Boconnoc House & Estate | Wedding Venue and Accommodation Cornwall

Boconnoc Royal College of Music award: Turner Quartet in Concert
2026-07-28 19:30 - 21:00 (Europe/London)
Experience an exceptional celebration of emerging classical talent at Boconnoc, as we welcome the 2026 recipients of the prestigious Boconnoc Music Award, the Turner Quartet.
Established in partnership with the Royal College of Music, the Boconnoc Music Award supports outstanding young ensembles at a pivotal stage in their careers. Each year, one exceptional group is selected and invited to spend a week in residence at Boconnoc, immersed in rehearsal, collaboration and creative development.
Introducing the Turner Quartet
Formed in September 2025, the Turner Quartet is a dynamic young string quartet composed of Royal College of Music students. The ensemble takes its name from the celebrated British painter J.M.W. Turner, drawing inspiration from the expressive power and colour of his work.
Kana Aihara (violin) is an American student at the Royal College of Music with international performance experience.
Ray Sun (violin) is a Master’s student at the Royal College of Music who has performed internationally.
Hugo Svensson (viola), a Swedish RCM scholar who combines music and philosophy, has played across Europe.
Megan Rose (cello) is completing her Master’s at the Royal College of Music and is an award-winning performer.
In 2026, the quartet anticipates a series of performances in London, continuing their chamber music studies at the Royal College of Music.
The Residency & Performances
During their residency, the Turner Quartet will embrace Boconnoc’s tranquil atmosphere, focusing on refining their repertoire and strengthening their ensemble collaboration. The week culminates in a series of intimate performances, offering audiences an extraordinary opportunity to enjoy outstanding chamber music in the distinctive settings of Boconnoc House, Boconnoc Church, and local schools.
Enjoy the Turner Quartet’s inspiring performance in Boconnoc House with a programme of classical and contemporary works, performed with energy, precision and expressive flair by artists on the cusp of international careers.

Date: 28th July 2026
Tickets: Adults £15, Students £8, Under 12’s free
Time: Concert starts at 7.30pm, doors and bar open from 6.45pm

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HISTORY TOUR OF BOCONNOC HOUSE WITH CREAM TEA
2026-08-05 14:00 - 17:00
Take a tour of Boconnoc House and grounds and learn about the architecture, paintings, and people that tell the story of its past.
Guests will also visit the 800-year-old church and Georgian Bath House.
Following the history tour of Boconnoc House guests will be treated to a delicious Cornish Cream Tea in the Garden Room.
Boconnoc House won the HHA/Sotheby’s Award for Restoration in 2012, three prime ministers, a history of duels and the architect Sir John Soane play a part in the story of this unique estate.

Time 2pm to 5pm
Price £27
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BOCONNOC STEAM FAIR
2026-08-07 10:00 - 2026-08-09 18:00
Explore a wealth of heritage at the much-loved Boconnoc Steam Fair, one of the largest events of its kind in the South West. The Steam Fair has taken place annually at Boconnoc since 1999.
Camping is available on-site during the rally; please visit Boconnoc Steam Fair for further details.
Friday 7th to Sunday 9th August
Book here

Lilyboo Painting Landscapes in Oils with Andrew Barrowman
2026-09-29 10:00 - 16:00
Our day will be spent focusing on landscape painting in oils. We will use the ‘alla prima’ technique, where the painting is done wet-on-wet in one session – ‘first time’. We will cover the use of different
materials, techniques, composition and some colour mixing.
Based at Boconnoc’s Stable Yard and taking time to explore the grounds for inspiration, the day will be hosted by the LilyBoo team and led by talented artist Andrew Barrowman. The day includes refreshments and lunch.

Course aims and skills/knowledge to be taught.
● We will discuss different surfaces to paint onto and their different properties.
● Simplified composition.
● How to lay out your oil painting palette.
● Which oil painting mediums to use – and when to use them (or not!).
● Different types of oil painting brushes and their uses.
● Split primary palette – warm and cool versions of the primary colours.
● Alla prima painting techniques.
● Cleaning up at the end of a painting session.
At the end of the day, during the mini exhibition, we will discuss what we have learnt and discovered, and how we can apply those techniques in our own work.
What’s included?
Refreshments and lunch are included.
What do you need to bring?
Blankets will be provided and there will be seats available in the courtyard, should you wish to explore further into the grounds please bring a camping chair with you.
Please bring with you the following items:
● Apron or old clothing – to protect your clothes and, importantly, several large cotton rags for wiping brushes.
● Low odour turps (Zest It or Gamsol are good) and a painting medium such as linseed oil. A large-sized jam jar with a screw lid for transportation – you will need about half of a jam jar for this workshop.
● Any oil paint, palette knives, brushes etc that you currently use.
● We will bring some palette knives for you to try if you don’t have your own. Andrew will bring some basic paint colours in case you forget a tube or two, but please bring any you already have.
● A palette for mixing your oil paint – Andrew uses glass, but primed plywood is good, or disposable tear-off paper is ok.
● 2 small to medium-sized primed canvases or boards (remember you have to take it home whilst wet, Andrew has a good method for this which he will show you!). The surface can be white or primed with a ground colour such as burnt sienna or yellow ochre.
● Don’t forget you will need to transport your wet painting back with you, so bring something that you can carry it in, or put it in if travelling by car. Clean pizza delivery boxes are good! A plastic bag is fine for transporting a wet palette home.
Who is the workshop suitable for?
You can be a beginner or a more advanced painter.
Who runs the workshop?
The extremely talented Andrew Barrowman will lead the workshop, with Hayley from LilyBoo hosting the day.
Andrew is an award-winning landscape artist based in Cornwall. He predominantly paints in oils but is always keen to experiment with different media, including charcoal, egg tempera, and casein. He is an enthusiastic plein air sketcher and works outdoors in all weathers.
He was elected an associate member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists in May 2023 and a full member of the Pastel Society in June 2023.
To find out more about Andrew’s work, please follow:
The Artist — Andrew Barrowman ARBSA PS | Cornwall Landscape Artist
Date: 29 September
Time: 10am to 4pm
Cost: £115
For more information and booking, please visit www.lilyBoocornwall.co.uk

LilyBoo Autumn Textile Retreat
2026-11-06 16:00 - 2026-11-08 15:00
Join craft specialists LilyBoo at Boconnoc for a two-night textiles retreat.
There will be lots of crafting and social time, as well as fantastic food from Bellamama’s Deli in Lostwithiel.
Staying guests will arrive at 4pm on day one, spend the whole day on day two, and depart at about 3pm on day three.
Day guests can join each day from 9.30am to 4.30pm, enjoying craft workshops and lunch, as well as plenty of cake and treats.

LilyBoo handles all the planning, preparation, and equipment supply so you can arrive and enjoy the whole experience. You will have a great selection of knowledgeable tutors to work with, and Hayley (the Boo in LilyBoo) will be there throughout to ensure you have everything you need.

Activities include: experiments with fabric, textile brooches, nature printing and more
Informal evening activities
Includes all meals plus a lovely evening meal
Cakes, fruit and soft drinks available
LilyBoo gift bag
Dates: 6th November 4:00pm – 8th November 2026 3:00pm

For more information and booking visit LilyBoocornwall.co.uk
