National Trust

From Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium

The National Trust is an independent charity in the United Kingdom dedicated to the preservation of protection of historic buildings, stately homes, gardens, the countryside and coastlines - "places of historic interest or natural beauty" - in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (the National Trust for Scotland does similarly north of the border). It was founded in 1895 by philanthropist and housing reformer Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter (who had been involved with the Commons Preservation Society) and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley. Hill described the need underlying the Trust:

The need of quiet, the need of air, the need of exercise, and..the sight of sky and of things growing seem human needs, common to all men^[1]

The National Trust manages 215 buildings and gardens across the nation, as well as 612,000 acres of countryside^[2], and 707 miles of coastline^[3].

References

1. ↑ National Trust, Our Past
2. ↑ National Trust, History of the Trust
3. ↑ National Trust, Facts about the Trust