Craigflower Manor and Schoolhouse

An Original Hudson's Bay Company Farm

This was one of Vancouver Island's first farming communities, established in 1853 along Victoria's Gorge Waterway to meet the Hudson's Bay Company's obligations to Britain to support colonization. On lands purchased from chiefs of one of the indigenous aboriginal people, Kenneth McKenzie oversaw construction of a self-sufficient settlement. The Kosapsom people still harvest shellfish, salmon and herring from the tidal waters that separate the Manor from the Schoolhouse.

Today, the original Georgian Manor house, built using the Hudson's Bay Company post-and-beam method, still stands amid fields and gardens, and across the bridge you'll find the oldest schoolhouse in British Columbia.

Where You'll Find Us

Craigflower occupies several open hectares at the junction of Craigflower Road and Admirals Road.

Due to construction of the new Craigflower Bridge and consequent closure of Admirals Road beginning in spring 2013, Craigflower Manor and Schoolhouse will not be open to the public this year.

For more information, contact Heritage Branch at 250 356-1432 or heritage@gov.bc.ca.

Special web link:

Teaching, Learning and Farming at Craigflower Farm is a website that provides a detailed look at life at Craigflower Farm during the last half of the 19th Century.