"Why shouldn't I rush along and put my pie into Ribby's oven when Ribby isn't there?" Beatrix Potter bought her first farm, Hill Top, in the village of Near Sawrey, in 1905 and The Tale of the Pie and The Patty-Pan, published in that year, features the houses, gardens and streets of the village. However the inhabitants are animals, with very particular tastes in food, and problems arise when Ribby the cat invites Duchess the dog to tea.
