Awards

The Royal Institution of Cornwall runs and manages a number of prizes. Learn more about the prizes that we are running and that we have run in the past.

The Winston Graham Historical Prize

In 2008, the Winston Graham Historical Prize was launched to celebrate works of historical fiction set in Cornwall or the South West.

The prize launch followed a generation donation in the legacy of Winston Graham, who enjoyed visiting and writing in the museum during his working life. Following a brief hiatus down to COVID, we are very excited to have relaunched the prize, taking it nationwide.

In 2023, we opened the prize up to authors beyond Cornwall, allowing entries from the widest and most diverse historical fiction authors that the UK and Ireland have to offer. In 2024 we look forward to celebrating the next winner of the Winston Graham Historical Prize.

Henwood Medal

Every three years, the Royal Institution of Cornwall presents a medal to an author who has contributed to the Institution’s journal. Every three years, during a members’ Annual General Meeting, the author who is thought to have had the ‘most distinguished contribution’ during the past three years is awarded the prize.

This ceremony is a long-standing tradition, with the first Henwood Medal being awarded in 1890.

Jayne Wackett Fun

The Dr Jayne Wackett Memorial fund makes small grants to students and researchers investigating Royal Cornwall Museum’s collections or researching areas of Medieval, Early Modern history or Art History with a link to Cornwall or the Southwest.