View of Buckland Abbey with a green lawn in front and trees, with one tree turning red and brown in autumn, Devon — View of Buckland Abbey in autumn, Devon | © National Trust Images/Mel Peters

Media

Our media centre provides the latest National Trust news, statements and supporting content for journalists.

In the foreground a press officer holds a notepad while other press officers work on their laptops in the background

Article

Press contacts

For national, country and regional press enquiries, please use these contact details to get in touch with our teams.

A row of potted sycamore saplings inside a large greenhouse

Press release

Sycamore Gap saplings to spread hope throughout the nation as recipients of the 49 ‘Trees of Hope’ announced

The National Trust has announced the recipients of the 49 ‘Trees of Hope’ Sycamore Gap saplings being gifted to individuals, groups, and organisations across the UK. The big reveal in National Tree Week follows the charity’s invitation on the anniversary of the felling of the much-loved tree at the end of September for applications for one of the saplings grown from its seed.

George Clarke switches on the Christmas lights of the UK's Tallest Living Christmas Tree at Cragside

Press release

Presenter and architect George Clarke switches on the lights of the UK’s Tallest Living Christmas Tree at Cragside

TV presenter and architect George Clarke switched on the lights of the UK’s Tallest Living Christmas Tree at Cragside on Wednesday 27 November, officially kickstarting the property’s countdown to Christmas.

Seal pup with off-white, slightly bloodied fur and deep black eyes on a ground of beige, brown and grey pebbles.

Press release

First grey seal pup of 2024 is born at Orford Ness

The first grey seal pup of this winter has been born at Orford Ness in Suffolk, marking the fourth consecutive year of successful breeding at the coastal site.

Press release

‘Spectacular’ rare 17th-century ‘star atlas’ from Golden Age of Dutch map-making goes on display for first time

One of the world’s finest and rarest 17th century atlases is set to go on display for the first time at the National Trust’s Blickling Estate in Norfolk, following specialist conservation.

A large painting, by Tintoretto shows a group of women inside a classical building, some are looking over a balcony. A microscope is positioned over part of the painting.

Press release

Centuries of colour history to be revealed as National Trust establishes new laboratory to research paints used in the past

New insights into the colourful world of the past will be revealed at a new National Trust archive of thousands of historic paint samples. The new facility based in Kent has been made possible thanks to funding of £621,962 from the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

Autumn colour at Whipsnade Tree Cathedral

Press release

‘Crumbling cloisters’ at Whipsnade Tree Cathedral World War I memorial restored for people and nature

Whipsnade Tree Cathedral in Bedfordshire, one of only three tree cathedrals in the UK, is undergoing vital conservation works to restore its natural, architectural beauty for people and nature after being devasted by ash dieback over the past five years.

Visitor at Gunwalloe Church Cove, Lizard Peninsula

Press release

New £10m centre to tackle the health impacts of climate change

A new Centre focused on delivering research on climate change and its impacts on health that will address climate-environment-health inequalities across each life stage is being created by the University of Exeter, in partnership with the National Trust.

René Olivieri speaking at the Annual General Meeting 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne

Press release

National Trust members vote in support of offering a 50% plant-based menu across Trust cafés

National Trust members have today taken part in the Trust’s 129th Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was held today in Newcastle Civic Centre and online.

A close up of the rare Neon pictus, a tiny brown and yellow jumping spider

Press release

Orford Ness ‘crawling’ with spiders as survey reveals new record of rare spider species for the wild and remote location

As we approach Halloween, recent surveys by spider experts have revealed that the wild and remote Orford Ness, cared for by the National Trust, is ‘crawling’ with spiders. A total of 55 species of spider have been identified, including 12 believed to be nationally rare or scarce, and a first-time record for the Suffolk coast of the nationally rare Neon pictus, a tiny jumping spider.

A brown haired man in a bright red jacket standing on mossy ground in a river flood plain surrounded by intermittently placed wood logs, which help raise the water levels.

Press release

Pioneering river restoration declared a success delivering incredible benefits for nature and people within 12 months of completion

A year on from the completion of a three-year project on the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate in Somerset to reconnect a section of a river to its floodplain – the innovative ‘Stage 0’ river restoration technique, first pioneered in Oregon, USA – has been heralded a success.

Poet Lemn Sissay and Qian Zephaniah stand either side of a blue plaque which commemorates poet Benjamin Zephaniah. The plaque reads: The people's poet Benjamin Zephaniah 1958 - 2023. Writer, activist, actor, musician. His creative voice travelled from Birmingham around the world.

Press release

New plaque honours Birmingham poet and activist Benjamin Zephaniah

A blue plaque commemorating Birmingham poet and activist Benjamin Zephaniah has been unveiled in his home city.

Press release

Cold, wet year and thriving slugs bring disappointment to the pumpkin patch as Halloween approaches

Cold, wet weather and a boom in slug populations have led to disappointing pumpkin harvests at a number of National Trust gardens, as many gear up for autumn and Halloween celebrations.

Avenue of beech trees at Lanhydrock in Cornwall

Press release

National Trust predicts autumn likely to be ‘a mixed bag’ thanks to a ‘soggy’ year as most trees hold on tight to their leaves

With October underway, National Trust rangers and gardeners are preparing for a "mixed bag" of autumnal displays across gardens, parklands and woodlands in England, Wales and Northern Ireland due to the cool and wet conditions preceding the yearly spectacle.

Sheila Das, National Trust Head of Gardens and Parks

Press release

National Trust appoints Sheila Das as Head of Gardens and Parks

The National Trust has appointed Sheila Das as the charity’s Head of Gardens and Parks.

A close up of the tops of two sycamore tree saplings, side by side in a greenhouse

Press release

Sycamore Gap Tree One Year On - 'Trees of Hope' case studies

The National Trust has this morning (Friday 27 September) announced more details to help inspire people and communities to apply for one of the 49 ‘Trees of Hope’ – grown from seed from the sycamore gap tree which formerly stood proudly in the gap, towering above Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland National Park, until it was illegally felled, one year ago.

Visitors stood next to the Sycamore Gap tree, which stood in a dip at Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort in Northumberland, with blue skies above

Press release

Filling the Gap - Sycamore Gap Tree lives on as hope prevails with iconic tree’s legacy

A year after the illegal felling of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree which formerly stood proudly in the gap, towering above Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland National Park, the National Trust and Northumberland National Park Authority are today (Friday 27 September) revealing more details about the legacy of the tree – and its plans for how hope will prevail in the face of tragedy.

A mating pair of silver studded blue butterflies, rear end to rear end on a leaf, at Great Orme, Clwyd

Press release

Clean air and fire breaks help silver-studded blue butterflies go for gold as butterfly count at Dorset nature reserve sets new record

Butterfly experts have recorded the highest-ever numbers for silver-studded blue butterflies on the Studland heaths in Dorset, cared for by the National Trust, bucking the trend of an otherwise challenging year for butterflies.

Press release

Puffin population declared ‘stable’ on the Farne Islands as results of first full count for five years are confirmed

Puffin numbers on the remote Farne Islands, off the coast of Northumberland, have seen a 15 per cent increase with the population declared as ‘stable’, after the first full count of the precious seabirds since 2019.

An adult and a juvenile crane flying one behind the other with long wings outstretched

Press release

It’s a bird! It’s a crane!: Chick of Britain’s tallest bird fledges at Wicken Fen for the first time

A pair of cranes at the Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire, cared for by the National Trust, has successfully fledged a chick for the first time since choosing to breed at the site in 2019.

a drawing of a flower garden with lots of trees and colourful flowers. There are winding paths within the garden, and outlines of people walking.

Press release

New flower garden to bring surprise, theatre and delight to almost complete Georgian estate, the final work of ‘Capability’ Brown

After 10 years of planning, groundworks have begun to create a new flower garden at Berrington Hall in Herefordshire – home of ‘Capability’ Brown’s final landscape design – and to recapture the surprise and delight of the Georgian Pleasure Ground.

Visitors exploring the garden at Wightwick Manor and Gardens, West Midlands

Press release

National Trust announces plans for £1 million in garden investment, as its collaboration with Blue Diamond Garden Centres enters third year

The National Trust has announced that £1 million of funding from Blue Diamond Garden Centres will be spent on garden and plant conservation projects, as it enters the third year of its brand licensing agreement with the garden centre group.

Erddig Property Curator Susanne Gronnow examines the bed cover

Press release

Conservation of rare State Bed cover reveals a patchwork of hidden details and wartime 'make do and mend'

A rare cover from a 300-year-old bed has gone on public display at the National Trust’s Erddig Hall and Garden in Wrexham following conservation and research which has revealed previously unknown details about its history, make-up and the early 20th -century wartime needlework that saved it from ruin.

Visitors outside the Brewhouse cafe at Seaton Delaval Hall, Tyne and Wear

Press release

12% day tripper boost to National Trust sites reveals new visitor trend

People are still prepared to spend money on a great day out despite the continued impact of the cost of living crisis, with the National Trust’s Annual Report revealing a 5% increase in visitor numbers to their pay for entry places in 2023/24 compared with the previous year.

A gloved hand holding a sphagnum moss plug with volunteers planting in the background

Press release

National Trust brings nature back to an area twice the size of Manchester in less than a decade

The National Trust has achieved its aim of creating or restoring 25,000 hectares (61,776 acres) of priority habitat (habitats of principal importance for wildlife and supporting ecosystems) on its land by 2025, a target set in line with the charity’s conservation goals announced in 2015.

A member of the house team holding up and looking closely at a gold ring with diamond

Press release

Striking jewel by ‘creator of genius’ to royalty and film stars returns to historic house where it was made

A gold and diamond ring made by Louis Osman, a leading figure in 20th-century design, has gone on public display at the Northamptonshire home where he lived, worked and drew inspiration for more than a decade. Osman is best known for designing and making the coronet worn by the then Prince of Wales at his investiture in 1969.

Press release

Watch the birdie: Project to transform golf course into wetlands to benefit migratory birds gets underway

Work starts at Sandilands near Sutton-on-Sea next week to transform a former golf course on the Lincolnshire coastline into a 25-hectare (62 acre) wetland nature reserve.

Three children on a wooden seat eating ice cream cones

Press release

National Trust visitors’ summer spending paints a picture of rainy holidays fuelled by sandwiches, cakes and ice cream

As millions prepare to enjoy the last long weekend of summer, the National Trust looks back at what has been a bumper season for ice creams, scones, cakes, curry, adventures and umbrellas.

A grey tent situated on moorland in front of a rocky outcrop is surrounded by bags of rubbish and a used fire pit.

Press release

National Trust urges people to ‘leave no trace’ this bank holiday weekend to help protect nature and the country’s favourite outdoor spots

Ahead of the typically busy August bank holiday weekend the National Trust is urging people to ‘leave no trace’ after a prominent increase in illegal fly camping and littering over the summer months at countryside and coastal locations.

Purple heather on Dunwich Heath and Beach, Suffolk

Press release

Dunwich heather back in bloom after remarkable recovery

Dunwich Heath, a rare heathland habitat cared for by the National Trust on the Suffolk coast is showing signs of recovery, with its patchwork of pink and purple heather back in bloom after being severely impacted by extreme heat and drought in 2022.

The Beetlewing dress and the Banqueting dress on display at Smallhythe Place

Press release

Lady Macbeth costumes worn by idol of Victorian theatre Ellen Terry go on display at her former home

The fashion worn by stars at the Met Gala or the Oscars may be hotly anticipated, but 130 years ago it was ‘pop idol’ Ellen Terry who drew the crowds when she stepped out on stage in costumes that drew gasps from the audience.

A view of the house and parkland at Saltram, Devon

Press release

National Trust Saltram first outdoor cultural site in the UK to trial pioneering NaviLens technology to aid partially sighted people

This week National Trust Saltram in Plymouth has become the first outdoor cultural site in the UK to trial the use of a pioneering navigational app for partially sighted visitors.

A visitor enjoys the Mediterranean Garden at Beningbrough

Press release

Andy Sturgeon-designed Mediterranean Garden boosts climate resilience and biodiversity as Beningbrough Hall continues its revival

A new Mediterranean Garden, designed for a changing climate by award-winning garden designer Andy Sturgeon, has been unveiled at the National Trust’s Beningbrough Hall near York.

A close up of a hand touching a sycamore shoot growing at the site of the felled sycamore gap tree

Press release

Sprouting Sycamore! Delight as Sycamore Gap tree shows signs of regrowth

Encouraging signs of new life are peeking through at the site of the illegally felled Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland. Growing from the base of the stump, eight new shoots have emerged giving hope that the tree lives on, ten months since it was felled in 2023.

An apprentice ranger planting sphagnum moss plugs on Marsden Moor, West Yorkshire

Press release

Mind bog-gling new study reveals Marsden Moor stores over a million tonnes of carbon

To mark World Bog Day (Sunday 28 July), peatland experts working together with the National Trust at Marsden Moor in West Yorkshire have found that the moor’s peat stores at least one million tonnes of carbon, further evidence that peatlands can play a crucial role in tackling climate change.

A visitor explores elements of Sabine's life in the Servants Hall

Press release

Life of an 18th century ‘lady of the house’ and her struggles to fit in are explored for the first time at National Trust’s Nostell

The moving story of an 18th century woman struggling to fit into her role and responsibilities in a grand country house is being explored at the National Trust’s Nostell in West Yorkshire.

Grazing cows on grass pasture at Horner Farm on the Holnicote Estate

Press release

New report reveals that nature-friendly farming budget is inadequate to meet climate and nature targets

New economic analysis, published today [23 July 2024], demonstrates that the current agricultural budget is significantly less than what is required for the UK farm and land management sector to help tackle the nature and climate crisis.

Tiny paper cuttings at Sutton House featuring a hen, a fox, and a bird

Press release

Rare survivals of decorative paper cutting by schoolgirls in the 17th century found under floorboards at Sutton House

Rare surviving examples of decorative paper cutting by schoolgirls in the 17th century have been identified at the National Trust’s Sutton House in London.

An almost heart-shaped print of a cross section of a tree, showing an imprint of the tree’s rings in blue, ultramarine ink, with iridescent electric blue, purple and hansa yellow watercolours. Called 'Spirituality', it is one of five Heartwood exhibition prints created from a disc of the felled Sycamore Gap tree by printmaker Shona Branigan.

Press release

Heart stopping beauty of Sycamore Gap brought to life by ‘Heartwood’: An exhibition of five tree prints created from a disc of the felled tree’s trunk

A collection of five bespoke tree prints entitled ‘Heartwood’, created from a disc of the trunk of the felled iconic Sycamore Gap tree, will go on public display today [Monday 15 July]. The National Trust approached printmaker Shona Branigan, known for her detailed and evocative tree prints, to create the commemorative artworks that will be exhibited at four locations along the span of Hadrian’s Wall.

A beaver kit sits amongst vegetation, the photographer was taken at night using a trail camera

Press release

Beaver release at Wallington going 'swimmingly' as baby kit is born one year on

The National Trust has announced the birth of the first baby beaver (a kit) to be born on the Wallington Estate in Northumberland for over 400 years, following the release of a family of Eurasian beavers last year.

Press release

Archaeologists restore shrinking Bronze Age White Horse, Britain’s oldest chalk figure

Archaeologists from the National Trust and Oxford Archaeology have completed work to restore the profile of Britain’s oldest chalk figure, the Uffington White Horse in Oxfordshire.

White and yellow oxeye daisies fill a wildflower meadow, in the background are lowland downs

Press release

Patchwork of wildflower meadows wow for National Meadows Day as rare grasslands on North Devon coast peak in first full bloom to benefit nature and people

On the north Devon coast 90 hectares (222 acres) of newly created rare wildflower meadows have reached their first full bloom, to create a vibrant burst of colour to the summer countryside in time for National Meadows Day (Saturday 6 July).

Press release

National Trust's asks for the new government

Our priority asks for the new government after the General Election held on Thursday, 4th July 2024.

Two arctic tern fledglings sitting on the sand at Long Nanny

Press release

Rangers hopeful of about ‘tern’ in fortunes for graceful seabirds at Long Nanny after colony devastated by bird flu last year

National Trust rangers who keep close watch over Britain’s largest mainland colony of Arctic Terns at Long Nanny on the coast of Northumberland are holding their breath at a critical time in the breeding season to see whether the colony has managed to escape avian influenza, bird flu, this year.

Visualisation of one of the Attingham Roman villas

Press release

Largest geophysical survey ever undertaken on National Trust land identifies what are believed to be two Roman villas

The largest geophysical survey ever commissioned by the National Trust has been undertaken at the Attingham Estate in Shropshire.

An aerial view of the new parterre at Dyrham Park

Press release

Historic engraving inspires Baroque parterre at Dyrham Park, one of the most notable stately homes of its age

An early 18th-century engraving has been used to create a striking new garden parterre at the National Trust’s Dyrham Park, one of the most notable stately homes of its age.

A close up of a Four-spotted Chaser dragonfly on a reed at Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire

Press release

A soaring success for ancient insects - Wicken Fen announced as new Dragonfly Hotspot

Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire, cared for by the National Trust, has been designated the UK’s newest dragonfly hotspot by the British Dragonfly Society. The title recognises years of conservation efforts to create ideal conditions for the ancient, winged insects to thrive.

Family visitors in the wider estate of Saltram with the River Plym in the background

Press release

National Trust unveils plans to double the size of Plymouth country park for city residents to enjoy

The National Trust has announced plans to open up more of its estate to double the size of the free-to-access country park at Saltram in Plymouth. The new area of country park will enhance public access, restore historical landscapes, and improve the area’s natural habitats.

The south front and formal garden at Mount Stewart, County Down in Northern Ireland.

Press release

Celebrated Mount Stewart garden wins European Garden Award for ‘exemplary’ climate mitigation measures

The National Trust’s Mount Stewart in County Down has received a first prize for Climate Mitigation Measures in Parks or Gardens in the European Garden Award.

More than 60,000 people participated in the Restore Nature Now march

Press release

Over 60,000 people march to parliament to demand politicians Restore Nature Now

On Saturday 22 June over 60,000 people marched through central London to parliament to send one simple but powerful message to all the UK’s political parties – that they must Restore Nature Now.

An artist impression of The WaterAid Garden on the Castlefield Viaduct in Manchester

Press release

WaterAid Garden set to flourish in new home at the National Trust’s Manchester ‘sky park’ after winning Gold at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

WaterAid is delighted to announce the relocation of its striking Gold medal-winning garden from this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show to Castlefield Viaduct in Manchester, where it will inspire even more people to think about sustainable water management.

A Hungarian Mangalitsa pig on a slope among bracken at Heddon Valley in Devon

Press release

Hungry and hairy Hungarian hogs help save UK's most endangered butterfly

Conservationists racing to save the UK's most endangered butterfly have recruited the help of some unique volunteers: hairy Hungarian hogs.

A computer generated image of what Castlefield Viaduct could look like in the future showing lush greenery and people exploring the gardens

Press release

Future plans for Castlefield Viaduct revealed and designs underway for extension

The National Trust has today revealed plans for the long-term future of the Castlefield Viaduct ‘sky park’ in Manchester. The masterplan, termed the ‘Vision,’ is a direct response to public feedback from viaduct visitors and the local community who took part in a series of workshops, events and an online survey in autumn 2023.

Puffin emerging from nest hole, Farne Islands, Northumberland

Press release

See-sawing fortunes for seabirds on the Farne Islands as puffin count gets underway

For the first time since 2019, rangers on the Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast, cared for by the National Trust, are gearing up to carry out a full puffin census, surveying eight of the 28 islands to get a vitally needed and critically overdue picture of the red-listed seabird’s numbers.

A group of silhouettes of Second World War era soldiers can be seen against a colourful sky at dawn with orange light reflecting from light clouds.

Press release

A memorial art installation to soldiers killed in the D-Day landing is coming to Stowe Gardens

A memorial installation to soldiers killed in the D-Day landing on 6 June 1944 will be coming to the UK for exhibition in September where it can be seen in full for the first time.

Two volunteers helping with a beach clean at Marloes Sands, Pembrokeshire

Press release

Lend a hand for nature with the Big Help Out 2024

The National Trust is marking the second Big Help Out Campaign with a range of activities from nature surveys, litter picks and beach cleans, to gardening.

Three ladies sitting in chairs face a huge tapestry. They are sewing the lower border onto the tapestry which shows a biblical scene from the story of Gideon

Press release

Major European awards recognise conservation work of the National Trust

The conservation of a set of tapestries which took 24 years and cost £1.7 million to complete has won recognition from a major international heritage award.

A sole hero tree stands between two green hills under a clear blue sky

Press release

King Charles confirmed as first recipient of Sycamore Gap seedling in honour of national Celebration Day

The first successful seedling nurtured from seeds collected from the 200-year-old Sycamore Gap tree after it was illegally felled by an act of vandalism last September has been gifted to His Majesty The King by the National Trust in honour of this year’s Celebration Day (Monday 27 May).

A women wearing a purple jacket dances with her arms in the air on Woolacome beach in Devon. She wears headphones and holds a litter picker in the air because she is taking part in a silent disco beach clean

Press release

Beachgoers swap boogie boards for a boogie beach clean to help protect nature at popular Devon beach

The addition of a silent disco to beach cleans at the National Trust’s Woolacombe beach has seen numbers increase for vital conservation work to help protect nature.

A photo of a man with grey hair wearing a Plantlife jacket and a man with brown, curly hair wearing a National Trust jacket holding a rosy saxifrage plant. They are surrounded by bushes and are both smiling.

Press release

Extinct plant reintroduced to the wild in Wales after 62 years

A beautiful mountain plant that once clung to cliff edges in Eryri (Snowdonia) has been successfully reintroduced in to the wild in Wales after being extinct since 1962.

Andy Jasper, Ann-Marie Powell and Alan Roper with The People's Choice Award

Press release

The Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust wins coveted People’s Choice Award – its third award of the week – at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

The Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust has been awarded The People’s Choice Award at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024.

Aerial view of the River Bure on the Blickling Estate in Norfolk

Press release

Nature just the tonic for gin-clear ‘globally rare’ chalk stream in the Norfolk Broads

A project to revive a stretch of precious chalk stream in Norfolk that inspired poets and painters has been completed, marking the culmination of six-years of work led by the National Trust.

Aerial view of Great Wood looking down towards the Jaws of Borrowdale

Press release

Borrowdale rainforest to become a new National Nature Reserve

On Wednesday 22 May, Borrowdale has been announced as the latest in the ‘King’s Series of National Nature Reserves’ (NNRs) by the National Trust and Natural England.

The Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024

Press release

“Let’s aspire to fantastic urban spaces”: garden of ‘outdoor sitting rooms’ celebrating social pioneer Octavia Hill wins Silver-Gilt and inaugural RHS Children’s Choice Award at RHS Chelsea Flower show

The Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust has been awarded a Silver-Gilt Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024.

Dame Judi Dench and schoolgirl Charlotte Crowe hold a pot containing a Sycamore Gap seedling. They stand in The Octavia Hill Garden at Chelsea Flower Show, London

Press release

Dame Judi Dench and school competition winner place Sycamore Gap seedling in The Octavia Hill Garden at Chelsea Flower Show

A seedling, grown from seeds collected from the Sycamore Gap tree after it was felled last September, has been placed in The Octavia Hill Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show by Dame Judi Dench and competition winner, 7-year-old Charlotte Crowe.

A flock of birds flying above a wetland with long reeds and pools of water on a sunny day

Press release

Charities back UK workers saying nature must be at the heart of business decisions

Three of the UK’s largest conservation charities are calling on companies to put nature at the heart of all business decisions.

A group of people laughing together and resting on their hike Mam Tor, Peak District, Derbyshire

Press release

New project is improving representation in the outdoors by training 100 new walk leaders from global majority communities

A new project that aims to improve representation in the outdoors by supporting people from the global majority to become qualified walk leaders has seen 24 participants successfully complete their first stage of training.

A man in a beige fleece and a woman in a dark blue rainjacket crouching on a grassy patch, holding a black tray with marsh violet plug plants

Press release

No shrinking violets! Conservation charity aims to create purple patch with mass planting of 20,000 violets to satisfy particular tastes of rare butterfly

Across the Shropshire Hills this spring, the National Trust and many dedicated volunteers will start the mass planting of 20,000 marsh violets, the largest planting of its kind in the UK.

His Majesty The King, our Patron, and Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust

Press release

His Majesty The King to continue royal patronage of the National Trust

His Majesty The King will be continuing his royal patronage of the National Trust, acting as the charity’s Patron.

Someone holding a sphagnum moss plug wearing a blue glove with 2 people in the background planting sphagnum moss on moorland on Kinder Scout.

Press release

Peatland restoration at Kinder Scout will plant 800,000 tiny ‘speed-bumps’ to improve health of the peatlands

Work has started to restore a new 526-hectare (1,300 acre) area of peatland on Kinder Scout in Derbyshire, the site of the famous mass trespass of 1932 that is now cared for by the National Trust.

Two National Trust curators are carefully lifting a picture onto an easel, the picture, about three feet wide, shows three young children in Tudor period dress.

Press release

Rare art work by 18th Century inventor of colour printing discovered at historic house in Norfolk

A rare surviving work by the inventor of colour printing discovered at Oxburgh Estate in Norfolk

Press release

Wicken Fen marks landmark 125th anniversary by announcing restoration plans to help ensure rare fenland endures for generations to come

The National Trust is marking 125 years of caring for one of the oldest nature reserves in the UK – and the very first it acquired - with the announcement of a £1.8 million project to restore 215 hectares (531 acres) of precious peat at Wicken Fen, making it the conservation charities largest lowland peat restoration project.

A view of the completed Goldrill Beck River Restoration project, Ullswater

Press release

Partnership project to restore rivers in the Lake District wins 2024 UK River Prize

The Ullswater Catchment Management partnership, which is spearheaded by the National Trust and Ullswater Catchment Management Community Interest Company (UCMCIC) and works to restore and improve rivers in the Ullswater catchment in the Lake District, has won the prestigious 2024 UK River Prize’s Catchment Award.

A street name plate in a busy location in Birmingham called 'Cherry Street' telling the story of blossom

Press release

Ghost of ‘lost’ blossom endures through street and place names, according to new research from the National Trust

With the National Trust’s Blossom Week about to bloom (20-28th April), new research published by the charity has revealed the significance of historic blossom in all its different guises in influencing the street and place names that still exist today.

Glyn Smith holds retirement portrait with other historic prints behind him, in house at Erddig, Wrexham, Wale

Press release

New portrait – the first in over 100 years – joins unmatched collection of historic staff portraits at National Trust’s Erddig estate

For nearly 200 years, the cherished household staff and servants at Erddig near Wrexham were recorded in a unique collection of portraits, photographs and verses. Now, for the first time in more than a century, a new portrait is temporarily joining the historic display to mark the retirement of the estate’s long-serving Head Gardener.

An Asian man with glasses, wearing a black leatherman jacket and a red jumper, poses in front of a wall projecting a sea of pink blossom petals. He stands pointing at himself with both his hands.

Press release

Nature’s Confetti – Londoners invited to enjoy the spectacle of blossom in the heart of the capital at Outernet London

A new blossom experience – Nature’s Confetti - is blooming at the London’s Outernet as the National Trust aims to bring the beauty of this special moment in nature’s calendar to more Londoners, commuters and visitors to the capital.

Children on the Nature Walk at Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire

Press release

Children's Urgent Call: More Time in Nature Essential Shows New Survey by National Trust and First News

Children want more time in nature and parents are calling on the government to achieve its goal of providing access to green space within a 15 minute walk, a new survey by First News and the National Trust shows.

Man in orange high-vis vest and helmet stands near the edge of a cliff, secured by a red rope, with hottentot figs in the foreground

Press release

Nature recovery on the Lizard is working from the ground up

Down on the Lizard, in deepest Cornwall, a landscape-scale coastal project to recover rare species is starting from the ground up.

A hand holds a browned letter with clear fold marks and slight tears, starting with a very elaborate 'Dear Father'

Press release

18th century letters from a young man in London to his father in the Lake District reveal the expense, anxieties, and pleasures of life in the city

Three hundred years after they were written, letters from a son in London to his father in the historic county of Westmorland are going on display at the family home, revealing money worries, romances, nights out and work challenges that many today might recognise.

Inner Farne taken from the water, looking up at the cliffs and Lighthouse.

Press release

Visitors welcomed back on the Farne Islands

Inner Farne, one of the Farne Islands cared for by the National Trust, has reopened today for visitor boat landings, after a period of closure due to Avian Influenza.

Large tree with delicate pink blossoms in front of a brick stately home and blue sky

Press release

National Trust's blossom campaign blooms with a feast for the senses on World Poetry Day

Marking World Poetry Day, the National Trust is officially launching its annual blossom campaign with the publication of a new book of blossom-inspired poetry by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and the release of a new EP by his band LYR, both called Blossomise, inviting people in the UK to go out and immerse themselves in this year’s spring spectacle with each of their senses.

Press release

Series 8 of the award-winning National Trust Podcast launches on 4 April 2024

Daring 1930s heritage gangsters, pocket-sized urban gardens and an unsolved historical Whodunnit among the topics explored in the new series.

Beekeepers carefully rehoming honeybees from the roof of Plas yn Rhiw

Press release

Meeting the bees needs - 50,000 unusual residents protected during National Trust Cymru repairs to historic house

For the first time in 200 years the buzz in a National Trust house in Gwynedd, North Wales has been stilled, as a rare species of wild bees living in the roof have been moved to a new home during conservation work.

An adult clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella

Press release

Good news for historic collections as National Trust reports 18% tumble in clothes moths, but intense rainfall helps silverfish thrive

Clothes moth numbers tumbled in historic houses last year, the National Trust’s annual insect pests report has found. The report collates information gathered by house staff around the Trust, helping the charity to safeguard more than 1 million collection objects, from precious books and tapestries to silk hangings on state beds.

Press release

Seeds collected from felled Sycamore Gap tree ‘springing into life’ at specialist conservation centre

Seeds and material collected from the Sycamore Gap tree after it was felled last September are beginning to ‘spring into life’, according to conservationists at the National Trust.

The conserved portrait of John Wilton in the servants' hall at Chirk Castle

Press release

Conservation of rare full-length portrait of an 18th century servant reveals tantalising clues about his identity and role

A rare full-length, life-size portrait of a servant at the National Trust’s Chirk Castle in Wrexham has gone on display following conservation and research to reveal some remarkable clues about his background.

The Magnolia campbellii at Bodnant Garden, Conwy, in full bloom

Press release

Mild and wet weather results in early arrival of blossom in pockets of England and Wales

With February likely to be confirmed as the warmest on record, the unseasonably mild temperatures over the winter and wet weather of recent weeks have caused various flowering trees and blossom to emerge four weeks earlier than usual, according to gardeners at the National Trust.

Two people are standing on a platform made from scaffolding, close above their heads is a very detailed decorative plaster ceiling, dating from the 17th Century.

Press release

Masterpiece Jacobean plasterwork ceiling depicting the Book of Genesis to get a new lease of life after 400 years

For the first time in its 400-year history, one of Europe’s most spectacular historic ceilings, depicting dozens of Biblical scenes, birds, and mythical beasts, is undergoing full conservation and repair.

Press release

Rare Roman head of Mercury discovered during dig at site of medieval Kent shipyard

The excavation in Kent of a medieval site that was once used for shipbuilding, has delighted archaeologists when they also came across earlier evidence of a Roman settlement.

Caucasian man in a neon orange safety vest crouches on a dam fortified with upright timber logs in the middle of a waterlogged landscape

Press release

New works supercharge precious peatland on England’s first ‘Super’ National Nature Reserve

Work to rewet and restore vital peatland habitats is underway on England’s first ‘super’ National Nature Reserve (NNR) in Purbeck, Dorset. The area was chosen as one of 16 sites for a £1 million Dorset Peat Partnership project seeking to reinstate 172 hectares (425 acres) of peatland, equivalent to the area of over 240 football pitches, across the county.

A flock of seabirds fly past the Victorian lighthouse on Inner Farne

Press release

Visitors to be welcomed back on the Farne Islands

Inner Farne, one of the Farne Islands cared for by the National Trust, will re-open for visitor boat landings in the spring, after a period of closure due to Avian Influenza.

A woman hangs a large watercolour painting of a buffalo onto a wood-panelled wall

Press release

Rare watercolour from ‘The Jungle Book’ on display for first time at author’s family home Bateman’s, in the book’s anniversary year

A rare watercolour painting from ‘The Jungle Book’ is set to go on display at the book’s author’s family home, 130 years after the much-loved story was published.

Colony of grey seals on the shingle at the Orford Ness National Nature Reserve in Suffolk

Press release

Suffolk’s first breeding colony of grey seals recorded at Orford Ness

National Trust rangers at Orford Ness National Nature Reserve in Suffolk are celebrating the birth of over 130 grey seal pups this winter; the third, consecutive year of successful breeding at the coastal site, which is now thought to be home to Suffolk’s first grey seal colony.

White man wearing purple gloves and black glasses holds a large, muddy willow branch above his head

Press release

Peatland ‘time capsule’ reveals prehistoric woodland habitat and insects which still exist today

An area of buried prehistoric woodland, plant and insect remains, has been discovered on land cared for by the National Trust on Exmoor in Somerset.

Man in red hat and grey jacket plants a tree, with view over the rolling hills of North Devon

Press release

National Trust joins push for temperate rainforest revival in North Devon with new 100,000-strong tree planting project

A large-scale project to create a wilder, woodier and wetter landscape is underway in north Devon with the National Trust planting over 100,000 trees this winter to re-establish approximately 50 hectares (123 acres) of temperate rainforest, one of the UK’s most endangered habitats, and other wooded habitats.

Private Cross, Corporal Cooper The Western Times, 18_Feb 1916

Press release

'Miraculous’ escape of a First World War soldier when pocketbook stopped sniper’s bullet is among stories in new display

A small pocketbook inside the uniform jacket of a private in Gallipoli during the First World War stopped a sniper’s bullet and saved his life.

Press release

“Palace of art” leaves oil in the past as National Trust switches on historic heat pump

Kingston Lacy in Dorset, one of the most opulent country houses in the south of England, has replaced its unreliable and oil-hungry boilers with a pioneering ground source heat pump in a bid to tackle climate change.

Wolla Bank marshland at Sandilands, Lincolnshire

Press release

A celebration of Churchill, a garden at Chelsea, a chance for young people to contribute to science, culture and nature, and celebrating the power of volunteering: the National Trust unveils its programme for 2024

2024 at the National Trust, which turns 129 today, will be a year for celebrating old traditions and establishing new ones that reflect the charity’s founding principles.

Illustration showing a young Sir Isaac Newton, Paul McCartney and Beatrix Potter against a colourful background

Press release

National Trust uses ‘Isaac Newton’s lockdown legacy’ to launch Time + Space Award for young people

The National Trust has today opened applications for a Time + Space Award for young people, inspired by Sir Isaac Newton’s annus mirabilis or ‘year of wonders’, which happened when he was just 23.

Farming at Buckden, Upper Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales

Press release

Statement on the Environment Secretary’s speech at the Oxford Farming Conference

Our statement following the speech of Environment Secretary, Steve Barclay, at the Oxford Farming Conference today, 4 January 2024.

The garden for the future at Sheffield Park and Garden

Press release

National Trust takes on the challenges of climate adaptation in new garden project at Sheffield Park and Garden

For the first time since the National Trust took ownership in 1954, plans are afoot for the creation of a new area in the Grade I listed garden at Sheffield Park and Garden in East Sussex.

Archaeologist revealing a mosaic floor in the northern wing at Chedworth Roman Villa, Gloucestershire

Press release

From 5th century mosaics to World War Two defences, National Trust places will appear in new series of BBC 2’s Digging for Britain

Four National Trust places will be appearing in the new 6-part series of Digging for Britain presented by Professor Alice Roberts which begins on Tuesday 2 January on BBC2.

Middle-aged man in red jacket and grey hat looking at bright pink flowers on a green hedge

Press release

UK nature feels the impact of seasonal “baseline shift” and extreme weather events as 2023 set to be warmest year on record

With 2023 widely anticipated to be declared the warmest year on record and 2024 already forecast to be even warmer the National Trust is sounding the alarm for UK wildlife as the loss of predictable weather patterns and traditional seasonal shifts causes chaos for nature.

A member of the National Trust conservation team is holding up a medieval Boy Bishop token. Its the size of a 2 pence piece and has indentations on the surface.

Press release

600-year-old token given to the poor to spend at Christmas is discovered at Oxburgh Estate

The National Trust has found a medieval Christmas token at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk .

Press release

One of the UK's oldest nature reserves hopes to attract more than two turtle doves this Christmas

The National Trust has acquired a further 70 acres (28 hectares) of land adjoining Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire, in efforts to protect more of the precious fenland habitat and to help more rare animals and birds including turtle doves.

A yellow digger stands behind a grey wooden fence which separates it from a newly created pond in the foreground

Press release

Remote Essex island ‘lets the sea in’ to create new saltmarsh in fight against climate change

Major works to create and retain swathes of new saltmarsh habitat on a remote Essex island have reached a major milestone, providing a lifeline for the land and its wildlife in a changing climate and in light of rising sea levels.

A teal coloured crane standing on green hills next to Hadrian's wall, at the site where the Sycamore Gap tree used to stand

Press release

Sycamore Gap tree ‘will live on’ as National Trust and National Park announce next steps

Following the felling of the much-loved Sycamore Gap tree in September, the National Trust has said that the seeds and cuttings taken from the fallen tree are showing positive signs of being viable for propagating.

A woman in black weather proof clothes abseils down a green gorge, carrying a small pine sapling in a bright red backpack

Press release

Bodnant Garden gives ‘dinosaur trees’ a Welsh home-from-home as part of new ‘metacollection’ to protect Wollemi pine from extinction

The National Trust’s Bodnant Garden in North Wales, is joining together with Forestry England to plant critically endangered Wollemi pine trees as part of the first global ‘metacollection’ to save the iconic species from extinction and help protect the biodiversity of wild trees.

A blonde woman looking off to the right side of the picture is being filed by a young man in a blue jacket and dark brown hair with a video camera

Press release

Our Beautiful Wild, a new film created by more than 100 young people, sounds the alarm for nature

On 27 November, young people from across the UK will come together in schools, social clubs and online to celebrate the premiere of Our Beautiful Wild, a new film showcasing the actions young people are taking for nature and their vision for the future.

A man in a woolly hat and black waterproof clothes turns a large valve at the edge of a waterway on a sunny day.

Press release

National nature reserve ‘turns on the tap’ to create winter wetland for wildlife and reduce CO2 emissions

This month, rangers at Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve (NNR) in Cambridgeshire, cared for by the National Trust, will turn on taps across the site to allow water to flow from the lodes on higher ground to the lower laying fens, creating standing pools of water to create a winter wetland for wildlife, as well as sequestering carbon.

Two brick walls - the breakwaters - jut into green waters, with a pebbled slope leading up to white and blue harbour buildings. A few cars stand on one of the breakwaters, carrying out repairs after storm Ciaran.

Press release

Adapting to climate change needs our ‘urgent, unswerving attention’ says National Trust with launch of landmark report

The National Trust is calling on all political parties to ramp up progress on adaptation by introducing new legislation that recognises the importance of adapting buildings, coastlines and countryside to cope with the impacts of climate change.

Press release

First pups of the season born at England’s largest grey seal colony on Blakeney Point in Norfolk

One of England’s most spectacular winter wildlife events is underway with the births of the first grey seal pups at Blakeney National Nature Reserve on the north Norfolk coast, cared for by the National Trust.

The National Trust AGM 2023, STEAM Museum, Swindon

Press release

Record voter turnout at today’s National Trust AGM as members have their say on charity’s work and direction

This year more than 156,000 members voted on four resolutions and elected five members of the National Trust Council at the charity’s Annual General Meeting on 11 November. This year’s voting participation rate was a record for the National Trust and builds on three consecutive years’ of high turnout from members.

A close up of voting boxes at the 2010 AGM

Press release

Record voting expected in National Trust AGM, as Chair pledges long-term commitment to the protection of nature and cultural heritage

Participation in the National Trust’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) this year is expected to hit record levels, as members meet today to discuss the charity’s work and direction.

A close up of the demon in the Joshua Reynolds painting, with extremely round eyes and pointy teeth

Press release

The devil in the detail: A fiend re-emerges from the canvas of a painting by Joshua Reynolds

A fiend, which has lurked unseen in a painting by Joshua Reynolds, has emerged following conservation work by the National Trust.

3D visual of The Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust

Press release

National Trust, Blue Diamond and Ann-Marie Powell join forces to celebrate ‘gardens for all’ at 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

The National Trust and Blue Diamond Garden Centres are delighted to be working with multi-award-winning garden design practice Ann-Marie Powell Gardens to create a prestigious show garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024.

Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust

Press release

National Trust issues key manifesto asks to protect nature and heritage for everyone

The National Trust’s Director-General Hilary McGrady has outlined the three minimum requirements any future Government should commit to, so the future of nature and heritage can be secured for everyone.

Two men and one woman in wet suits moving big blocks of wood away from a tilted fence in midst of muddy brown flooding caused by Storm Babet

Press release

Storm Babet's widespread damage to landscapes, gardens and properties a taste of things to come, says National Trust

Storm Babet has left a trail of destruction across landscapes, houses and gardens cared for by the National Trust, throughout the spine of England.

Press release

Statement on the felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree

Our statement on the sad felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree at Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland.

An extra wide shot of the felled enormous tree lying across the stone Hadrian's wall, with flowering heather in the foreground and rolling hills in the background

Press release

Response to Sycamore Gap tree felling “inspiring” says National Trust, as trunk to be moved from heritage site

The iconic Sycamore Gap tree is set to be moved from Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, after it was felled in an act of vandalism a fortnight ago.

Experience & Visitor Programming Manager Alana Wright in the newly uncovered 18th-century cold bath at the Bath Assembly Rooms

Press release

Taking the plunge:18th-century cold bath, believed to be only one of its kind in an assembly room, is uncovered in Bath

Archaeological excavations in the basement below the 18th-century Bath Assembly Rooms have revealed the remains of what was once a popular form of ‘taking the waters’ for health purposes – a Cold Bath.

A view of the lake surrounded by autumnal trees at Mount Stewart

Press release

National Trust urges Brits to enjoy the spectacle of a global autumn, right here at home

The National Trust is encouraging Britons to experience a world of autumn colour by visiting the global gardens on their doorstep as the seasonal spectacle gets set to tumble across the country over the coming weeks.

The Parterre seen in July on a misty morning at Wimpole Hall, Cambridgeshire with box hedging borders.

Press release

Award-winning design team to give historic National Trust parterre a sustainable and climate resilient future

The National Trust has appointed an award-winning landscape architect team to transform the traditional parterre at Wimpole in Cambridgeshire, to make it a more sustainable, climate resilient and biodiverse planting scheme that is ready for the future.

Press release

National Trust devotes record sum to historic buildings and collections conservation in 2022/23

The National Trust dedicated a record amount of funds to the conservation of historic buildings and collections in the last financial year, the charity’s latest Annual Report reveals.

Staff, volunteers and members of the public hand sow seed at Lanhydrock as part of the Cornish Meadows Project

Press release

Cornwall set to bloom as National Trust begins major grassland creation project

Clifftops and fields across Cornwall are set to be transformed into thriving wildflower meadows, thanks to a new three-year conservation project by the National Trust.

Tree logs lying in newly formed waterplain surrounded by grass and green trees

Press release

National Trust sets river ‘free’ with pioneering restoration approach in Somerset

A three-year project on the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate in Somerset has successfully reconnected a section of a Somerset river to its floodplain to create a new and instantly different waterscape using the innovative ‘Stage 0’ river restoration technique, first pioneered in Oregon, USA.

Woman in the background holding a gold oval stamp (the seal matrix)

Press release

Rare medieval seal matrix that promised a ‘fast track’ to Heaven goes on display at its original home after 500 years

A rare medieval seal matrix that lay buried in a field for over 500 years is to go on show at its original home, the National Trust’s Mottisfont in Hampshire.

Press release

Spread of avian influenza has devastating impact on wild seabird colonies at National Trust sites

The National Trust has today announced that over 7,000 seabirds have sadly died from avian influenza (bird flu) this year across its most precious sites for seabird colonies around the coast of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Woman in red tshirt walks a light brown access a footpath on the cliffs above the ocean through a wooden gate

Press release

National Trust brings coastal land at Tintagel into its care

A stretch of rugged Cornish coastline that borders the medieval fortress of Tintagel has been acquired by the National Trust to look after on behalf of the nation.

two young beaver kits surrounded by green wetland habitat

Press release

Baby beaver boom on Exmoor in Somerset as three kits are born in conservation success story

Three baby beavers (kits) have been born at two different beaver enclosures on the Holnicote Estate near Minehead, Somerset, where the National Trust re-introduced beavers for the first time in 400 years in January 2020.

Three girls walk in midst of the greenery on top of the viaduct

Press release

Castlefield Viaduct sky park to stay open until summer 2024 after project gets extended

Visitors will be able to enjoy Manchester’s sky park until autumn 2024 after the National Trust has been granted an extension by Manchester City Council to the popular Castlefield Viaduct project.