Five years ago a few people got together to try and raise some money to mend the church roof ...

...this Summer upwards of 80 people will perform in a stunning auditorium on the foundations of what was once one of the grandest houses in the South West.

Nearly 2,000 people will picnic in the grounds once trodden by the High Sheriff of
Cornwall.   This is an amazing event, in a stunning location. 

This is the story of Whiteford House and the Whiteford Music Festival.

In 1775 John Call, High Sheriff of Cornwall, built Whiteford House, and he built it on a grand scale both inside and out:  Inside it was lavishly designed and decorated with elegant staircases and chimney pieces, a fine plaster work boudoir, delicately painted shutters, and even a looking glass room in which, according to local tale, an unfortunate post boy was briefly imprisoned by saucy parlour maid!

Outside, the already magnificent views of Dartmoor and Kit Hill were complemented by fountains, and a walled fruit garden that must once have rivalled that at Heligan.

Whiteford stayed in the Call family until 1870 when it went briefly to Andrew
Montagu and finally into the Duchy of Cornwall ownership 1879. 

The turn of the century saw the house fall into disrepair and, in 1913, the Duchy ordered its demolition, much of the granite being used for buildings now occupied by nearby Duchy College.  However, the servant’s quarters of the original house stayed in occupation by Duchy staff until 1968 when the buildings were condemned by death watch beetle.

During the 20th century, children in the local community also enjoyed the grounds as they provided the venue for the annual Cub and Scout camp.  In fact some standing stones that were laid out as a Scout chapel can still be found within the grounds. 

Ex scout leaders are still part of our church congregation and talk fondly about the times they took young people to camp at Whiteford.

Today, the remains of the house and the Elizabethan food stores only hint at the past splendour of the estate.  But in 2001 a group of people met to look at ways of raising money to preserve the local church and the process began that would bring Whiteford back into the heart of the community.

David and Sarah Short, the current owners of Whiteford were part of that original group and, when the idea of an open-air concert was hit upon, they immediately saw the opportunity to level the remains of the original house to create a raised concert stage – and the Music Festival was born.

In 2003, the venue was added to with the construction of a magnificent Arch, made from locally reclaimed Douglas Fir.  It was designed and built by Alastair Guy who lives in the village.  

Alastair has 24 years of experience of building wooden playgrounds and play ships including an extensive site at Bowood House in Wiltshire and the play ship at Calstock.  Helped by his son Barney and local carpenter John Rowe, the arch was erected by Alastair in the Summer of 2003.

This summer the three day Whiteford Music Festival will host over 80 performers and an audience of up to 2,000 of all ages will enjoy the wide variety of music the Festival has to offer. 

They will picnic in the grounds once trodden by the High Sheriff of Cornwall and, where there was once a house of splendour, the performers on stage will entertain and enthral the audience – a special time for a place that has always been part of the history of the village.