hand in hand
And who shall bid us nay?’
And shall Trelawny livе?
Or shall Trelawny die?
His twenty-thousand Cornish men
Will know the reason why!
9th September
Cultural feast shared by staff celebrates diversity and inclusion.
Harbour Housing recognised the generosity of one of its own colleagues through its Act of Kindness Award, celebrating the everyday
23rd June
13th June
9th June
27th May
22nd May
