Our story

You might not know that we were founded over 100 years ago, by three Victorians who wanted to preserve outdoor spaces and prevent them from being built on. In 1895, Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley created the National Trust with the aim of saving our nation's heritage and open spaces for the benefit of everyone. A century and a bit on, and we’re still upholding these values and championing their importance. If you'd like to know more about our beginnings, and see how much we've grown and changed since 1895, take a look at our timeline (opens in a new window).