Hill Top, Lake District

National Trust Hill Top is a time capsule of Beatrix Potter’s life. Full of her favourite things, the house appears as if Beatrix had just stepped out for a walk. Every room contains a reference to a picture in a 'Tale'. 

Autumn brings a change of pace to the garden, growth slows down, flowers begin to fade and the first cold nights nudge the autumn colours into life.

Bought with the royalties from Peter Rabbit in 1905, which she wrote at her parents' home in London, Beatrix Potter got inspired from her annual holidays in the Lake District. This charming 17th-century stone cottage and its picturesque surroundings were an inspiration for many of her beloved stories.

Characters such as Tom Kitten, Samuel Whiskers and Jemina Puddle-Duck were all created here, and the books contain many pictures based on the house and garden.The traditional cottage garden, grows mainly old-fashioned flowers such as honeysuckle, foxgloves, lavender, lupins, sweet cicely and roses as well as fruits: strawberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries and rhubarb. In fact, you can still recognise the rhubarb patch where Jemina Puddle-Duck laid her egg or the garden where Tom Kitten and his sisters played. 

Beatrix bought many pieces of land and properties in the area, including the Old Post Office, Castle Cottage and a number of small farms. In 1913, she moved with her husband William Heelis to Castle Cottage which was bigger and more convenient, keeping Hill Top a place to work.

The orchard at Hill Top

When Beatrix Potter died in 1943, she left Hill Top to the National Trust, asking them to keep it just as she had left it, including her furniture and china.

The Welsh cupboard with blue and white china as featured in The Tale of Samuel Whiskers

Beatrix Potter lifelong fascination with animals saw her turn to farming as she settling into life in the Lake District. Learning from the best sheperds she could employ, her Herdwick sheep became some of the finest in the country and her pride and joy, winning awards and the respect of local farmers. When she died in 1943, she left 4,000 acres of land and countryside in the National Trust care, as well as 14 farms. Her legacy has helped ensure the survival of the Lakeland landscape.

Hill Top is situated in the picturesque village of Near Sawrey, surrounded by classic Lake District scenery and dotted with traditional cottages, cosy pubs and peaceful walking trails.

Near Sawery village

Almost next door to Hill Top is Tower Bank Arms, an historic pub from the 17th century, that Beatrix Potter included in The Tale of Jemina Puddle-Duck. Just a stroll down is Buckle Yeat, a Lakeland 17th century cottage, famous for its connections with Beatrix Potter and illustrated in The Tale of Tom Kitten and The Pie and the Patty Pan. The name Buckle Yeat is over 300 years old and it means fasten de gate, in the past referring to the gate of the village.

Buckle Yeat is featured in many of Beatrix Potter's books, including The Tale of Tom Kitten, Pie and The Patty Pan and Piggling Bland 

  

 

 

“Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were Flopsy,

Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. ”
― Beatrix Potter