Welcome to the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall 

Registered Charity Number 1202892 

The Royal Geological Society of Cornwall was founded in 1814 in Penzance to promote the study of the geology of Cornwall. It is the second oldest geological society in the world, after the Geological Society of London and has the longest run of publications of any geological society.

The Cornwall Geoconservation Group is a committee of the RGSC.

RGSC lectures are held on the third Wednesday of each month on Zoom, with in-person or hybrid events every two or three months in various locations including Penzance.

Regular field trips enable enjoyment of geology and landscape in the great outdoors. Members also carry out various historical and outreach projects, and often answer enquiries on historical aspects of RGSC. The transactions are now published as ad-hoc guest-edited volumes. Shorter topical articles, reports of fieldtrips etc, are published on the news page.

Most events are open to non-members, and accessible and enjoyable whatever your knowledge of geology, so please don’t hesitate to join a session that looks of interest. It is only £15 to support the Society by becoming a member, find out more here.

The RGSC is a registered charity. It has recently registered as a CIO and the number is 1202892 (go to the news page). We are affiliated to the Geologists’ Association. We encourage collaborations with other societies so just email us if you have an idea for a joint event.

RGSC Events 2026 (click on EVENTS and All Events to view details)

The programme usually follows this kind of format with a mix of  field trips and meetings, mostly in person and occasionally online. Non-members are welcome to attend events. There is a small fee for field trips for non-members

7 pm, Wednesday 21 January An overview of the recent unrest and eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, Vincent Drouin, Iceland Meteorological Office, online

2 pm Saturday 21^st February, AGM and Annual Address by Professor Robin Shail, ‘Ten things you should know about the Cornubian Batholith’, St Johns Hall, Penzance and Annual Dinner at the Union Hotel

7 pm Wednesday, 18^th March, a lecture joint with the Royal Geographical Society and GEMS student society, When the Andes Rose: Unlocking the Mountain Range’s Uplift Story, Dr Laura Evenstar, University of Plymouth, Exchange Lecture Theatre, Penryn Campus, TR10 9FE.

Weekend Field Trip to the Jurassic Coast,  18 and 19 April 2026 led by Professor Stephen Hesselbo

11 am, Sunday 31 May, Wearde Quay/Churchtown Farm area of Saltash, led by Jon King

7 pm Wednesday 17 June, ‘Trewavas, then and now – A short history and a pictorial record of the iconic houses perched on the cliffs above Mounts Bay’  Stephen Polglase, RGSC Room, King Edward Mine Museum, Troon, TR14 9HW

2pm, Saturday 4 July 2026, Fieldtrip to Trewavas, then and now: A Guided Walk’ to see the mining history and geology with Stephen Polglase

Saturday 25 July 2026 Federation of Old Cornwall Societies) Heritage Day for the Festival of Archaeology, Shire House Suite, Bodmin. RGSC will be attending

7 pm, Wednesday 19 August, members show and tell evening at RGSC room, King Edward Mine Museum, Troon, TR14 9HW

7-10 September, Fieldtrip to the Scilly Isles led by Professor James Scourse with the Quaternary Research Association

Autumn fieldtrip to the Lizard to see to complete the sequence of RGSC fieldtrips and visit the uppermost parts of the sequence, tbc

Wednesday 16 September or Wednesday 23 September, RGSC Lecture, Penryn Campus, TR10 9FE

7pm, Wednesday 21 October, Cornwall Geoconservation Group Lecture, The Quaternary of Scilly and the southern margin of the ice sheet in England, Dr Ben Tindal, Senior Specialist – Quaternary Geology, Natural England. Online/in person tbc

7 pm Wednesday 2 December talk or geology lab practical session and Christmas social event tbc, at Penryn Campus, TR10 9FE

For Details see Events, all events. Join RGSC to receive the members newsletter with details of events and activities.