South Mill Arts

South Mill Arts is a venue for theatre, contemporary arts and culture, local history, and conferences in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. One of the buildings, today Bishop's Stortford Museum, was the birthplace of Cecil Rhodes.

Bishop's Stortford Museum
Cecil Rhodes Plaque

The complex was refurbished in 2005 and has a 300-seat theatre, a multi-purpose studio space, museum, an exhibition gallery for art and photography, and a café bar. It provides a programme of arts events and hosts professional touring productions, dance groups, musicians and comedians. Films are also shown in its tiered auditorium.

Previously called the Rhodes Arts Complex, on 24 August 2020 the arts complex was renamed South Mill Arts in response to the Black Lives Matter protests against institutional racism.[1]

Bishop's Stortford Museum
South Mill Arts complex

Netteswell House, today Bishop's Stortford Museum, was the birthplace of British imperialist Cecil Rhodes, the financier and founder of diamond company De Beers who gave his name to Rhodesia.[2] It houses the Rhodes Collection, containing interactive displays, archives, artefacts, and photographs, about the life of Rhodes. The Rhodes Birthplace Trust is a registered charity under English law.[3]

The museum combines the collections of the former Rhodes Memorial Museum and the Bishop's Stortford Local History Museum. The Rhodes' Birthplace Museum was established in 1938 in two early-19th-century houses which are Grade II-listed buildings.[4] The current museum opened in 2005.[5]

The original part of Rhodes' home holds exhibits on the life of Rhodes, 19th-century Southern African artefacts from his travels, and a reconstructed middle-class Victorian drawing room with family memorabilia. The building holds exhibits on local history.

References
  1. "Cecil Rhodes theatre changes name after Black Lives Matter protests". The Independent. 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  2. Rhodes Arts Complex & Bishop's Stortford Museum on Bishop's Stortford Town Council's website
  3. "RHODES BIRTHPLACE TRUST, registered charity no. 1090267". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  4. Historic England. "Rhodes' Birthplace Museum (Grade II) (1347477)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  5. "Huge interest as arts complex opens its doors" Herts and Essex Observer, 17 November 2005

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