The Trust was able to acquire 4,000 acres of the Monk Coniston estate, near Coniston Water in the Lake District. This was made possible by Beatrix Potter and the income from her childrens' books.
Drop in membership numbers between years of 1939 - 1941, from 7,250 down to 6,500 (Second World War)
7,100
1940
Lord Lothian bequeathes Blickling Hall to the Trust, setting the seal on his Country Houses Scheme, with the help of James Lees-Milne. Many estates were saved rather than being broken up wholesale
The Trust began to sell items such as tea towels at its properties, leading to the formation of National Trust Enterprises
226,069
1981
Trust membership hits the one million mark
1,046,864
1995
National Trust celebrates its centenary / launch of National Trust website / The publication of the National Trust's 'Linking People and Place' report.
2,189,777
1997
National Trust acquires part of Snowdon, thanks to the 'Save Snowdon' Appeal which was launched in 1990 by Sir Anthony Hopkins
2,491,362
2001
'Farming Forward' initiative launched at the time of the foot and mouth crisis
Tyntesfield acquired after the Trust raised £3 million from over 50,000 donors and secured a grant of £17.5 million from the National Heritage Memorial Fund
2,843,930
2003
Prince Charles becomes President of the National Trust
