Our history: 1884-present
In 2020 we marked our 125th anniversary. We carried on the ambition set out by our founders to care for nature, beauty and history. Here’s a reminder of what we’re here for and how the values of our founders’ are still at the heart of everything we do.
We were founded in 1895 by three extraordinary leaders, Octavia Hill, Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley and Sir Robert Hunter, who were were united by a belief that nature, beauty and history are for everyone and that natural and historic places should be protected for future generations.
Find out some fascinating things about us, where we started, like who and what we are, which of our places have become film stars, and how much we paid for the first house we bought.
