beatrix potter home tour

Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s home

: Location – Near Sawrey

Beatrix Potter  bought Hill Top in 1905 with the royalties from her first few books, written at her parents home in London, but inspired by her annual holiday visits to the Lake District. She visited as often as she could, but never for more than a few days at a time, sketching the house, garden, countryside and animals for her new books.

After Beatrix bought the Hill Top she busied herself writing more books, and visiting her farm. In 1909 she bought another farm opposite Hill Top, Castle Farm, which became her main Lakeland base.

Beatrix wrote many of her famous children’s stories in this little 17th century stone house. Characters such as Tom Kitten, Samuel Whiskers and Jemima Puddleduck were all created here, and the books contain many pictures based on the house and garden.

Beatrix bought many pieces of land and property in and around Sawrey , including the Old Post Office, Castle Cottage and a number of small farms. In 1913, aged 47, she married William Heelis in London and moved to Lakeland, living at Castle Cottage which was bigger and more convenient than Hill Top.

There is a good example of traditional cottage garden, containing mainly old-fashioned flowers such as honeysuckle, foxgloves, sweet cicely, lupins, peonies, lavender and philadelphus. Roses grow ground the front door. Fruit still plays an important role in the garden – strawberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries and rhubarb

When she died in 1943, she left Hill Top to the National Trust with the proviso that it be kept exactly as she left it, complete with her furniture and china.

Bar lunches and evening meals can be obtained from the Tower Bank Arms (NT owned) next door, during licensing hours. The Tower Bank Arms may be seen in ‘The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck’ .

Hill Top is still as it was then, and is now the most visited literary shrine in the Lake District.

2022 Opening Hours – www.nationaltrust.org.uk

2022 Admission – Adult £14, Child £7, Family £35.

Parking is free at the National Trust car park about 100 yards north of the Tower Bank Arms. A timed ticket entry operates for the house. Advance booking guarantees entry to the house. See website for information and ticket sales

See more photos of Hill Top

Related Links :

• National Trust handbook entry
• 2021 Big Guide to the Windermere Area
• Beatrix Potter Attractions & Exhibitions
• Beatrix Potter
• Beatrix Potter Books
• South Lakes Area Menu
• Gardens & Houses
• National Trust

Grid Ref : SD 370955 Booking.com

Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's House

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Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's House - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Ideas to inspire your world: luxury, culture, food, travel, style, september 8, 2023, visiting hill top, beatrix potter’s home in england’s lake district.

Preserved as it was during the author’s lifetime, Hill Top offers an enchanting glimpse into her world as a successful writer, illustrator, sheep farmer and land conservationist.

Artisans of Leisure can incorporate visits to Hill Top during our private England tours . Hill Top is a great destination for travelers interested in Beatrix Potter, English literature , interior design, history and gardens.

The Lake District (known locally as Lakeland) is a spectacular national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its stunning landscapes of lakes and fells (mountains), ancient farming culture and literary associations, particularly with Wordsworth, Ruskin, the Romantic poets and Beatrix Potter.

From a young age, Potter was a keen observer of the natural world and devoted time to recording the Lake District’s landscapes, flora and fauna in sketches and watercolors.

Following the success of her self-published children’s book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902), Beatrix Potter purchased Hill Top farm near the picturesque village of Near Sawrey in 1905 to be her summer home and studio.

The farmhouse, garden and surrounding area appear in many of her delightful illustrations, which combine detailed observations of the natural world and whimsical anthropomorphic characters.

Potter married later in life and moved to a nearby farm. But she maintained Hill Top as her private retreat and artist studio. Passionate about land conservation, she bought numerous farms and thousands of acres to preserve the Lakeland landscape and traditional fell farming. Potter’s interest in Lakeland farming extended to breeding the sturdy Herdwick sheep that have grazed in the area for centuries.

Upon her death, Beatrix Potter left most of her property to the National Trust, including Hill Top and thousands of acres of land that comprise an impressive amount of the Lake District National Park. Hill Top remains a working farm as it was during Potter’s lifetime.

Today, the cozy farmhouse appears as though Beatrix Potter has just stepped out, with a fire in the grate and her hat and boots near the door.

The interiors, which Potter decorated with local antiques, traditional crafts and family heirlooms, reflect her love of the history and traditions of rural Lakeland life.

Other stylistic details, such as the William Morris wallpapers, reference the Arts & Crafts movement that advocated reviving medieval craftsmanship and the ideals of rural life.

A highlight of visiting Hill Top is identifying the details of Beatrix Potter’s daily life that appear in her books, such as the intricately furnished dollhouse in The Tale of Two Bad Mice or the staircase and grandfather clock on the landing from The Tale of Tom Kitten .

Helpfully, each room in the house displays  the corresponding illustrations.

Another highlight of Hill Top is the cottage garden filled with flowers, vegetables and fruit.

The orchard has a delightful coffee stand in a rustic cabin.

Down the road from Hill Top is the charming village of Near Sawrey.

We recommend stopping for a pint by the fire at the Tower Bank Arms. The 17th-century inn appears today just as it does in The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck .

Upon request, we can arrange for our travelers to visit other sites in the Lake District connected to Beatrix Potter, such as touring one of the traditional farms she owned and meeting the Herdwick sheep breeders who live there or visiting galleries that exhibit Potter’s original illustrations and scientific studies.

Artisans of Leisure can also arrange private excursions to other literary landmarks, notable historic homes, castles and gardens and other scenic and cultural highlights in the Lake District.

Contact Artisans of Leisure to begin planning a private luxury England tour that includes visiting Hill Top in the Lake District.

Destinations:   England , Europe , UK

Tags:   Beatrix Potter , Beatrix Potter's home , British interiors , Cumbria , England , England family tours , England garden tours , English countryside tours , English Lake District , gardens , Hill Top , house museum , interiors , Lake District , Lake District tours , landscapes , literary tours , luxury England tours , private England garden tours , UK tours , UNESCO World Heritage Site

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A Literary Tour of Beatrix Potter’s Lake District

Beatrix Potter is best known for her children’s books that feature her own beautiful illustrations of the timeless characters that she created. Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, Jemima Puddleduck and the rest of her creations were all inspired by her childhood holidays in the Lake District , many of the stories featuring her favourite locations such as Derwentwater and Hawkshead. Any of her fans visiting the National Park for the first time should visit some of the landmarks best associated with Potter and her literary creations.

The world of beatrix potter.

Any Beatrix Potter tour of the Lake District should begin with a visit to The World of Beatrix Potter attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere. Children and adults of all ages will be enthralled by this self-guided tour of the world inside the author’s popular books. Both inside the exhibition and within the attached garden, visitors will come face-to-face with their most beloved characters and the settings from the stories, including Mrs Tiggy-winkle’s kitchen and the garden where Peter Rabbit escaped Mr McGregor’s net.

The World of Beatrix Potter, Crag Brow, Bowness-on-Windermere +44 15394 88444

Beatrix’s family spent many holidays in the Lake District, staying in various places throughout the National Park including spending many summers close to Derwentwater. If you wish to explore this part of her life, when she first became enthralled by the dramatic landscapes and beautiful countryside that surrounded her, then take the time to visit the very first place where Beatrix stayed in the Lake District, Wray Castle . Situated on the shore of Lake Windermere , this large house is designed in the style of a Gothic castle with grand features, turrets and towers. Children will adore the Peter Rabbit experience, an interactive series of exhibitions that include art works, films and opportunities to play.

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Wray Castle, Wray Castle Lodge, Low Wray, Ambleside +44 15394 33250

In 1905, Beatrix bought Hill Top farm with the money made from her first few books. Many of her most famous stories were written and illustrated from this house, including the tales of Tom Kitten and Jemima Puddleduck. When the author passed away, she left the National Trust strict instructions for how she wanted the house to be displayed to the public, allowing her fans to view the house as she left it and to admire the desk where she sat and wrote.

Hill Top, Near Sawrey, Ambleside +44 15394 36269

The Beatrix Potter Gallery

In 1913, Beatrix married William Heelis in Hawkshead. The couple went on to own many farms in the area, specialising in breeding Herdwick sheep. William’s old office in Hawkshead is now owned by the National Trust and is open to the public as the Beatrix Potter Gallery . Inside, visitors can admire original illustrations from the author’s books as well as a rotating series of exhibitions dedicated to her life’s work.

Beatrix Potter Gallery, Main St, Hawkshead, Ambleside +44 15394 36355

The Beatrix Potter Trail, Brockhole

Brockhole , on the shore of Lake Windermere, was the home of wealthy silk and yarn merchants William and Edith Gaddum. Edith was Beatrix’s cousin, and the writer used to visit the estate often, writing stories for her cousin’s children based on the gardens and surrounding area. The visitor centre is now home to the Beatrix Potter Trail, where children can learn more about the animals that live in the National Park and perhaps even catch a glimpse of one of the native animals that inspired Potter’s stories.

Brockhole, Windermere +44 15394 46601

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The attraction, the world of beatrix potter ™ attraction.

Beatrix Potter’s stories brought to life

Meet your favourite characters in a magical setting.

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At Home with Beatrix Potter at Hill Top

Author and artist Beatrix Potter’s universe of characters have delighted readers for 120 years, since the first publication of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. She combined first-hand scientific observation with an imaginative hand-painted world of animals and gardens to become one of the most celebrated children’s authors.

In 1905 with the proceeds of her first ‘little books’, Potter bought Hill Top, a working farm in the English Lake District. She escaped from London as often as she could, to stay at her rural retreat, to draw, write, and immerse herself in country life. Beatrix drew inspiration from the house and nearly every room in the house is recognisable from her illustrations.

Many pieces of furniture were copied for her books: the dresser in Hall with its rows of blue and white plates that appeared in The Tale of Samuel Whiskers; the clock on the landing, next to the 18th century window, where Tabitha Twitchit stood; the dressing mirror that featured in The Tale of Tom Kitten.

In the garden, the green gate to the vegetable garden is unchanged from the days of Jemima Puddle-Duck. Today, Hill Top also tells the story of the author, her interests and activities through her collections of furniture, ceramics and artwork. In 1913, Potter married William Heelis and she turned to farming and raising sheep as she settled into married life. As Mrs. Heelis, Beatrix dedicated herself to the preservation of her beloved landscape and the traditional farming culture. Upon her death in 1943, she left a significant bequest of over 4,000 acres of land, 15 farms and cottages to the National Trust.

Alice Sage, Property Curator of Hill Top & Beatrix Potter Gallery, will talk about the author’s life and her devotion to the Lake District, often featured in her artistic works. She will lead us on a visual tour of Potter’s house and garden. She will highlight interior vignettes featured in her books and explain the hidden stories behind Potter’s treasured possessions.

Alice Sage, Property Curator of Hill Top & Beatrix Potter Gallery, National Trust

Alice Sage is a curator and cultural historian, interested in women artists, fantasy, and childhood.

Before becoming Property Curator at Hill Top in 2021, she held curatorial posts at the Edinburgh Museum of Childhood and the V&A Museum of Childhood. Over the years she has made exhibitions about fairies, dollhouses, automata, and children’s TV, and is fascinated with the different ways that we remember our childhoods and collect our memories.

At Hill Top, she creates an annual exhibitions of Potter’s original artwork and manuscripts, and leads the team that looks after Beatrix Potter’s beloved farmhouse for close to 90,000 visitors a year.

The Bedroom at Hill Top, Cumbria, home of Beatrix Potter.

Thursday, May 18 | 2:00 p.m. (ET)

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Beatrix potter: drawn to nature.

Reserve Tickets

Creator of unforgettable animal characters like Peter Rabbit, Mr. Jeremy Fisher, and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, the beloved children’s book author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866–1943) rooted her fiction in the natural world. Childhood summers spent in Scotland and the English Lake District nourished Potter’s love of nature, while her famous menagerie of pets inspired her picture letters and published tales. Her study of botany and mycology established an abiding interest in the life sciences, a passion she would bring to rural life at Hill Top Farm in Cumbria, England. There, she enjoyed a second act as a sheep breeder and land conservationist, ultimately bequeathing four thousand acres of farmland to the National Trust.

Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature brings together artwork, books, manuscripts, and artifacts from several institutions in the United Kingdom, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Trust, and the Armitt Museum and Library. Paired with the Morgan’s exceptional collection of her picture letters, these objects trace how Potter’s innovative blend of scientific observation and imaginative storytelling shaped some of the world’s most popular children’s books.

Listen to the audio guide

This exhibition at the Morgan is organized by Philip Palmer, Robert H. Taylor Curator and Department Head of Literary and Historical Manuscripts.

Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature was created by the V&A – Touring the World

Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature is made possible by major support from the Drue Heinz Charitable Trust, the Drue Heinz Exhibitions and Programs Fund, Susan Jaffe Tane, and an anonymous donor, with generous support from Katharine J. Rayner, the Christian Humann Foundation, the Caroline Morgan Macomber Fund, and Rudy L. Ruggles, Jr.

Beatrix Potter (1866–1943), Mrs Rabbit pouring out the tea for Peter while her children look on, 1902–1907. Linder Bequest. Museum no. BP.468. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London, / courtesy of Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd.

March 12 through June 7, 2024; Daily 2–3 PM

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Private Tour: Beatrix Potter Afternoon with Lake Cruise

Afternoon Half Day from 408.00 per group

Tour Rating:

This is a private tour, only your group shares the vehicle., you can join this tour:, this tour takes you to:.

• Wray Castle where Beatrix spent her 16th birthday and first discovered the Lake District where she was to later make her home.
• Near Sawrey village which Beatrix visited often, used as inspiration for her illustrations and where she happily settled and married.
• Hill Top , the house which Beatrix bought from the money she made from the publication of Peter Rabbit.
• Esthwaite Water where Beatrix fished from her boat and said was "the most beautiful of the lakes...some scenery is almost theatrical or ultra-romantic".
• Hawkshead village where she visited her future husband, William Heelis on business.
• Tarn Hows bought by Beatrix as part of the vast Monk Coniston Estate and regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the Lake District.
• Coniston Water with spectacular views of the lake and Coniston Old Man and from where Beatrix's Monk Coniston Estate land started which she left in her will to the National Trust to be worked and preserved for the nation.
• Yewdale Valley where Beatrix owned farms and land including Yew Tree Farm which you may recognise from the film Miss Potter.

What is included in this tour:

• Half Day Tour
• Included admission to Hill Top
• 35 minute cruise on England's largest natural lake, Windermere
• Knowledgeable guide to provide expert commentary and analysis, as well as taking care of practicalities and general support throughout the tour
• Experienced driver for your safety on the steep, narrow and twisty Lakeland roads
• Use of personal radio communication technology to keep you in-touch with your guide when you are off the minibus (where applicable)

Additional Features:

• Gift Shops at Hill Top and Hawkshead village
• Comfort facilities available at Hill Top, Tarn Hows, Wray Castle & Hawkshead village

This half day tour will take you to all the important places associated with Beatrix Potter in just one afternoon. This is one of our most popular tours and gets fully booked quickly so please book early as we have limited places and dates available.

Your afternoon starts with a cruise on England's largest natural lake, Windermere. Then a short drive takes us to Wray Castle for spectacular scenery and lake views. This is the holiday home where Beatrix first fell in love with the Lake District.

While on holiday, Beatrix visited many of the small villages in the area and Near Sawrey became her favourite. This village features in many of her "little books" illustrations. The Tower Bank Arms is immediately recognisable as the place where Kep, the collie-dog goes looking for the two fox-hound puppies to rescue Jemima Puddle-duck . You will be amazed when you see it, exactly like it is in the book!

One of the reasons why Beatrix visited Near Sawrey so often was because while staying on holiday in the area, the Potter's coachman and his family were lodging at a farm there. That farm was Hill Top and is the one Beatrix later bought with the profits from publishing Peter Rabbit . She often visited her 'holiday home' Hill Top and wrote many more books here which were inspired by the people and the places around her in this beautiful part of England.

We stop at Near Sawrey and Hill Top for you to see the locations which are so recognisable in the books and the place where Beatrix Potter lived. Entry to Hill Top is included in the price of this tour.

Close by Hill Top is Esthwaite Water where Beatrix walked while courting her future husband, William Heelis. This was a favourite spot for Beatrix who thought it "the most beautiful of the Lakes" .

William Heelis was a solicitor who advised Beatrix about her land purchases. His offices were in Hawkshead village . Your guide will take you on a short tour of this, "the most picturesque village in the Lake District" .

Beatrix bought a lot of land in the Lake District and owned the beauty spot Tarn Hows. Here you will have a photo opportunity here and then, after a short scenic drive, Coniston Water comes into view.

Coniston Water is the third largest lake in the Lake District and is the straightest. You will have a short stop here to admire the view and see the famous fell of Coniston Old Man towering over the village and the lake.

Beatrix also owned a lot of farms in the area and as we travel down the Yewdale Valley back to Ambleside, you will see Yew Tree Farm, famous as a location in the film "Miss Potter" .

Additional Information

• The English Lake District weather can change quickly, even in the summer months. Please bring a waterproof coat with a hood in case of rain or windy weather
• As there is some walking involved in the tour, some uphill and on uneven or wet terrain, please wear suitable, comfortable shoes
• No food or drink is included in the tour price

Check the availability for Private Tour: Beatrix Potter Afternoon with Lake Cruise

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