Remembrance at Heligan

Remembrance holds a special place in the hearts of those at Heligan, as we continue to remember the ‘Lost Gardeners’ of the pre-1914 Heligan Estate. In April 1914 there were 23 men recorded weekly in the Heligan Estate Labour Books. Two weeks after war was declared, this number was down to 16. By 1917 there were only 8 still working at Heligan. 13 Heligan men went to war, and only 4 returned.

Join us for a long weekend of Remembrance this November. Now, 110 years since the outbreak of WW1 – our team today continues to remember The Lost Gardeners of Heligan on a daily basis – and we’ve recently installed intimately handcrafted memorial slates around The Gardens, paying permanent tribute to all 13 Heligan Men who set out from here to serve in World War 1. On your visit to the Gardens, look out for: The Lost: Samuel Hunkin, Charles Dyer, John George Barron, William Robins Guy, Charles Ball, Percy Carhart, William George Perry, Leonard Warne, Albert Henry Rowe. The Returned: Fred Paynter, Archibald Smaldon, John Varey and Keeper William Turner.

On your journey through The Gardens, you can stop by the grotto to light a candle in memory of a loved one, pausing for a moment of reflection.

Whilst in the area, you can visit the local parish church of St. Ewe and view Heligan’s art exhibition, ‘In Their Name: Don’t Come Here to Sleep or to Slumber’, by South African artist Lize Krüger. This was commissioned in 2018 to commemorate ‘The Lost Ones’, ‘The Forgotten Ones’ and ‘Heligan’ and Lize’s three exquisite installations have now been offered a permanent home at All Saints Church in St. Ewe village. Lize’s inspiration came from the tragic history of Lost Gardener Percy Carhart, who is not only remembered here but on the St. Ewe War Memorial.

We will be raising money for the Royal British Legion over this period and encourage donations if you can.