Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter is as much a part of childhood for today’s kids as she was for us and even our grandparents. The Peter Rabbit books span the generations and are popular the world over, This world-renowned author is synonymous with the Lake District, her home for the majority of her life. There is, however, a great deal more to discover about Miss Potter – not only a talented writer and illustrator but also an influential thinker and conservationist whose work is partly responsible for preserving the Lake District we know and love today.

Photo: The Beatrix Potter Society

Beatrix was born in 1866 in middle-class Kensington. Her affluent Victorian childhood provided the security to let her imagination wander and develop interests in the natural world that fuelled her insatiable imagination. Early family holidays to Scotland provided the opportunity for the young Beatrix to hone her sketching skills and from 1882 the family regularly holidayed in the Lake District allowing Potter to completely fall in love with the area.

Her love of nature and skills for sketching and writing resulted in a series of extremely successful children’s books. This provided financial success too which enabled Beatrix to invest in the causes important to her.

In 1905 Beatrix purchased Hill Top Farm, in the village of Near Sawrey. As the success of the Peter Rabbit books continued to grow, she invested in more Lake District land and cottages. Her passion for the land developed into farming Herdwick sheep – the uniquely Lakeland breed.  

Upon her death in 1943, Beatrix Potter left the majority of her extensive estate to the National Trust who still manage the land today.
 

Experience Beatrix Potter’s legacy
 

Today you can experience Beatrix Potter’s Lake District – much of it unchanged since the days of Peter Rabbit. See where she lived, holidayed and found her inspiration. You can even find a souvenir or two to take home with you.
 

Hill Top

The idyllic cottage where Beatrix Potter lived when she first moved to Cumbria remains exactly as it was in 1905 when she moved in. You could be forgiven for thinking she has just nipped out to the garden to have a chat with Mr McGregor!

The Armitt Museum

The Armitt Museum in Ambleside displays over 400 exquisite botanical drawings and watercolours that Beatrix Potter left to the museum in her will. The selection of fungi drawings, are particularly intriguing. Beatrix Potter’s illustrations demonstrate not only her artistic skill, but also her inquisitive and intellectual interest in archaeology, nature, microbiology and mycology.

World of Beatrix Potter

The World of Beatrix Potter™ allows you to step into those celebrated children’s books and enter this enchanting world. You will find all your favourite characters here including Mrs Tiggywinkle and, of course, Peter Rabbit himself. This popular family attraction is in the heart of the Lake District.
 

Peter Rabbit and Friends shops

You will find everything could possibly think of related to Peter Rabbit and Friends in this selection of gift shops. You will find branches in Bowness, Hawkshead, Keswick and Grasmere.

Beatrix Potter Gallery

This quant, 17^th Century building in the Lakeland village of Hawkshead, houses a fascinating collection of artwork and correspondence from Beatrix Potter herself. See original illustrations that have been reproduced the world over in her famous books and read the letters she composed to keep in touch with family, friends and professional contacts. The Beatrix Potter Gallery provides a real personal insight into the author herself.
 

Tarn Hows

Tarn Hows is a famous Lake District beauty spot, managed by the National Trust. Tarn is the norse word for pond and this short, accessible walk, provides stunning views all year round – especially the autumn when the leaves create an explosion of colour. The area was once owned by Beatrix Potter and her husband William Heelis.
 

The Lingholme Estate
 

This Victorian mansion on the shores of Derwentwater near Keswick, was a childhood holiday haunt of the Potter family. Beatrix often made sketches of the old kitchen garden and referred to it as her original inspiration for Mr McGregor’s garden in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Today the estate is home to luxury accommodation and a café overlooking a walled garden.
 

Wray Castle
 

This mock gothic castle on the shores of Windermere was where the young Beatrix’s love affair with the Lake District started. Her family stayed here on their first trip to the Lakes and Beatrix celebrated her 16^th birthday here.

The castle has stunning views of the lake and inside all of the original artifacts have been removed to make it a wonderful place for children to run and explore.