Thank you to our friends at the National Trust for providing this information!
BBC Hidden Treasures of the National Trust to feature Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top and Townend
Two historic Lake District houses are among the National Trust properties to star in the brand-new BBC series of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust. Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top and Townend in Troutbeck, home to the Browne family for over 400 years, are to reveal their fascinating conservation stories.
The latest series of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust will return to BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on Friday 16 May and is narrated by actor and national treasure, Toby Jones. Each episode explores a different theme, linking the houses, their histories and collections as they undergo conservation work. The series showcases the experts and volunteers who care for the 500 places that the National Trust looks after.
The first episode follows the journey of Beatrix’s doll’s house and its contents as it undergoes vital conservation treatment. Many of the miniature accessories appear as illustrations in Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Two Bad Mice (1904), including cutlery, a saucepan, and the food that the mischievous mice, Hunca Munca and Tom Thumb try to eat – but discover it is glued to the plates. It took around 300 hours of work to conserve the doll’s house and the 73 items it contains.
Beatrix Potter’s doll’s house after conservation © National Trust-Annapurna Mellor
Now back at Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s rural retreat near Hawkshead, it is the central feature of a new display all about the tale it inspired.
Hill Top’s Property Curator Katy Canales said:
“The doll’s items were playful but poignant keepsakes for Beatrix Potter. Gifts from her publisher and fiancé, Norman Warne, inspired her illustrated story The Tale of Two Bad Mice. Beatrix held onto these delightful miniatures for decades after Norman’s death in 1905, later rehousing them in this doll’s house, which she acquired in her 70s. Beatrix welcomed the children in her life to play with this house. Now, in that same spirit, visitors can spotlight items in the house and discover the stories behind them. Our new display continues her legacy and invites everyone to be playful.”
Fascinating stories are uncovered in the Browne family archive at Townend, and viewers will witness the transformation of the exterior paintwork in episode two which airs on 23 May. Get a flavour of life in 18th century London through the carefully conserved Volume 5 containing many handwritten letters from ‘Young’ Ben Browne to his father ‘Old’ Ben Browne. The Townend collection is nationally significant for its extensive nature, offering a rare insight into the social history and intricacies of rural life in Westmorland spanning over 400 years.
Emma Wright, Collections & House Manager at Townend, says: “Townend is a historic treasure trove with an unrivalled collection of rare books and artefacts connected to the Browne family who lived here. It’s a small farmhouse in a rural hamlet so being featured in this programme offers access to far more people than could visit in a year. Our team of volunteers and specialists put so much care into looking after the collection and sharing their passion for this place, so we are excited to bring it to a wider audience.”
Watch series three of the BBC’s Hidden Treasures of the National Trust on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer from 16 May. See more at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/film-tv/hidden-treasures-of-the-national-trust
Painting and exterior conservation in progress at National Trust Townend in Troutbeck ©National Trust-Sorcha Hunter
For house opening times and visitor information, please visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/townend
The New Room, which was added in an extension to the farm by Beatrix Potter, is being used for the new display with state-of-the-art lighting and an interactive display case allowing visitors to spotlight Beatrix’s treasured items given to her by her publisher Norman Warne for inspiration.
The items which appear as illustrations in the tale include cutlery, a saucepan, bellows, birdcage, coal scuttle, and the food that Hunca Munca and Tom Thumb try to steal – but discover it is glued to the plates. Beatrix Potter wrote about this food saying “The things will do beautifully; the ham’s appearance is enough to cause indigestion.”
Later, Norman sent a marriage proposal, which Beatrix accepted but, tragically, he died before they could marry, and the miniature dolls house items held huge significance. Much later, in the 1930s, Beatrix bought the dolls’ house for her tiny treasures, so that they could be played with by children.
Now fully conserved, with the doll’s house repaired and the objects cleaned and prepared for show once more, it is the centre piece in the new room. The new lighting includes a console which visitors can control themselves to light up individual parts of the house. Animations of Beatrix’s beloved mice will also be shown and there’s even a dolls’ house replica for children to play with.
Hill Top Property Curator Katy Canales said: “The doll’s house contents are really important because they feature so strongly in one of Beatrix’s best loved tales but also because of the significance to her life and her relationship with Norman Warne. It is always one of the more popular items with our visitors but now the conservators have done a wonderful job to bring it back up to such a high standard it is good to have it as the centrepiece of our new display.
“Beatrix acquired this dolls’ house in her 70s and welcomed the children in her life to play with it. Now, in that same spirit, visitors can spotlight items in the house and discover the stories behind them. Our new display continues her legacy and invites everyone to be playful.”
It took around 300 hours of work to conserve the doll’s house and 73 of the items it contains. The house needed work to stabilise part of the decorative roof edge as well as filling cracks and previous screw holes. Torn wallpaper was repaired, and areas of lifting vinyl floors were tackled along with carpet repairs. Many of the objects in the house needed work to stabilise and prevent further deterioration as well as reattaching broken or loose pieces before detailed cleaning. Silk cushion covers on the furniture were repaired and dry cleaned using micro-vacuum cleaners.
Other items on display alongside the doll’s house include a never-before-seen letter. Newly acquired, the handwritten letter from Beatrix Potter to a young American boy contains a description and illustration of her pet mouse Hunca Munca resting on her finger.
Katy added: “This is one of hundreds of letters that Beatrix wrote to children across the world to support their love of reading and share her love of animals and storytelling. It features the escapades of her beloved pets Mrs Tiggy and Hunca Munca, who would go on to inspire her future tales.”
Close up of Ben Browne’s letter from London describing the silk weavers’ riot, 1719. © National Trust-James Beck
Also in Hill Top’s New Room is a new display Two Bad Mice: Pets to Page, which mixes original objects from across the Beatrix Potter collection, projected animations, interactive displays and a newly commissioned film exploring the behind-the-scenes work done to care for the doll’s house and its contents. It examines the process of how Beatrix created the layers of narrative and make-believe in the story, her relationship with Norman Warne and its significance to her both professionally and personally.
The New Room’s walls are enlivened with projected animations of Beatrix Potter’s illustrations and visitors will need watch their step as the floor features the images of Beatrix’s Old Brown, Tom Kitten, Squirrel Nutkin and Mrs Tittlemouse. The exhibition opens 15 February 2025 until November 2026.
The conservation of the Doll’s House will feature in the upcoming series of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust which will be broadcast on BBC2 and available on Iplayer in the spring.
More information is available on www.nationaltrust.org.uk/Hilltop
