Charles Causley's Cornwall Home Faces Funding Challenges

In a letter to the Guardian, David Devanny, who runs Cyprus Well, the former home of poet Charles Causley (1917-2003) in Launceston, Cornwall, responds to recent discussions about preserving writers' homes. Cyprus Well, a cottage where Causley lived for 50 years, is managed by a small charity that opens its doors year-round to aspiring writers, schoolchildren, residents, and tourists. Devanny highlights the difficulties of maintaining the property, including weather-related damage and shrinking funding sources. The charity relies heavily on volunteers, occasional private philanthropy, and grants from trusts and foundations. He appeals to the town council, some of whose members knew Causley personally, to reconsider their support. The letter underscores the broader challenges faced by those who preserve literary heritage sites, emphasizing the importance of such places as sites of resistance and renewal.