| The story of Emily St Ive Liskeard Cornwall PL14 3LX |
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| Please plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before your first reservation time so that you can view the Introduction Video. Parents with prams and guests in wheelchairs, kindly note that all pathways in the garden are gravel and uneven in some areas. Please take note that the Rectory is not wheelchair friendly. |
The Story of Emily is a fresh, immersive historical experience. A tale of incredible bravery, determination and impact. It shines the light on Emily Hobhouse, an inspirational woman from Cornwall who challenged the social norms of the Victorian era and changed the lives of thousands of women and children during the Second Anglo-Boer War.
Meet Emily Hobhouse
Nearly 165 years ago in the small village of St Ive, Cornwall, a baby girl was born to the Anglican priest, Reginald Hobhouse, and his wife Caroline Trelawny. Her name was Emily Hobhouse.
She would become both famous and infamous in her lifetime. Revered by some, loathed by others.
The Victorian Rectory: step into Emily’s childhood home
The story of Emily begins in her childhood home, the Victorian Rectory, where Emily lived from birth until age 34. Guests are invited to ring the bell and step inside the Gothic Revival-style family home, which was commissioned by her father between1852 and 1854 having hailed from Hadspen House in Somerset.
Restored to the year 1875 when Emily was 15 years old, it is decorated in detail with full Victorian splendour. Replica wallpaper (based on original pieces found during the restoration) adorns the walls alongside prints of Emily’s watercolour paintings.
There’s a chance to explore what lies in the larders, scullery, and fuel stores. Take a peek inside Emily’s school room and bedroom and see the maid’s room on the top floor. There are even Victorian clothes to dress up in, for both children and adults.
This is not a museum but an invitation to wander curiously through the house. With tea left in teacups and biscuits on plates, it is as though the Hobhouse family has popped out to the garden, leaving their home open for discovery.
The War Rooms: a truly unique immersive experience
The War Rooms is a truly unique immersive historical experience that will leave visitors awestruck – by both Emily’s bravery and the experience itself.
Come and see how a typical historical family from 1897 lived in their home and farm before the war broke out. Then step into the scenes of the war – the sieges, battles, turning points, and the sabotaging guerilla campaigns.
The guerilla tactics set off an unimaginable decision, one which would change the course of the war and the lives of tens of thousands.
Witness the eventual scorched earth policy and its effects. Installations, animations, films, virtual reality, historical pictures, and original artifacts combine to share the resolve and courage of Emily and the Boer women and children.
The story journeys from pre-Anglo Boer War to during and after, bringing to life in vivid detail the extraordinary impact Emily had on the events of the war and thereafter.
Essential info
This is a working farm with lots of feathery friends and woolly companions, so please leave your pets at home. Guide dogs welcome. Prioritise your comfort by wearing sturdy footwear, donning a hat to shield you from the sun during summer, and packing wellies and an umbrella for winter visits. As the Swedish proverb reminds us, 'There is no bad weather – only bad clothing.'
We want to create a safe experience for every visitor, so we ask for simple details to know who is on the property. We only accept card or contactless payments and do not have cash machines on site. When visiting our attraction, we kindly ask guests to swap their shoes and stow their bags away to protect the artifacts and ensure a comfortable, safe, and clean environment for everyone to enjoy.
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The War Rooms have been created excellently and use technology really well to tell an amazing story that I, and I feel sure others, will have previously been unaware of. The Rectory has been lovingly restored and it is great to absorb the atmosphere of Emily's childhood home. Without exception, the staff, of whom there were are a lot, were extremely friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
To top it all, the Restaurant serves excellent and authentic South African food and drink with a view through the largest single pane of glass that I have ever seen. Nothing not to like."