Exceptional life
Lady Arbuthnott lived here until her death in 1904—experiencing love and sorrow, abundance and hardship. A legendary figure in her lifetime, she became known locally as the "Uncrowned Queen of Sunndal." She is buried at Løykja in Sunndal alongside her son James. Her houses and cottages still stand. Elverhøy, located near Leikvin cultural heritage park, remains privately owned. In other words, it's a story that Sunndalers feel a strong connection to.
Music play for almost 30 years
The musical play about Lady Arbuthnott - "The Lady of Elverhøy" - was first performed at Sunndal Cultural Centre in 1996. Since then, the musical has played to full houses every June and is today Norway's longest-running musical. Combine your visit to Sunndal with a performance and a walk in the Lady's footsteps:
Museum and rhododendron garden
At Leikvin cultural heritage park, you can explore exhibitions on British salmon fishing and Sunndal's uncrowned queen. The museum is open in the summer.
At Leikvin local museum, you'll find Elverhøy, Barbara Arbuthnott's residence, which serves as a distinctive backdrop in the musical. The house is privately owned today.
In the same area lies the English rhododendron garden, Phillipshagen, created by Briton Ethelbert Lort Phillips in the 1890s. The garden is at its most beautiful in May and June but is a lovely place to visit year-round to enjoy the nature and surroundings, close to the Driva River.
At the cemetery near Løykja chapel, just a few hundred meters from Leikvin, lie the graves of the main characters in Barbara Arbuthnott's story. Here lie the lady herself, her son, the chambermaid, and others connected to the story.
