Hill Top (Lake District Part 2)

In my first post in this Lake District series, I wrote about some of the first walks I took, from my base in Far Sawrey. I was blessed with absolutely beautiful weather for my first few days, but hey, it's England...eventually the rain was going to set in. So on my first somewhat rainy day, I decided to walk over to Near Sawrey, which is the site of Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's house, and see the house.

I was decidedly not the only person who thought the rainy way would be a good idea for this, but fortunately I got there well before they opened to line up for a timed entry ticket. The house is much smaller than the great country houses I usually see at the National Trust, so they have to manage how many people are inside.

Hill Top exterior

I wasn't actually intending to share the house here when I first went in, so I don't have as much multimedia. I'd originally intended my setting within the Lake District to be an old cottage that had been in the Darcy family for some time, but as I started adding up the number of people that might be staying there (plus servants), I started realizing they needed a little "upgrade". So I made it a farmhouse that had become redundant by the combination of two farms, and Hill Top, a 17th century farmhouse, became the perfect model. So now I'm doubly glad I went!

Although I don't have much in the line of multimedia, I do have quite a few photos to share, and I'll be back in next month's post with some more tales of my walks, and walking videos.

You enter into what I would call the kitchen, Potter called the Entrance Hall, and Lakeland farmers would call the firehouse or houseplace. I love that they had a fire going on a rainy day!

Another angle.

Beside the kitchen is this panelled Parlour.

Beside the kitchen is this panelled Parlour.

Spinning wheel and work table in the Parlour.

Up the stairs...

I love the big old four-poster bed in this bedroom.

Bedroom fireplace.

I loved all of the Georgian-era antiques in the house, like this pitcher.

This "Treasure Room" is filled with all sorts of little items.

Including this doll's house; Potter used some of the rooms as models for her illustrations.

I lost my mind a little bit in the Sitting Room because it has an early 19th century Clementi square pianoforte.

Here's some detail of the keyboard.

And the Clementi branding.

One more pianoforte detail, for good measure!

The "New Room" was described by Potter as the library. The room is larger and looks different because it's part of the 1906 portion of the house (Potter actually split the house with her farm manager, who lived in the other portion).

Detail of one of the desks.

The village of Near Sawrey is a charming little place worth some photos as well, and Beatrix Potter fans may recognise some locations:

Cottages and wildflowers.

A longer view leading up to the village inn.

Close-up of the post box.

Close-up of the inn.

Farther-out view of the village.

 I'll leave you with a few more animal photos from my walk back from Near Sawrey to Far Sawrey, but first it's worth noting that part of the reason I was able to make many of these walks on this trip was because of Beatrix Potter. During her lifetime, she worked hand in hand with the National Trust and others to see to preservation of Lake District lands, and after her death she donated more than 4,000 acres to the Trust so that it would be preserved. So not only do her books live on, but the land she helped save does, too.

Calves in the field.

And a horse.