Milton's Cottage facts for kids
Milton's Cottage is a special old house built in the 1500s. It's located in a village called Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire, England. This house was once the home of a famous writer named John Milton. Today, you can visit it as a museum to learn about his life and work.
Contents
Why is Milton's Cottage Important?
In 1665, John Milton and his wife moved to this cottage. They were trying to escape the terrible Great Plague that was happening in London. Even though Milton lived here for less than a year, this cottage is very important. It is the only one of his homes that still exists today.
What Did Milton Do Here?
While living in this 16th-century cottage, Milton finished his most famous book. This book was an epic poem called Paradise Lost. He also started thinking about his next big work, Paradise Regained, while he was here. One of Milton's friends, Thomas Ellwood, even called the cottage "that pretty box in St. Giles".
Visiting the Museum
The ground floor of Milton's Cottage is now a museum. It is dedicated to John Milton and his amazing writings. The museum has four rooms filled with a huge collection of his books. These are original first editions from the 1600s.
You can learn all about this brilliant writer. He was blind, but he wrote some of the best poetry ever. The museum shows how he found safety from the plague and created his masterpieces. The cottage also has a lovely garden. It is planted in an old-fashioned style and is open for visitors to enjoy.
Royal Visitors to the Cottage
In 1887, there was a plan to move Milton's Cottage all the way to America. To stop this, people in the local area started a fundraising effort. They wanted to buy the house and keep it in England.
Who Supported the Cottage?
Queen Victoria herself helped by being the first to donate money in 1887. Since then, many members of the Royal Family have visited the cottage and its garden. These visitors include Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester.
In 2008, the cottage celebrated 400 years since Milton's birth. To mark this special occasion, Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, also visited.
