2020-10 OCS Newsletter

Kowethas Kernow Goth - Gerens ha Porthskathow
Newsletter – October 2020
In normal circumstances we would have conducted a number of cultural events
through the summer, Feast Day, Crying The Neck etc. and by now would be
embarking on our programme of monthly talks. However, the Coronavirus has
meant that we have not been able do many of the things we would have liked and
you will have seen from a previous email, our Chairman, Ralph German, has
rightly decided to suspend our monthly talks until May 2021. Rest assured that
when we are able to do so the OCS will put together a fantastic programme of
talks for all to enjoy.
Whilst meeting in person is not now possible, the main work of the OCS carries
on apace. We are all busily “gathering the fragments” of Cornishness and
promoting them to a wide an audience as possible as usual.
AONB Monumental Improvement Project – Dingerein
The AONB Monumental
Improvement Project is a project to
improve the condition of scheduled
monuments considered to be at risk
within the AONBs across
Cornwall.
You will recall that our OCS has
been working with the project in
respect of Dingerein and conducted
a highly successful scrub clearance
Figure 1 Summer Regrowth at Dingerein
day in February. At that time the
central ditch at Dingerein was
successfully cleared of vegetation. All of those involved on the day really enjoyed
the experience and left with the feeling of a job well done.
Now that the summer nesting period is over it is desired to resume the project
with some days of action in mid-November. We will be consolidating the work
on the central ditch by eliminating any summer re-growth and making a start on
clearing the inner rampart. All work will of course be risk assessed and

Kowethas Kernow Goth - Gerens ha Porthskathow
Coronavirus restrictions fully taken into account. If you can help out in mid-
November please contact our Recorder, Nev Meek - nev.meek@sky.com
Cornish Buildings Group – Buildings at Risk Project
The OCS are working with the CBG to identify and historic buildings in Cornwall
which may be at risk.
How you can help.
Please can you all help in identifying any old buildings across Cornwall which
may be at risk. This could be buildings where the roof is not weather tight,
windows are boarded up or broken, gutters and rainwater goods are not
functioning properly, there are significant outbreaks of dry or wet rot, the building
is unoccupied or out of use, inappropriate alterations are proposed to the building,
or an inappropriate use is proposed for the building.
Please provide details to our Recorder – Nev Meek – nev.meek@sky.com
Place-name of the Month – Portscatho ~ Porthskathow
This is a beautiful Cornish language place-name comprising of two elements:
<porth> harbour, cove, entrance’ + <skathow> ‘boats’.
When the two place-name elements are put together in this it is termed as a “name
phrase”. The first element <porth> can also mean ‘entrance’ and can occur at
inland sites e.g. Porth (St Anthony in Roseland). <-ow> is the commonest plural
suffix used in the Cornish language.
The traditional local pronunciation is PerSKATHa or just SKATHa for short.
Dialect of the Month - Gaberik
In days gone by the people of Portscatho always used the dialect word “gaberik”
to refer to the spider crab. It is in fact derived from the Cornish word <gaverik>
‘little goat’. <-ik> is a diminutive suffix in Cornish.
Membership
The affiliation fee to the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies has been reduced,
and our Chairman has decided that in view of our finances, no membership fee
will be payable to our OCS this year.
Contacts
www.stgandpocs.co.uk
www.facebook.com/gerransoldcornwall
www.twitter.com/GerransSt