Paradise could soon be lost: £3.5m drive to save the 16th century cottage where Milton hid from the plague to write his literary masterpiece
- John Milton completed masterpiece Paradise Lost at house in Chalfont St Giles
- It now holds the world's biggest collection of first and early editions of his work
- But the trust running it have warned money could dry up by end of next year
- It has now launched a funding campaign with the aim of raising £3.5million
It was at this 16th century cottage in Buckinghamshire that John Milton completed his epic masterpiece Paradise Lost.
The house in Chalfont St Giles now holds the world's biggest collection of first and early editions of his work, as well as a lock of the writer's hair.
But with 'money tight' since the financial crisis the trust running the cottage have warned it could dry up by the end of next year.
It has now launched a funding campaign - with the aim of raising £3.5million - to preserve the unique literary landmark for future generations.
John Milton completed the epic masterpiece at this cottage in Chalfont St Giles
Fleeing the outbreak of the Bubonic plague in London, Milton came to the house with his wife and daughters in 1665.
He lived there for only two years but during that time completed his most famous work and was inspired to write its sequel Paradise Regained.
In 1887 Queen Victoria lent her support to the Chalfont St Giles elders as they tried to prevent the cottage being transported to the US, where he was a major influence on the Founding Fathers and it has been open to the public as a museum ever since.
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But with no permanent endowment the museum relies on the generosity of Milton devotees, literature-lovers and libertarians to ensure its survival.
Amid warnings the trust would run out of money by the end of next year the Milton Cottage Trust has launched an endowment fund campaign called Paradise Maintain'd.
The house now holds the world's biggest collection of first and early editions of his work
It hopes to raise £3.5million to secure the museum's future and preserve its collections.
Simon Avery, Chair of the Trust, said: 'We can think of no better way to celebrate the 350 anniversary of the publication of Paradise Lost than to launch an appeal to preserve, in perpetuity, the place where was completed.
Paradise Lost is widely regarded as one of the most influential poems ever written and it has been translated more than 300 times into 57 languages
'This is a poem that changed the course of literary history and Milton's views on freedom of the press, divorce, education, religion and parliamentary democracy still resonate today.
'The income generated by the endowment will enable us to protect this unique literary landmark for future generations, as well as engage people with Milton's legacy in new ways.'
Paradise Lost is widely regarded as one of the most influential poems ever written and it has been translated more than 300 times into 57 languages.
Mr Avery pointed out that Milton is credited with inventing more English words than William Shakespeare, with 'outer space' and 'pandaemonium' both originating in Paradise Lost.
To launch the campaign there will be an 11-hour recital of the 10,000 lines of verse of Paradise Lost at the cottage this Sunday.
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