The House in Cornwall

by Noel Streatfeild, Lucy Mangan (Introduction)

Written at the very start of the Second World War, this book tells the story of one summer holiday in the life of the four Chandler children, who have been shipped off to stay with their Uncle Murdoch in his grand seaside home - Tregon Hall.

Initial excitement about their adventure quickly wears off as John, Sorrel, Wish and Edward arrive in Cornwall by train, only to discover that their Uncle is particularly unfriendly, the servants are behaving strangely, and they have effectively become prisoners in their uncle's home...

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Mystery, Juvenile, Classics

186 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1940

About the author

Mary Noel Streatfeild, known as Noel Streatfeild, was an author best known and loved for her children's books, including Ballet Shoes and Circus Shoes. She also wrote romances under the pseudonym Susan Scarlett .

She was born on Christmas Eve, 1895, the daughter of William Champion Streatfeild and Janet Venn and the second of six children to be born to the couple. Sister Ruth was the oldest, after Noel came Barbara, William ('Bill'), Joyce (who died of TB prior to her second birthday) and Richenda. Ruth and Noel attended Hastings and St. Leonard's Ladies' College in 1910. As an adult, she began theater work, and spent approximately 10 years in the theater.

During the Great War, in 1915 Noel worked first as a volunteer in a soldier's hospital kitchen near Eastbourne Vicarage and later produced two plays with her sister Ruth. When things took a turn for the worse on the Front in 1916 she moved to London and obtained a job making munitions in Woolwich Arsenal. At the end of the war in January 1919, Noel enrolled at the Academy of Dramatic Art (later Royal Academy) in London.

In 1930, she began writing her first adult novel, The Whicharts, published in 1931. In June 1932, she was elected to membership of PEN. Early in 1936, Mabel Carey, children's editor of J. M. Dent and Sons, asks Noel to write a children's story about the theatre, which led to Noel completing Ballet Shoes in mid-1936. In 28 September 1936, when Ballet Shoes was published, it became an immediate best seller.

According to Angela Bull, Ballet Shoes was a reworked version of The Whicharts. Elder sister Ruth Gervis illustrated the book, which was published on the 28th September, 1936. At the time, the plot and general 'attitude' of the book was highly original, and destined to provide an outline for countless other ballet books down the years until this day. The first known book to be set at a stage school, the first ballet story to be set in London, the first to feature upper middle class society, the first to show the limits of amateurism and possibly the first to show children as self-reliant, able to survive without running to grownups when things went wrong.

In 1937, Noel traveled with Bertram Mills Circus to research The Circus is Coming (also known as Circus Shoes). She won the Carnegie gold medal in February 1939 for this book. In 1940, World War II began, and Noel began war-related work from 1940-1945. During this time, she wrote four adult novels, five children's books, nine romances, and innumerable articles and short stories. On May 10th, 1941, her flat was destroyed by a bomb. Shortly after WWII is over, in 1947, Noel traveled to America to research film studios for her book The Painted Garden. In 1949, she began delivering lectures on children's books. Between 1949 and 1953, her plays, The Bell Family radio serials played on the Children's Hour and were frequently voted top play of the year.

Early in 1960s, she decided to stop writing adult novels, but did write some autobiographical novels, such as A Vicarage Family in 1963. She also had written 12 romance novels under the pen name "Susan Scarlett." Her children's books number at least 58 titles. From July to December 1979, she suffered a series of small strokes and moved into a nursing home. In 1983, she received the honor Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). On 11 September 1986, she passed away in a nursing home.

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been hearing about this book for years. I never came across it as a child (I had limited access to books back then) but I was determined to read it when I saw it here again.
I loved it! I know if I had read it when I was into Enid Blyton's books in a big way, I would have reread and reread it. What an adventure!! It all happens in one place but it's so well written you don't even think about that.
There was so much tension for a young adult read.
I wanted to get this edition as I love these covers from my young days.
Great story!!

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟 One of my new favorite Noel Streatfeild stories—yay! I adored this story!

Not only is this Manderley Press edition absolutely gorgeous (exquisitely made, lovely to hold and having the most perfect cover and end papers!), but the story inside makes it the perfect package. I love Ms. Streatfeild's books about families and children, but this one is especially wonderful. It kept me interested from the very first page to the last, especially the very last chapter (I hardly breathed!).

The middle of this middle grade adventure has one overly descriptive part which slowed me down a bit but, overall, I was completely enthralled. Usually, adventure stories are not my thing—I prefer peaceful, sweet stories with not much happening—but The House is Cornwall is an exception. It would make an interesting and lively movie, too.

I highly recommend this book (or any Manderley Press book!) to anyone young-at-heart or fans of Noel Streatfeild's sibling stories. Chock full of courage, loyalty, cleverness and fun!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is a middle grade thriller a thing? It should be with this book! This actually gave me Mysterious Benedict Society vibes so points for that because I love that series. The sibling dynamic in this is fun and I love how they work together and rely on each other’s strengths. There is also a lot about facing one’s fears for the greater good, which must have been a very needed message when this book was originally published in those early days of WWII. I can imagine being a kid in 1940 and loving the adventure of this book but also feeling comforted knowing that there would be a happy ending.

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adventure! I would have especially enjoyed this as a child.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-1/2 Stars

As my friend and buddy reader of this book called it, this is a middle grade thriller if ever there was one! From the halfway point to the end, the pace is unrelenting but in a really good way. I could not stop turning the pages as I wanted to make sure everything was going to work out ok.

I will say that the denouement happened to quickly for my liking and some of the timing of things didn’t really seem plausible but this is otherwise a fun read. And I enjoyed all the sibling dynamics which Streatfeild is a pro at showcasing.

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and virtually read it in one day when I had lots of time on trains.

This is about the Chandler children who have been shipped off to their step-uncle Murdoch in Cornwall as their cousin who they usually stay with has scarlet fever. They are quite excited about the adventure but when they arrive their uncle's servants are behaving strangely and other odd incidents occur...

Without spoiling anything this is a great little thriller for children. It is easy to read yet Streatfeild manages to portray some good characters who have faults yet are trying to grow up and improve their character. As an adult it was an easy read and maybe not the most in depth Streatfeild. However I loved how each sibling had their own identity and some of their remarks made me laugh. I also liked Katia who seems different from most servants in Streatfeild's novels.

A gripping adventure which is perfect for kids aged 8+ providing they don't get easily scared.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the most suspenseful Noel Streatfeild book I've ever read. In fact, it was much more enjoyable than I thought it would be; I actually couldn't put it down till I had finished, which is something that rarely happens to me while reading children's books!

[Lydia Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t read this Noel Streatfeild book as a child, which is a shame as I would have loved it. It has a real ‘Famous Five’ feel to it too & is pretty creepy in places. Another for children’s classics club.

[Martyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfectly enjoyable, even if rather predictable. It's not the kind of Streatfeild book I have grown used to, or which most of her readers would be familiar with. It is not about children aspiring to be the best in their field, but it is a mystery/adventure story more in line with Enid Blyton. I would describe it as being a Blyton-copycat novel if it weren't for the fact that Streatfeild published this before Blyton had started publishing stories of this type.

While enjoyable, and probably especially so for a child, it's not a book I would want to read again. Reading it as an adult it feels like a rather trivial waste of time which doesn't stand out above any other stories of this kind. So by all means let children read it - it's all clean and innocent - but it's not a title to go out of your way to obtain, and for adults it would feel like a far from original story.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is so exciting! Ms Streatfeild was sure versatile. It was nothing like her shoes books at all. Four kids are sent to their uncle's estate for the summer holidays, apparently against his wishes, and discover his plot to depose a king and install a dictator in a small (fictional) country. Action and adventure!

[Deena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one - a rolicking adventure with bravery, compassion, luck, and an archetypal (sp??) rescue - all rolled in a setting of the villainy of tyranny and the clear superiority of a monarchial republic.

[June anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A childhood memory of adventure and drama...

[Kymm Zuckert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entirely enjoyable! It's a regular Streatfeild book as far as the children go, but all the rest is completely different, what with the mystery and suspense and all! Loved it.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25*

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came across this accidentally. A good fun read, a children’s book, and a good one.

[Betty-Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

A children’s classic. Originally published in 1940, this beautiful edition by Manderley Press was published in 2024. Exciting adventure for all ages.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

In typical Streatfeild fashion, young children are faced with challenges and adventures. In an unusual twist this is a suspense and intrigue story. The children, Sorrel, John, Edward and Wish, are sent to spend their summer holidays with their father's half-brother, Uncle Murdoch. However, Uncle Murdoch is not a usual kindly, or even eccentric, uncle. He's the right-hand man of a former dictator who is trying to regain power.

While the premise is an interesting one, the story requires a great deal of suspension of belief. It's a short book which is probably why there isn't much detail. The story also covers only days instead of months or years. Could be too much for some children who are sensitive and fearful.

[Catherine Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can four children overthrow a plot masterminded by the Dictator of Livia ? Great fun from beginning to end, if only all school holidays were this exciting.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twins, Sorrel and John, and their younger siblings Wish and Edward, are devastated to learn that they are unable to go to the home of Uncle Sydney and Aunty Ann for the summer holidays as normal. Instead they are sent to stay with their father's half brother, Uncle Murdock at The House in Cornwall, Tregon Hall. None of them are looking forward to going but equally neither are they expecting to held prisoners within the house and grounds and as the realisation dawns on them their fear grows. Their Uncle has recently returned from Livia where he has been part of a plot to overthrow the royal family in that country and help his friend, Dr Manoff take on the role of dictator. Constantly watched by staff who are effectively working as guards the children are forbidden to enter the Gardener's Cottage as they are told the gardener has typhoid, with the threat of punishment by the terrifying Manoff being held over their heads. Then on their first night in the house they hear a child crying in the cottage and hatch a plan to find out who the child is as they have been told only the gardener is in there, alone.

In the introduction to the 2024 edition Lucy Mangan acknowledges the similarities with Enid Blyton story The Secret of Spiggy Holes which was also published in 1940 and also set in Cornwall. However, while I loved Blyton stories as a child and still enjoy dipping back into them, I felt that The House in Cornwall does benefit from more sophisticated writing. It is still a book for children and still very much a story of its time but Streatfeild gives far much attention to the way the children feel and their anxieties than is apparent in Blyton's novels. As a result we see children who have very real concerns overcome these fears and grow in confidence as they face their challenges and even employ psychological strategies to help them cope.

Streatfeild creates a very detailed world in the early chapters spending more than half the book setting a detailed scene and allowing the reader time to get to know and and become attached to the characters of the children. Then the pace increases as the children discover just who is in the gardener's cottage and the danger they are in. They have one chance to succeed as the story rushes to it's finale. This is still a wonderful escapist read. It was the perfect companion for a holiday in Cornwall and reading children's books can be an incredibly healing experience for an over burdened adult mind.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A preposterous plot of 'derring do' adventures of a family of four in Cornwall was great fun. The Chandler children, twins John and Sorrel and their younger siblings, Wish and Edward, are sent to stay with unknown uncle Malcolm at imposing Tregon Hall for the summer. Malcolm has been a mover and shaker in an unsuccessful revolution in (a Ruritanian-type country) Livia and now is housing a deposed dictator, and also something fishy in the annexe. The era, 1930's, allows for complete isolation now impossible in days of internet and mobile phones, and this is an old fashioned tale, which reads speedily and is highly nostalgic. The characterisation of the children, their individual personalities and, especially, their internal fears, makes this simple story memorable. The subject matter is so far removed from most of Streatfeild's work that I wondered, given the time it was written (1939) how much the plot was an allegory for real-life sinister times but apparently it was simply written as a story which did not require her usual detailed research, lobbed out at speed to earn while preparing to do war work.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old favorite. The Chandler children's cousin Bridget comes down with scarlet fever just as the holidays begin, so they can't stay with them as usual. Instead they are sent to stay with their father's half-brother, Murdock, in an old mansion in Cornwall. But it quickly begins to seem that they are (almost) prisoners there — and who do they hear crying in the night? A fast-paced and interesting mystery.

[A J HOOPER · Rating 2 out of 5]

An early children's story by Streatfeild. Written in 1940, it is republished in 2024. Four children get sent to stay at an uncle's house in Cornwall, only to find they are virtual prisoners there. They discover that the little Livian King is drugged and penned up there. Naturally they plot to get him out.
A basic story that is in a par with some of the Blyton titles.

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea this existed until Manderley Press reissued it. Thank you to Cincy Book Depot for carrying it in the U.S.! It's a Streatfeildian thriller complete with an imaginary European dictatorship, sunny Cornwall beaches, and a family of four resourceful children. No one dances, acts, or plays tennis, but there is a great deal of bravery.

[Carolyn Fagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun middle reader adventure story, that although is a bit dated was still a delight to read. Think locked in a castle with a mysterious crying coming from an outbuilding and four siblings trying to solve the mystery, with lots of foreign speaking servants and an evil dictator and uncle. A bit of a series of unfortunate events vibe going on. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[R · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not Streatfeild’s best work and there’s an awful lot of setting up for the very rushed conclusion. Confusingly the “baddy” is also the same name as a different character in Ballet Shoes.

[Christine McCann]

A fun read. Started a little slowly, but got exciting and engaging as it went on!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely fun and exciting - definitely lived up to me memories of it, although was now of course far less frightening than I used to find it. What a writer Streatfeild was.

[Alyson Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous children’s story enjoyed by this adult. A real page turner. Great children’s adventure with some suspense. Reflection of the time in which it was set, think around 1930s.