The National Trust is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Trust was founded in 1895 to "promote the permanent preservation for the benefit of the Nation of lands and tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest". 

Country houses and estates make up a significant part of the Trust’s holdings, but it is also known for its protection of wild landscapes such as in the Lake District and Peak District.

One of the largest landowners in the United Kingdom, the Trust owns almost 250,000 hectares of land, 780 miles of coast and with almost 6million members is committed to playing a proactive role in addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis. 

The Trust has set a goal of being net zero by 2030 and aims to make 10 percent of its land “nature rich” while planting 20million trees this decade. Stourhead is one of the Trust’s most iconic sites with more than 2,500 acres of unspoilt countryside.

Photography below by Ellis Reed