Celebrating 125 treasures in our collections
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 new book – 125 Treasures from the Collections of the National Trust – shares the stories behind some of these remarkable objects.
125 Treasures special displays
From September, visitors can see some of these treasures up close as they go 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.
A number of the treasures will be displayed for the first time, including a small Roman figure recently discovered on the Wimpole Estate and a purse that once belonged to Cardinal Wolsey at Seaton Delaval Hall. 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.
Check the relevant property webpage before you visit.
Objects up close
Cardinal Wolsey's purse
Incredibly delicate, the purse has not been on display since the renovations to Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, began in 2018. Visitors can now see the purse of the man who was once second only to King Henry VIII in wealth.
Capturing the ‘ghost ship’
In 1939 Mercie Lack photographed the site of Sutton Hoo, which contained the multiple burial mounds of an East Anglian royal dynasty. Sutton Hoo, Suffolk.
Anthropomorphic handle
The oval eyes, nose and moustache are clearly discernible on this 1st-century AD Roman figure, found at Wimpole, Cambridgeshire. It probably originally served as the handle of a spatula, perhaps used to mix medicines, or wax to make writing tablets.
Box decorated with raised embroidery
This 17th-century box was embroidered in expensive silver and gilt threads by a young woman named Hannah Trapham. Sudbury Hall, Derbyshire.
The first national atlas
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. Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire.
A portrait with a story
For decades, Mary Garnett (1724–1809) served as housekeeper at Kedleston Hall until her death at the age of 85. Dressed here in a black bonnet, she is shown as a loyal and trusted employee. Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire.
20th-century modernism
This simple and stylish magazine table reflects the whole design of the house known as The Homewood, created by the architect Patrick Gwynne (1913–2003) for his parents in 1938. The Homewood, Surrey.
125 Treasures podcast
Get a taste of the podcast with our series trailer, presented by actress Alison Steadman.
" Unlike a museum, National Trust houses present us with art and objects in their historic contexts. With so many curious and wondrous objects it can be hard to know where to look first... and yet, as 125 Treasures reveals, each object has its own story to tell."
More 125 treasures to discover
From paintings, sculpture and books to fashion and tapestries, unearth more amazing objects featured in the 125 Treasures book in our series of articles exploring the greatest works of art in our collections.
