Hill Top, Cumbria facts for kids
The porch of Hill Top
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| Established | 1946 |
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| Location | Near Sawrey, Hawkshead, Cumbria |
| Type | Writer's house museum |
| Owner | National Trust |
| Public transit access | Bus/Ferry from Windermere 4.5 mi (7.2 km) |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Designated | 25 March 1970 |
| Reference no. | 1087304 |
Hill Top is a charming old house from the 1600s. It's located in a beautiful area called Near Sawrey, close to Hawkshead in Cumbria, England. This special house was once the home of the famous children's author and artist, Beatrix Potter. She wrote and drew many of her beloved stories here, like The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
The house is built in a traditional style for the Lake District, with stone walls and a slate roof. Beatrix Potter loved Hill Top so much that she left it to the National Trust when she passed away. Today, you can visit Hill Top as a writer's house museum. It looks just as it did when Beatrix Potter lived there, almost as if she might walk in at any moment!
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A Home for a Famous Author
Hill Top was a very special place for Beatrix Potter. She was a children's author and illustrator, best known for her small books about animals. Potter bought the house and its working farm in 1905. It was her escape from London and a quiet place where she could create her art.
When Beatrix Potter died in 1943, she left Hill Top to the National Trust. The house, the farm, and the nearby villages appear in many of her books. You can spot them in The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan, The Tale of Tom Kitten, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, and The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding.
A man named John Cannon managed the farm for Beatrix Potter. In 1906, Potter built an extra part of the house for John and his family. Her book, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, was even dedicated to his children, Ralph and Betsy. They, along with their mother, are shown in the book's pictures!
Exploring Hill Top
When you visit Hill Top, you can explore many of the rooms. Each room has special items that belonged to Beatrix Potter or are shown in her famous illustrations.
The Entrance Hall
The entrance hall is also the kitchen. It still has its original stone floor. The old cooking stove, which appears in many of Potter's drawings, was replaced with an exact copy in 1983. The wallpaper was recreated in 1987 to match what Potter chose in 1906.
Many pieces of furniture in this room are also seen in her illustrations. These include a tall clock from around 1785 and chairs in the Chippendale style. There's also an old wooden cupboard from the 1600s. You can even see parts of an old spiral staircase hidden in a cupboard near the fireplace.
The Parlour
The parlour is a special sitting room. It has a fancy fireplace that Beatrix Potter added. The room is filled with furniture from the early 1800s. You can also see beautiful English and Chinese dishes from the 1700s displayed in a cupboard.
A very interesting item here is Potter's teapot from the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII. This is the same teapot that belonged to Ribby in The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan!
Staircase and Landing
If you've read Beatrix Potter's books, the staircase and landing might look familiar. The railing and banisters are likely from the 1700s. A tall, walnut clock made by Schofield's of Rochdale stands here.
Other artworks decorate this area. The carpets were even made to look exactly like the ones in The Tale of Samuel Whiskers.
The New Room
Beatrix Potter called this room her "Library." It was an extension she added to the house. This room holds five large paintings by her brother, Walter Bertram Potter. From the single window, you can look out over the village of Near Sawrey. Beatrix drew this very scene for The Tale of Samuel Whiskers.
The Sitting Room
This room was originally a bedroom in the farmhouse. Beatrix Potter used this upstairs space to welcome her guests. Inside, you'll find a special box piano made by Muzio Clementi and Co.
The Treasure Room
This is the smallest room in the house. It has its original oak floors. One floorboard is shorter than the others. This might have given Beatrix Potter the idea for some events in The Tale of Samuel Whiskers.
Important items in this room include a doll's house. This doll's house contains the ham that is shown in The Tale Of Two Bad Mice. You can also see a display cabinet with tiny bronze statues of Beatrix's characters.
The Bedroom
This is the only bedroom in the house. It features a beautiful four-poster bed from the mid-1600s. Beatrix's husband, William Heelis, carved their initials into the fireplace surround.
House Layout
Downstairs, Hill Top has three rooms: the Entrance Hall, the Parlour, and the Scullery. Upstairs, there are four rooms: the Sitting Room, the Treasure Room, the Bedroom, and the New Room. Visitors can explore all of these rooms. There are also other rooms not open to the public, like a cellar and a washroom.
Replicas of Hill Top
Hill Top is so famous that a copy of it was built in 2007! This replica is located in a children's zoo near Daito Bunka University in Tokyo, Japan.
Other Beatrix Potter Places
The National Trust also has more items related to Beatrix Potter. You can see them at the Beatrix Potter Gallery in Hawkshead.
Images for kids
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Edwardian borders in "The Tale of Tom Kitten"
