In 1882, Beatrix Potter and her family enjoyed their first Lake District holiday. Country life appealed deeply to Potter and years later she made her home there and wanted to save this land for the future. Beatrix Potter was a genuine preservationist.

Wray Castle / The Beatrix Potter Society

It started at Wray Castle

Beatrix Potter family’s first Lake District holiday was in 1882 at Wray Castle. Beatrix met Hardwicke Rawnsley. Later he became one of the three founders of the National Trust.

Beatrix and her family became friends with Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley and shared his desire to protect the landscape and traditions that defined the Lake District. When he founded The National Trust, Rupert Potter, Beatrix Potter’s father, became one of the first life members. Beatrix Potter was also a keen supporter of the conservation work of The National Trust.

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Moss Eccles Tarn / The Beatrix Potter Society

Preserve the land

Beatrix Potter helped to save and preserve the beautiful countryside of the English Lake District. She bought land and farms to protect them from developers and managed her property herself before leaving it to the National Trust when she died.

Moss Eccles Tarn was owned by Beatrix and she planted the waterlilies there. She and her husband, Willie Heelis, had a rowing boat for fishing, which can now be seen at the Windermere Jetty Museum.

More about Beatrix Potter as a Preservationist

Preservationist by heart

When you have visited the English Lake District you can understand why Beatrix Potter fell in love with it. It is a beautiful area with a variety in nature. Hills, woods, tarns, lakes and even the highest mountain of England. It’s also host to forests on the shores of Derwentwater and Ullswater.

You can have great walks because of the conservation work of Beatrix Potter. One of the best known areas to walk is Tarn Hows. Bought by Beatrix Potter in 1929 and now under protection of The National Trust. She loved this place.

Tarn Hows / The Beatrix Potter Society

Other

Publications

These books supply more information about the art, interests and writing of Beatrix Potter.

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Membership

If you want to know more about Beatrix Potter, you are more than welcome to join The Beatrix Potter Society. We welcome new Members worldwide.

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