160 years of Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter - author, illustrator, farmer and passionate conservationist was an extraordinary woman far ahead of her time.

Born in London on 28 July 1866, she developed a love of nature early on, sketching plants and animals during holidays in the Lake District. In 1890 she sold rabbit drawings for Christmas cards, and after several rejections, she self-published The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which sold out immediately. By 1902, Frederick Warne & Co. printed 8,000 copies, launching her literary career.

With her earnings, she bought Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey - a bold move for a single woman in Victorian England. Here she wrote many of her most beloved stories, inspired by the countryside and her life among the animals.

Beatrix became a respected farmer and conservationist, breeding Herdwick sheep and buying land to protect the natural beauty of the Lake District. When she died in 1943, she left her farms and estate to the National Trust, helping to preserve the landscape she loved.

A true trailblazer, Beatrix Potter was much more than the creator of Peter Rabbit. She was an artist, scientist, businesswoman, and environmental visionary - a woman who turned imagination and determination into a legacy that continues to inspire the world.

All summer we are celebrating Beatrix Potter's 160th birthday, with some extra special events taking place on Tues 28 July, which is also the 35th birthday of the Attraction!