Why leave a gift in your will?

John

Keeping a hidden treasure alive

John and his wife Janet became volunteers at Saltram in Devon in 2008. They oversaw many school visits, exhibitions and events, and trained as tour guides together. As the years passed, they moved to help in the Welcome Centre, the second-hand   bookshop, and the shop. They still took part in events in the house and garden and continued to lead tours. 

In 2022, John passed away, leaving behind a gift in his will to Saltram to commemorate many years of joy from volunteering there. His legacy has gone towards the conservation of a notable painting, The Amphitheatre at Saltram by William Tomkins. This 18th-century painting has been conserved, aided by the use of infrared reflectography analysis, revealing some figures that were hidden under layers of discoloured varnish.

It took three months for conservator Alison to reveal these features.  Thanks to the gift in John's will, many visitors will be able to see The Amphitheatre at Saltram in its original form.

Phillipa

A gardener’s legacy

Phillipa’s love of gardening was evident in the design and planting of her own cottage garden. She had an extensive fruit and vegetable collection, and was a member of the Rose Society.

Phillipa spent a lot of time at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, and when she left a gift in her will to the National Trust, her family requested some of this to go towards restoring the Pear Tree Walk. This will result in a haven of fruit trees, flowers and new paths through herbaceous borders – a legacy that Phillipa would have loved, as her passion for nature will live on through the garden.

The Granthams

Caring for centuries of stories

Dr and Mrs Grantham spent many years volunteering at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire, and were fascinated by its 900-year history. Their passion for the Abbey’s stories is reflected in their gift in their will being used for the library.

With 6,000 books being kept in the library, some dating back 400 years, it’s quite the task to clean them. A high level of dust means there is a constant need for cleaning, which increases the risk of damage. The Granthams’ gift has made it possible for the team to buy a large amount of taffeta silk to cover the fragile books. The silk moulds to the contours of the books, protecting them from dust. Now, the silk is cleaned and the books remain untouched.

Thanks to the Granthams’ gift, centuries of stories can live on in the pages of these historic books.
 

Peter

Saving an architectural masterpiece

Peter was a devoted volunteer at Berrington Hall in Herefordshire for 20 years, and had a passion for telling stories about Berrington to any visitor who asked him about the hall.

The gift in his will saved the iconic glass dome, which was cracking and leaking, damaging the ornamental ceiling below. Work on the dome began in 2019, and the team at Berrington also planted a beech tree in the surrounding parkland to remember Peter.

Thanks to Peter’s kind gift, light can shine once more through the dome into the heart of this historic building.