Milton's Cottage
Grade I listed timber-framed cottage where the poet John Milton finished Paradise Lost, now a small museum with a literary garden.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Milton's Cottage is a timber-framed house of the sixteenth century in the Buckinghamshire village of Chalfont St Giles. In 1665 the poet John Milton moved here with his family to escape the Great Plague in London. He stayed for less than a year, but it was in this house that he completed Paradise Lost.
By the 1880s the cottage was under threat, and a plan to take it to America led local people to raise money to buy it by public subscription, a campaign that Queen Victoria supported. It opened to visitors as a museum in 1887, which makes it one of the oldest writer's house museums in the world.
Today the museum is an independent registered charity. It receives no regular public funding and depends on donations, ticket income and volunteers. Rooms on the ground floor show a collection of first and rare editions of Paradise Lost, together with Milton's early poetry and his prose pamphlets on religious, political and social questions and on freedom of the press. Every visitor is offered a guided tour, which is included in the ticket price. Behind the house, a literary garden is planted with the trees, flowers and fruit that appear in Milton's poems. The building is Grade I listed, so some parts are not easy to reach.
Highlights
- Only surviving home of John Milton
- First and rare editions of Paradise Lost
- Early poems and prose pamphlets on display
- Literary garden planted with species from Milton's poetry
- Guided tour included with every ticket
Permanent exhibition
- Milton collection – Ground-floor rooms show first and rare editions of Paradise Lost, Milton's early poetry and his prose pamphlets on religion, politics and press freedom.
- Founded
- 1887
- Operated by
- Milton's Cottage Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £6Students, people receiving Universal Credit and retired visitors |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 15 · Children under 16 enter free. |
| Seniors | £6Concession price for retired visitors. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers enter free. |
| Students & apprentices | £6 |
| Groups (15+ people) | £6 per personPrice per person for groups of 15 or more, by prior arrangement. |
A guided tour is included in the ticket price. Booking in advance is not required; online booking is available for tours at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. Tickets are valid for 12 months from the date of first entry.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum states that wheelchair access is available and that guide dogs are welcome by prior arrangement. Because the house is a Grade I listed building, access is limited, and visitors with access needs are asked to call or email in advance to discuss their visit.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 15 |
|---|
Children under 16 enter free.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bus stop outside the cottage (bus 104)
By rail, take the Chiltern Line from London Marylebone to Gerrards Cross and change to bus 104 or 101 to Chalfont St Giles; bus 104 stops directly outside the cottage. Alternatively take the train to Amersham and bus 101, getting off at the Wheelhouse Vets stop and walking down Pheasant Hill through the village. From the Metropolitan Line, go to Chalfont and Latimer station and take bus 101.
By car
Free parking
A free visitor car park next to the cottage takes cars and minibuses. Coaches cannot use it; the cottage can advise on coach stopping points.
By car, take the A413 to Chalfont St Giles and turn into the village at the Pheasant double mini-roundabout. The cottage is about 75 metres past the last shop. Sat nav address: 21 Deanway, Chalfont St Giles, HP8 4JH.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Every visitor is offered a guided tour as part of the admission price. Group visits are booked by phone or through the online enquiry form. |
