Things to do in Hill Top house

Things to see in the house at Hill Top

• Pets to Page: The Tale of The Two Bad Mice

  Explore how Beatrix drew inspiration for her tales from the pets and people in her life in this display. See Beatrix’s manuscript for The Tale of the Two Bad Mice, her sketches, the finalised artworks and the doll’s accessories which inspired the story all displayed together. Learn about her creative process and her exacting attention to detail.

• Beatrix Potter’s dolls’ house

  At the heart of the Pets to Page display is the newly restored dolls' house. Inside it you'll see the dolls’ food and accessories which feature in The Tale of Two Bad Mice. The house and its contents returned from National Trust's conservation studio in Knole in 2025 and are back on display looking better than ever. The house contains state-of-the-art lighting which can be controlled by visitors in order to spotlight each room. Animations of Beatrix’s mice are projected on the wall and there's a dolls’ house waiting to be played with.

• Mischief in Miniature

  Keep your eyes open for some very cheeky little mice. In the Mischief in Miniature trail, you can look for Hunca Munca and Tom Thumb as they get up to all sorts of fun in the house. It’s just like they’ve jumped right out of Beatrix’s book. You'll spot these little felted mice in nooks and crannies throughout the house, lit by tiny candles and lanterns.

• Discover the real settings behind the tales

  The interiors of Hill Top feature in many of Beatrix’s little books after 1905. In The Tale of Tom Kitten (1907) it is home to Tabitha Twitchit and her three mischievous kittens, Moppet, Mittens and Tom. In The Tale of Samuel Whiskers (1908), Tom Kitten is captured by rats who scamper up Hill Top’s staircase.

• Handwritten letter to a young American

  A real treat for fans is a recent acquisition of a handwritten letter from Beatrix to a young American. You will get the chance to see its contents which include a description of her pet mouse Hunca Munca and an illustration of him resting on Beatrix's finger.

• Personal belongings and luxury furnishings

  Inside Hill Top, you’re surrounded by Beatrix Potter’s possessions. Every item and piece of furniture she chose to leave here, helps bring her personality to life, filling each room and cupboard with her presence.

  Over the years Beatrix added touches of luxury to Hill Top – look out for the marble fireplaces and fine china. She also displayed personal items, including gifts from friends and family. The plates on the kitchen wall were painted by Beatrix’s father Rupert Potter.

• Treasure Room

  The Treasure Room at the top of the stairs includes a display of Beatrix’s most precious things, including the desk that stored her coded journal.

  Don’t miss Beatrix’s coded recipe for American Gingerbread, on display in this room.

• Visitor to Protector

  Step inside the Scullery to find a display charting Beatrix Potter’s transition from Lake District tourist to countryside protector. Discover how her legacy has shaped the Lakes we know and love today, as well as the work the National Trust’s rangers now carry out to protect this special landscape. Beatrix generously donated 15 farms and cottages, 4,000 acres of land and flocks of pedigree Herdwick sheep to the National Trust upon her death in 1943, for us to continue to care for and enjoy.

• Studio, retreat and working farm

  In 1913, Beatrix married William Heelis and moved to nearby Castle Cottage. However, she kept Hill Top as a place to work, entertain guests and display her collections.

  Hill Top remained a working farm during Beatrix’s lifetime, as it is today. As you make your way around the house, take time to notice the small things which were as carefully chosen by Beatrix as some of the largest pieces of furniture.

• Beatrix and Herdwick sheep

  Beatrix did much to promote the Herdwick breed and was the first woman to be elected president of the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association, although she died before she took up the chair. You can see some of the awards and trophies she won at local agricultural shows for her sheep breeding on display in the Scullery.