Hill Top is a 17th-century house in Near Sawrey near Hawkshead, in the English county of Cumbria. It is an example of Lakeland vernacular architecture with random stone walls and slate roof. The house was once the home of children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter who left it to the National Trust. It is a Grade II* listed building. It is open to the public as a writer's house museum, shown as Beatrix Potter herself would have known it.
The porch of Hill Top
Hill Top
Edwardian borders in The Tale of Tom Kitten
Image: Barrow and Peas geograph.org.uk 510275
Helen Beatrix Potter was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist. She is best known for her children's books featuring animals, such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which was her first commercially published work in 1902. Her books, including 23 Tales, have sold more than 250 million copies. An entrepreneur, Potter was a pioneer of character merchandising. In 1903, Peter Rabbit was the first fictional character to be made into a patented stuffed toy, making him the oldest licensed character.
Potter in 1913
Potter aged eight, c. 1874
Potter aged fifteen with her springer spaniel, Spot
Potter, aged 16, stayed at Wray Castle in 1882 on a family vacation, thus began her long association with the English Lake District