Nestled among the green hills of Derbyshire, Lea Hurst remains one of the most meaningful places connected to Florence Nightingale — the woman who transformed modern nursing and changed the history of medicine.

Today, the house is not a museum, but a living historic home welcoming guests from around the world. Since autumn 2025, its atmosphere and daily life have been carefully overseen by Svitlana Barabash — a Ukrainian-born manager whose own personal story feels unexpectedly connected to the legacy of Florence Nightingale.

Her family founded Dobrobut, one of Ukraine’s largest private medical networks — not simply as a business, but as a philosophy centred around compassion and trust.
For Svitlana, Florence Nightingale was never just a historical figure.

— You became the manager of Lea Hurst in autumn 2026. What did you feel when you first stepped into the house in this role?

It is difficult to describe in just a few words. Lea Hurst is not simply a beautiful historic property — it carries an emotional presence. You immediately feel that generations of people have lived, worked, reflected, and cared for others here.

For me personally, there was also a strong symbolic feeling. Florence Nightingale had always been part of my understanding of medicine and professional responsibility. So stepping into the house connected to her life felt both deeply moving and strangely natural at the same time.

— In recent years, has Florence Nightingale’s story started to feel more personal to you because of the war in Ukraine?

Yes, very much so.
Florence worked during wartime conditions and witnessed human suffering on a massive scale. Unfortunately, Ukrainians today understand many of those realities in a very personal way.

When your country is living through war, words like resilience, care, and humanity stop being abstract concepts. You begin to value quiet strength differently.

That is why, for me, managing Lea Hurst feels deeply symbolic — not as some grand historical mission, but as a daily reminder that compassion and dignity still matter, especially during difficult times.

— Lea Hurst is not a museum, yet it carries enormous historical significance. How do you balance authenticity with hospitality?

That balance is probably one of the most important parts of caring for this house.

Guests want comfort, of course, but they also come here because they want to feel the authenticity of the place. We try to preserve the atmosphere very carefully — the details, the textures, the feeling of a lived Victorian home rather than a staged historical attraction.

At the same time, the house should still feel warm and welcoming. We want people to relax, slow down, and genuinely experience the space, not simply observe it.

— Who usually comes to stay at Florence Nightingale Suites?

We welcome a very international mix of guests. Many visitors come from the UK, of course, especially people interested in British history and heritage. But we are always touched by how many guests travel here from abroad — including South Korea, Japan, France, and the United States.

For many of them, this is not simply accommodation. It is an emotional journey connected to the story of Florence Nightingale.

— Were you surprised by how well known Florence Nightingale still is internationally?

Very much so.
In some countries, especially across Asia, Florence Nightingale remains an incredibly important historical figure. Many nurses still learn about her during their education, and in some places the Florence Nightingale Pledge continues to be part of nursing culture.

At the same time, in parts of Eastern Europe or the former Soviet region, people often know much less about her story. So it is fascinating to see how deeply she is respected internationally.

— Do medical professionals experience the house differently?

Yes, often they do.
We regularly host nurses, doctors, healthcare workers, and people connected to medicine. For them, Florence Nightingale is not only a historical figure, but part of the identity of their profession.

— How do local residents in Derbyshire react to Lea Hurst? Is it true that many people did not realise Florence Nightingale’s family home was right here nearby?

Yes, surprisingly, that happens quite often.

When we first began speaking more publicly about the house, we discovered that even some local residents were unaware of the historical significance of Lea Hurst. People know the name Florence Nightingale, of course, but not everyone realises that this house in Derbyshire was her family home.

Many visitors from the local area tell us they are genuinely surprised — and very proud — to have such an important piece of history so close to them.

— Is Lea Hurst only for overnight guests, or can local visitors experience the house as well?

Absolutely.

We really wanted the house to feel accessible not only to international travellers, but also to people living nearby who are interested in history, atmosphere, and heritage.

That is why we created experiences that allow guests to spend time inside the house without booking a hotel stay. Some come simply to enjoy the interiors, take photographs, or experience the atmosphere of the house in a quieter, more personal way.

— Could you tell us about “Tea with Florence”?

“Tea with Florence” is one of the most special experiences we offer.
It gives guests the opportunity to spend private time inside an authentic Victorian family home surrounded by historical atmosphere and original period details. Through our collaboration with the Florence Nightingale Museum in London, the house also contains authentic pieces connected to Florence herself, including her chair, writing desk, and piano.

For many visitors, it feels less like a hotel experience and more like stepping into another era for a short moment.

What makes it especially lovely is that local guests do not need to book an overnight stay. They can simply reserve private time in the historic interiors, slow down, have tea, and enjoy the atmosphere of the house.

— What are the biggest challenges of managing a historic 19th-century house like Lea Hurst?

A historic house constantly requires attention. Unlike a modern building, you cannot simply replace things quickly or use standard solutions.

Every detail matters here because the character of the house lives in those details — the original woodwork, fireplaces, windows, textures, and craftsmanship that have survived for generations.

Caring for a place like this means always staying attentive and thinking long-term.

— What does it really mean to preserve authenticity while still providing modern comfort for guests?

That balance is probably the most delicate part of the work.

Guests naturally expect comfort, warmth, and modern hospitality standards. But at the same time, people come here precisely because Lea Hurst does not feel like an ordinary hotel.

We try very carefully to preserve the soul of the house — its atmosphere, proportions, materials, and historical feeling — while quietly integrating the comforts people need today.

The goal is not perfection in a commercial sense. It is authenticity.

— Why is ordinary renovation often impossible in a house like this?

Because historic houses require a completely different approach.
In a modern property, you can easily replace windows, fittings, locks, or decorative elements with standard contemporary materials. Here, many original features are more than a century old and have their own history and craftsmanship.

Even something as small as a window latch may be over 100 years old. You cannot simply remove it and install a modern replacement without losing part of the house’s character.

That is why working on Lea Hurst often means finding specialists who understand heritage buildings and can approach restoration with patience, creativity, and respect for the original details.

— What makes Florence Nightingale Suites different from a typical historic hotel?

I think the biggest difference is that Lea Hurst still feels like a real home rather than a recreated historical attraction.

Many historic hotels are beautiful, but here there is a very personal connection to Florence Nightingale herself and to the generations of people who lived here. The atmosphere feels intimate, calm, and deeply authentic.

People are not only coming for accommodation. They come because they want to experience a place connected to history in a very human way.

— Several films have been connected to the house over the years. Could you tell us more about that?

Yes, Lea Hurst has inspired filmmakers and historians for decades.
Scenes connected to Florence Nightingale’s life and story have been filmed here, including productions such as “The Lady with a Lamp” (1951) and “Florence Nightingale” (2008).

The house naturally carries a cinematic atmosphere — the interiors, the landscape around Derbyshire, the sense of history — so it continues to attract creative projects.

— Is it true that Elizabeth Gaskell also worked here?

Yes, according to historical accounts, Elizabeth Gaskell spent time at Lea Hurst and worked on parts of her famous novel “North and South” here.

That connection adds another fascinating cultural layer to the house. It is wonderful to think that these rooms were not only connected to the history of medicine, but also to English literature.

— You also collaborate with the Florence Nightingale Museum in London. What does that partnership mean for the house today?

Our collaboration with the Florence Nightingale Museum is incredibly important to us because it helps preserve the historical connection in a meaningful and respectful way.

Through this partnership, the suites feature authentic historical pieces connected to Florence herself, including her chair, writing desk, and piano.
For guests, seeing these objects inside a living home environment creates a very different emotional experience compared to seeing them behind museum glass.

— Would it be fair to describe Lea Hurst not as a museum, but as a “living historic home”?

Yes, I think that describes it perfectly.

Lea Hurst is deeply historical, but it is still full of life. People stay here, have conversations, drink tea, read books, celebrate important moments, and simply slow down for a little while.

We never wanted the house to feel frozen in time. The goal is to preserve its authenticity while allowing people to genuinely experience it as a warm and welcoming place.

In many ways, that living atmosphere is what makes the house so special.

— There is also a very special place connected to Florence Nightingale not far from Lea Hurst. Could you tell us about it?

Yes — it is a place that feels deeply meaningful to many people who visit Lea Hurst.

Not far from the house, there is a quiet spot in nature where, according to tradition, young Florence spent time in prayer and reflection. It is believed that somewhere in this landscape she experienced what she later described as a spiritual calling — a sense that she had been given a mission to dedicate her life to helping others through medicine and care.

Whether people see it through a historical, spiritual, or personal lens, there is undeniably a very powerful atmosphere there.

— Do guests visit this place today?

Yes, many guests ask about it, especially those who feel personally connected to Florence Nightingale’s story.

When requested, we are very happy to share this place with visitors because it helps people understand Florence not only as a historical figure, but as a young woman searching for meaning, purpose, and direction in life.

— Why do you think this place resonates so strongly with people today?

I think modern life is often very fast and very noisy. People rarely have space for quiet reflection anymore.

What makes Lea Hurst and the surrounding landscape so special is not only the history itself, but also the feeling of peace and stillness. Many guests come here searching for something deeper — connection, inspiration, calmness, or simply a moment to slow down.

In that sense, this place is not only about Florence Nightingale’s past. It is also about very human questions that remain important today — purpose, compassion, inner strength, and faith.