For the first half of her life, Beatrix Potter lived in London, where she was born in 1866. She first visited the Lake District at the age of 16 and, after many family holidays in the area, bought a little farm in Near Sawrey called Hill Top, setting many of her books in and around the property.
While Hill Top is the focal point for Beatrix Potter fans across the globe, it was only ever a retreat and meeting place for her business deals. In fact, her home was Castle Cottage, a farm across the road from Hill Top where she lived with her husband, William Heelis, after moving to the Lake District permanently in 1913.
Not forgetting her roots, as she settled in and developed the cottage, surrounding barns and land, the author made notable additions and extensions, introducing many features more typical of a London townhouse.
During her time there, she added an extension with French windows looking out onto the garden and an upstairs sitting room with a large bay window, where she could appreciate the Lakeland views. This room also features access to an outdoor staircase that supposedly allowed her to escape from unwelcome visitors over the farmland towards Moss Eccles Tarn.
Castle Cottage remained Beatrix Potter’s private home until her death in 1943. When she died, she left it to the National Trust, along with 4,000 acres of land and 14 farms which she stipulated should all continue to graze Herdwicks. The Trust has continued Potter’s conservation work and now owns 91 hill farms in the area, many still with traditional Herdwick flocks.
Without Beatrix Potter’s practical and tireless support, it’s doubtful whether parts of the Lake District would have remained the place of spectacular beauty they are today; described by Wordsworth as ‘a sort of national property in which every man has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive and a heart to enjoy’, and a landscape which inspired the stories so loved by generations of children.
And for those wanting to follow in Beatrix Potter’s footsteps, Castle Cottage is now available to let with a guide price of £1,750 pcm.
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