Building conservation

We protect historic buildings and buildings in the wider landscape. Our building conservation team works hard to ensure they are preserved for ever, for everyone using traditional conservation techniques

View of the Rotunda with restored roof at Ickworth, Suffolk
Our biggest conservation challenges
An artist impression showing how the viaduct could look

Work gets underway on urban sky park 

Plans to create a new urban sky park for Manchester are a step closer to reality with work about to get underway on Castlefield viaduct. Due to open in July, we're aiming to turn the imposing 330 metre steel viaduct into a temporary park in the sky and create a meeting place to benefit people and nature that celebrates the industrial heritage of Castlefield. The pilot phase of this project will see a green space created to stretch half way across the elevation of the viaduct.

See the vision for the viaduct
Wellington Monument at sunset

Wellington Monument repaired after two-year project 

A memorial to the first Duke of Wellington, which stands high above the Somerset countryside is open to the public once more after a complex restoration project. £3.1m of repairs have restored the monument to a better condition than when first completed. At around 175 feet (53m) high, it is the tallest three-sided obelisk in the world.

Learn about the restoration project
The south east corner of the house reflected on the moat

Ightham Mote, Kent 

It's rare for a conservation project to take 15 years. Which is why the work we carried out at Ightham Mote in Kent is often called our biggest conservation project to date.

View across mill and Quarry Bank House

Quarry Bank Mill, Cheshire 

Explore Quarry Bank, once the site of one of the largest cotton manufacturing businesses in Britain. In summer 2018, after a four year transformation project, the historic cotton mill reopened. You can now explore the mill owners’ home, a workers’ cottage, an 19th-century glasshouse as well as the mill itself.

Visitor in the basement corridor at Clandon Park, Surrey

Clandon Park, Surrey 

Brand new for 2018, embark on an atmospheric journey, deep into the basement spaces at Clandon Park, reopened for the first time since a devastating fire in 2015.

Conserving our collections

Victorian carriage donated to the Arlington Carriage Museum

Victorian carriage donated to Arlington Court 

A descendant of a Victorian coachman has recently given the carriage his great-grandfather once drove to the Arlington Court Carriage Museum in Devon. It now joins the collection of over 40 historic carriages at the museum.

Two art handlers bring the painting inside

Special 18th-century portrait returns home to Wimpole 

An anonymous donor has enabled a special 18th-century portrait, by renowned society artist Thomas Hudson of Lady Elizabeth Yorke, to return home to Wimpole in Cambridgeshire after it was nearly sold at auction.


Preserving history

Conservation Assistant at work at Osterley Park

Our conservation work  

Caring for hundreds of historic houses and gardens requires constant effort to make sure everything stays in tip top condition. Find out about the latest projects and how you can help to keep your favourite places special forever.

Interior of the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio

The six principles of conservation 

Protection and preservation are at the heart of conservation. These six principles guide our work, helping us uncover the secrets of the past and bring history to life for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

An adult clothes moth

Common pests at the places in our care 

Last year our staff identified and logged 56,742 insects at the places we care for. The five most common insect pests found in 2021 remain the same as those recorded in 2020 but the webbing clothes moth has knocked silverfish out of the number-one spot. Learn more about these small but destructive creatures and discover how we reduce the damage they cause to houses and collections.

More on how we tackle pests

Inspired by our interiors

Blue wallpaper with cherry blossom and little birds

Little Greene's latest wallpaper collection 

Continuing our successful collaborations with Little Greene, we introduce their latest wallpaper range 'National Trust Papers II'. Inspired by original patterns from seven of our historic houses, these wallpapers nod to the traditional methods and materials from which they were originally crafted. A contribution from every sale helps us care for nature, beauty and history. Explore the collection on Little Greene's website.

Amtico's Octagon Key floooring used in a bathroom

Amtico 

Discover the 'Décor’ range by Amtico – the UK’s leading high-end flooring manufacturer. Available in more than 10 colourways, the three patterns are inspired by Tudor, Victorian and Georgian styles which can be found at many National Trust places from these eras. 10% of all sales will go towards supporting the parks and woodlands in our care.

Conservation in action during the winter clean

Protect the buildings and collections in our care 

We look after over 300 historic buildings and nearly one million works of art, which need constant care to maintain them. You can help protect these important buildings and collections by donating today.

Help our buildings and collections

Heritage

Learn more about how we look after for the special places in our care and get a glimpse of some of the conservation projects we're working on at the moment.

Find out more on heritage