An Introduction to the National Trust

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National Trust England

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MISSION

Introduction

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINATION

Destination 01

Destination 03

Destination 02

Destination 04

Destination 05

Destination 06

OUR Founders

Discover the incredible people who had the vision to create The National Trust. Click on the portrait to move to the next page

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Octavia Hill

Octavia became convinced of the need for open spaces for the urban masses. She joined a campaign to save Swiss Cottage Fields from development and although it eventually failed, it was through it that she met Robert Hunter, solicitor for the Commons Preservation Society. Octavia was a determined and strong-minded person and some of her views are controversial today. She was, for example, against a welfare state giving out free school meals, council housing and a universal old-age pension. She argued instead that private enterprise and charity could solve social inequality. However, her holistic view of human needs and her willingness to act upon her beliefs sparked a real change that can still be felt today. Octavia Housing continues to provide homes for thousands of people in inner-city London and in 2020 the National Trust celebrated its 125th anniversary.

Robert Hunter

Robert navigated the legal minefield to allow the Trust’s formation, and as its first Chair introduced its unique breadth in caring for a wide variety of buildings and landscapes. He described the National Trust as being ‘the friend alike of historian, painter and poet’. His work led to his knighthood in 1894, ‘for services to the conservation of open spaces’. He was elevated to Commander in 1909 and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1911. In 1913, just months after his retirement, he died and was buried at St Bartholomew’s Church, Haslemere. Although his grave is unmarked, the monument to his achievements can still be seen today in the land and buildings he helped save.

Hardwicke Rawnsley

A man of many interests, Hardwicke was a regular traveller, visiting many countries including the USA, Eygpt and the Holy Land. He was also a keen writer publishing many books on various subjects. When he died on 28 May 1920, Hardwicke left his home of Allan Bank in Grasmere to the National Trust. Friar's Crag, Derwent Water, was also donated to our care after it was purchased with money raised in a public subscription in his memory. Hardwicke was a significant influence for Beatrix Potter, an early supporter of the National Trust, and encouraged her love of the Lake District. On her death in 1943 Potter donated 4,000 acres of protected land in the Lake District to us.

OUR Founders

Now you have met our founders, return to the map to explore the vision they had.

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Our cause

Exlpore our cause and what we stand for

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Sheringham Park, Norfolk

What we stand for

We protect and care for places so people and nature can thrive. Many millions share the belief that nature, beauty and history are for everyone. So we look after the nation’s coastline, historic sites, countryside and green spaces, ensuring everyone benefits. From wild and precious places to the world outside your window the National Trust offers access, enjoyment and a chance for everyone to help out. Nature and the historic environment are under threat. They’re essential to everyone, they enrich people’s lives and are part of the fabric of society and they urgently need more care.

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Nature, beauty, history

Morston Quay, Norfolk

Supporters, Staff, Members and Volunteers keep nature and history flourishing. We care for:

• More than 780 miles of coastline
• More than 250,000 hectares of land
• More than 500 historic houses, castles, parks, and gardens
• Nearly a million works of art

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For everyone, for ever

Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk

Our shared places stretch across the nation, from Lizard Point in Cornwall, to Lindisfarne in Northumberland and Florence Court in Northern Ireland. As well as looking after the places in the Trust's care, we work with communities and partners across the nations to protect nature, beauty and history in towns, cities, villages and countryside.

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our cause

To learn more click on 'our cause' to direct you to our website

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Discover and learn

Find out how we're helping wildlife to thrive, perserving history and inspiring learning within our community

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Nature

We care for 25,000 hectares (61,776 acres) of woodland, 135 wild landscape sites and more than 200 gardens, and have as many wonderful stories to tell.

Climate change is the biggest threat to nature and the historic environment. At the trust we want to educate supporters, members, staff and volunteers on the impact we can all have on our greenspaces. So they can be enjoyed and cherised for years to come.

Tatton Park, Cheshire

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Nature

Their is a wealth of rescources on the National Trust website, however, did you know that there is also a podcast? It can be found on most streaming apps, such as spotify, scan the Spotify code to listen to one of the podcasts all about bird song. For more podcasts about Nature, click on the podcast image.

Tatton Park, Cheshire

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History

With more than one million objects at over 200 historic places, there's many stories to discover.

At the trust we want to educate supporters, members, staff and volunteers on the people, art, collections that have shaped our history. Highlighting what we can learn from history and what has helped shape it.

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History

At the Trust we value learning from our past, and want to know more about our places, the people that once owned them and what influence they have had on our country's history. As part of ensuring everyone has access to our places we have a virtual visit page with behind the scene videos and other rescources. Watch one of the videos about Sutton Hoo.

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Discovering More

Not only do we want to educate and inspire discovery through nature and history. We also want to do so through gardening, food, crafts and popular culture. Be that the Gardening tips and how to make it more wildlife friendly, to inspiring supporters to eat seasonally or perhaps, indulging in the behind the scene access to our sites in our TV program 'Hidden Treasures of the National Trust'.

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Discovering More

The Octavia Hill Lecture is just one of the ways we our striving to allow time and space to reflect on our impact as a charity in the modern day. We also provide articles on gardening tips, recipes for seasonal foods, as well as crafts to get the whole family involved. Spend some time researching these ares on our website.

Click here to open the Learn and discover page on our website.

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Discover and learn

Find out how we're helping wildlife to thrive, perserving history and inspiring learning within our community

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QUIZ

Half way check point, let's see what you've learnt so far

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QUESTION 01

In what year was the National Trust founded?

1885

1895

1901

QUESTION 02

Who are the founders of the National Trust?

Robert Hunter,Mary Hill, Harwicke Rawnsley

Octavia Hill,Ben Smith, Rose Hunter

Octavia Hill, Robert Hunter, Hardwicke Rawnsley

QUESTION 03

What is our cause?

Celebrate our heritage

Somewhere nice to have a family gathering

Protect and care for places so people and nature can thrive.

QUESTION 04

How many miles of coastline do we care for?

780

675

800

QUESTION 05

Who have we collaborated with to uncover stories of the past for our supporters?

My Heritage

Findmypast

Ancestry

QUESTION 06

Why was the Octavia Hill Lecture created?

To give members a voice

In honour of one of the three founding members

To allow time and space to reflect on our impact as a charity in the modern day.

QUIZ

You've learnt a lot already, but there's more! continue your journey to discover the rest the Trust has to offer

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SUPPORTING THE TRUST

Discover how the Trust can be supported by our Supporters and Volunteers

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Donation

For over 125 years, people have helped us to look after nature, beauty and history. Preserving precious places for everyone, for ever.

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Appeals

To help us care for the coast, make space for wildlife or restore historic buildings, discover our current appeals to raise funds for conservation projects.

• Everyone Needs Nature Appeal
• Woodland Appeal
• Climate Action appeal
• Fix The Fells Appeal

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Appeals - Quiz

The average biodiversity left in the UK is...

37%

20%

53%

Appeals - Quiz

How many bee species need protecting in the UK?

300

250

200

Appeals - Quiz

What percentage of our wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s?

85%

95%

97%

How you've helped so far

Click on the photos to learn how your support has helped so far

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Fundraising and Volunteering

By fundraising for the National Trust, you’ll be helping us to continue our essential work, caring for places so that people and nature can thrive. How your fundraising could help

• £125 could help care for 250 feet of coastline all year round
• £550 could fund two days of expert textile conservation work
• £2,500 could plant one football pitch (½ hectare) of woodland

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Fundraising and Volunteering

How can you fundraise? Click on the Icons below to discover the three easy steps it takes to start fundraising.

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Fundraising and Volunteering

When Jennifer Connor decided it was time for a career change, she wanted to find a place to hone her skills and so applied to become a garden volunteer at Great Chalfield for a summer – but then stayed on. Little did she know it would lay the groundwork for securing a place on the highly regarded Historic & Botanic Garden Training Programme. Find out more about Jennifer’s inspirational volunteering story. Click on the Oak leaf to read about Jennifer's experience of volunteering at the Trust.

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SUPPORTING THE TRUST

We've looked at how vital support from our supporters and volunteers is, check out the website for more information

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Riddle me this

We've come to the end of our journey. There's one last task to gain the Treasures of Wisdom

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Can you identify the Oak tree? Familiarise yourself with the trees in the carousel, then, click on which tree you think is the Oak below.

THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER YOU WERE LOOKING FOR TRY AGAIN

How many sites does National Trust have? 🌳

27193

Blakeney Point in Norfolk welcomes around 4,000 pups per year. Thanks to donations. we help rangers to keep the seal's surroundings safe, carefully monitor the size of the colony and support the research into grey seals.

Complete and share your challenge

Now the only thing left to do is to complete your challenge and have lots of fun doing it. Don’t forget to share your success with your sponsors and us. We’d love to see what you’re doing so please share a photo or video of your challenge on our Facebook, Instagram or X.

At Holnicote in Somerset, the family of beavers are thriving. Two kits were born in 2022 in addition to the first kit born in 2021. The beavers help us maintain higher water levels that keep the woodland lush and able to support a richer ecosystem.

Set up an online fundraising page

Once you’ve decided on your challenge or activity, the easiest way to raise money for your challenge is to set up a JustGiving page. When you’re ready, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family and ask them to sponsor your challenge. Why not make it a friendly competition to see who can raise the most money?

Thanks to gifts in wills, we've been able to creat an area of meadow the size of 260 football pitches in the White Peak, Derbyshire. This helps pollinators keep ecosystems thriving by encouraging new plant life to grow.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to answer questions and solve the final riddle within the trust locations to find the Treasure of Wisdom. Yes, you heard it right! Let's go for it!

Choughs have been breeding in Cornwall for 20 years. In 2022, there were 25 pairs breeding on the land we care for. Donations have contributed towards the increase in population of these birds, which is now 200 strong.

With the support of members, supporters and volunteers, we've set up the Stroud Landscape Project to create species-rich grasslands and lowland meadows. By successfully sowing and spreading yellow rattle, we're able to harvest the seed and continue this conservation work in other areas.

Thanks to partners, funders and thousands of supporters who have donated to plant a tree, woodland cover is increasing across the places in our care, including 5,500 trees at Lisnabreeny in Northern Ireland. This new woodland will cover three hectares - around the size of five and half football pitches.

Welcome, to National Trust England! 🌳 Come and explore the origins of the trust, our cause and much more

Choose your challenge

Your fundraising challenge can be anything you like. You could get active with a 20-mile run, swim or cycle – you could even complete 300 jumping jacks or cartwheels. If you’d rather get creative at home, why not commit to planting 20 new flower varieties in your garden? Maybe you want to set yourself the challenge of reading 100 books this year, or perhaps you have a different idea entirely.