In time for St Piran’s Day and to launch a year of events to celebrate the bicentennial of Charles Rashleigh’s death, a St Piran’s flag was hoisted up the new flagpole high above Charlestown at a special and historic ceremony on Saturday 4th March 2023.
The flag raising marked the end of a two year project by the Charlestown History Group to put a flagpole back at Charlestown’s Gun Battery on the the western cliffs overlooking the village. The flagpole replaces the one originally installed in the mid 1790s when Crinnis Cliff Artillery Volunteers were formed and which has been lost for over 100 years.
As well as a new flagpole, the Charlestown History Group has undertaken extensive improvement works on the Battery site, clearing invasive vegetation, habitat improvment and protecting the historic structures for the future.
The Gun Battery along with the port of Charlestown itself was built with the vision and fortitude of Charles Rashleigh. 2023 marks 200 years since his death and the flag raising lauches a year of events to commerate Charlestown’s founder.
The work at the Battery has been a true community project and it is hoped it will be the catalyst for further improvements to the site so that more people can know of its history and it can be protected for the future.
If you’d like to join us and help in this and the other work of the Charlestown History Group, you can do so by visting our get involved page.
A flag will fly from the flagpole on a few special occasions a year and members of the public will also be able to request, in return for a donation towards history group’s funds, a flag to be flown to mark their pecial occasion. Perhaps to celebrate a birthday or in memory of a loved one. More information of flag raising for your occasion can be found on our flag page.