The Story of Emily, Liskeard

Emily Hobhouse's story is told in a remarkable and powerful way. I recommend visiting The Rectory first as that gives the background to Emily's upbringing and how her beliefs developed. The interactive journey through the War Rooms could well be challenging and highlights how women were regarded. The architecture of the War Rooms and the café is fantastic. The food is great and the staff are welcoming.

This is one of the most important history lessons that you will ever be given. The delightful fact is that it is so well done that you will love every minute. Magnificently curated and modem, clean and 'unstuffy' this is a great way to spend at least 4 hours and eat your way through a delicious, authentic South African menu. Brilliant experience and as my wife said...'sobering'.

What a fantastic experience. I knew nothing about this part of our history or of Emily Hobhouse. Unfortunately we didn't have time to go to the rectory (we were there for two and a half hours), but the war rooms were brilliant, so much attention to detail, with interactive elements throughout to retell the horrors of the war and concentration camps which housed women and children. My 13 year old daughter was really engaged by the experience. As members of the Newt we got into the attraction for free and will certainly be back to view the rest of the story and the restaurant.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I visited The Story of Emily in St Ive, but it turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in Cornwall. There was little online as the website looks fairly new. I thought I was just visiting a local women's Victorian house..... But it was so much more.

The rectory, Emily Hobson's childhood home has been beautifully restored. The rooms are packed with Victorian artifacts and you can wander through Emily Hobhouse’s childhood rooms such as the bedrooms, schoolroom, scullery, stables, dining room all set up as if the family had just stepped out. I loved the attention to detail, and there are even chances to dress up in period clothes which made it fun as well as fascinating. The were clothes for all ages.

What I want aware of and the real impact, cames when we went into the War Rooms. It is a huge warehouse type building separated into small rooms with the most fascinating scenes carefully displayed. Through film, VR, and powerful storytelling, you learn how Emily left this quiet Cornish village to expose the horrors of the Boer War concentration camps. There was a room depicting the battle with full size houses and many rifles with bullets looking like they were being fired. Such an amazing display. And intermixed were real relics, books, medals, weapons and more. There was one room were to went in to sit for a while which looked like you were in a veranda looking over the fields. At that point to are served fresh, strong coffee and South African Rusks. I want expecting anything like this at all.

It’s moving, inspiring, horrifying, and honestly quite emotional to see how much difference one determined woman made, especially at a time when women’s voices were often ignored. We need more Emily's to be recognised in this world.

I wish I had known more about this topic, but feel very thankful that I do now. So much of British History isn't taught to us in schools.

What really stood out to me was how welcoming and knowledgeable the staff were. They clearly care about Emily’s story and about making the visit engaging for everyone. And after exploring the exhibitions, you can visit thecrestaurant. It has Cornish produce cooked with a South African twist. The gardens and grounds are gorgeous too, with peaceful spots to sit and enjoy the view. See the lovely kittens running round and the peacocks.

It’s not your typical “day out” attraction, but that’s exactly why I loved it. It feels personal, and completely unique. If you’re in Cornwall and want something a little different that will leave you both inspired and reflective, I can’t recommend The Story of Emily highly enough.

At £25 I thought it was expensive when I arrived, but after the visit I realised just how good value this was for the 2 experiences there.

I will only say he prepared to remove your shoes in both the house and the war rooms or add shoe covers. Personally I didn't like this part. You are also not permitted to take bags in and when leaving them behind they were not in a secure area. I think this needs to be looked at more carefully.. but Don't let that stop you visiting. It was amazing. No photos of the war rooms as they are not permitted.

I've added a photo of the menu.

What a brilliant place, few places I have visited have left such an impression on me. The story of Emily is an incredible one, and I really cannot understand why this amazing woman is not known much better - her story should be on the history syllabus in schools! The house and museum themselves are quite stunning, meticulous attention to detail and an experience to behold. If that wasn't enough, there is a fantastic restaurant. All this enhanced by staff who, without exception from the entrance and throughout, are welcoming, informative and attentive. I cannot recommend this experience highly enough, prepare to be impressed but do appreciate that the museum is an emotional journey and you might learn some uncomfortable truths.