The National Trust looks after a treasure chest of history. From artistic masterpieces and vast tapestries, to precious personal possessions, the range and breadth of the collections is astonishing. A fascinating book – 125 Treasures from the Collections of the National Trust – shares the stories behind some of these remarkable objects.
With more than one million objects at over 200 historic places, the National Trust looks after one of the world’s most significant collections of heritage objects and fine art. '125 Treasures from the Collections of the National Trust' brings together a selection of highlights.
Over 60 curators and specialists helped select the objects from places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to reflect the quality and range of the collections in our care.
The book takes readers on a journey through time starting with an Ancient Greek vase and ending with 20th-century design.
These treasures have fascinating stories to tell about the people who made, commissioned, acquired, saw or used them. Some of the objects have influenced the course of history, such as the first national atlas of Britain, created in the time of Elizabeth I to plan defences against Spanish forces. Other objects tell more personal stories, including the portrait of trusted housekeeper Mary Garnett at Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire, who guided tourists around the house in a career spanning 40 years.
The selection also includes a 17th-century box with a secret door embroidered in expensive silver and gilt threads, and a meticulously annotated photo album taken with rare colour slide film capturing the excavation of Sutton Hoo, Suffolk.
The cartographer Christopher Saxton spent years surveying England and Wales to produce the first national atlas in 1579. He was supported by Queen Elizabeth I, whose portrait appears on the frontispiece at Anglesey Abbey.
Visitors can see some of these treasures up close on special display at over 50 of our places in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Look out for displays at Kingston Lacy, Petworth, Waddesdon Manor and more.
You can scan a QR code to reveal the intricacies of Anglesey Abbey’s 19th-century pagoda clock, or digitally ‘flick’ through a photographic album at Sutton Hoo to see the Anglo-Saxon ‘ghost’ ship that was discovered there in 1939.
Note some of these displays may change, so check the relevant property webpage before you visit and to make sure the house you want to visit is open.
– Dr Tarnya Cooper, Curatorial & Conservation Director, National Trust
Immerse yourself in this fully-furnished, miniature 18th-century house where the beds are hung with velvet, silk and chintz. Nostell, West Yorkshire.
Learn why this 19th-century samurai armour – beautifully decorated with a dragon, crickets and dragonflies – was designed for show rather than practicality. Snowshill Manor, Gloucestershire.
Discover this masterpiece of animal portraiture and learn how the racehorse Hambletonian nabbed victory at Newmarket in 1799. Mount Stewart, County Down.
Uncover the significance of the first English globe and the only surviving example of the first edition. Petworth, West Sussex.
During the 17th century, nothing said luxury quite like tulips. Learn how Delft vessels like this were used to display tulips and other costly blooms to maximum effect. Dyrham Park, Gloucestershire.
This beautifully illustrated book showcases 125 fascinating objects held in the collections of our historic houses. It's a starting point for exploring these collections. By buying the book, you're helping us to raise funds to conserve, research and share these collections for everyone to enjoy.
The art and heritage collections we care for rival the world’s greatest museums. Learn more about the collection of paintings, decorative art, costume, books, household and other objects at historic places.
Join actress Alison Steadman in this podcast series as she delves into the stories behind five fascinating historical objects in the collections we care for, from tapestries to obelisks.
From goldwork and gilding to goldsmithing and jewellery making, discover the ways in which gold has been used in the objects in our collections.
The 13,000 oil paintings in our care are nearly all displayed in the houses of their historic owners. Learn about the stories behind a selection of the artworks and their owners.
Explore a selection from more than half a million books and manuscripts in the collections we care for. Libraries Curator Tim Pye takes a closer look at some of the most significant works.
We look after more than 27,000 pieces of dress, most belonging to the people who lived and worked in historic houses. From the luxurious to the everyday, explore highlights from the collections, which span over 500 years of changing tastes and fashions.
There are many intriguing objects with connections to magic, mystery or death at the places in our care. From a witch's cauldron to death masks and a boat made of bones, discover some of the most mysterious objects in our collections.
Discover highlights from our collection of around 75,000 ceramic objects, from an early Ming dynasty dish to an ancient Greek hydria.
