Discover a literary paradise at Milton’s Cottage, the only surviving home of the visionary poet, parliamentarian and pamphleteer John Milton.
Welcome
Discover the extraordinary story of John Milton at his only surviving residence. He came to Chalfont St Giles to escape the Great Plague of 1665, and complete his epic masterpiece Paradise Lost.
Today, this Grade I listed timber-frame building is open to the public as a writer’s house museum, so everyone can experience where literary history was made.
What’s On
Demons’ Ink
John Milton
John Milton (1608–1674) was a visionary poet, pamphleteer and parliamentarian – one of the most radical and influential writers Britain has ever seen.
Best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, Milton also wrote influential texts on the freedom of the press, republicanism and divorce. His writing has shaped our society, and its influence can still be seen in our literature, politics, and even the language we speak: he is credited with bringing more words into the English language than any other writer, including Shakespeare.
Explore Milton’s Cottage
Milton’s Cottage opened as a museum in 1887, making us one of the oldest writer’s house museums in the world. As well as first and rare editions of Paradise Lost, our collection celebrates the extraordinary breadth of John Milton’s writing, from his early poetic works to his iconic prose pamphlets on social, religious, political and press freedoms.
We are also home to a unique literary garden, inspired by Milton’s description of the Garden of Eden in Paradise Lost and planted with trees, flowers and fruits that are referenced in his poetry.
Support us
Milton’s Cottage is a small charity and relies on the generosity of supporters who share our passion for Milton, literature and liberty. Your donations help make the work of Milton’s Cottage possible