World Heritage sites

World Heritage Sites are regarded as being universally important and 'belonging to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located'. They are listed by UNESCO. There are currently 32 recognised sites in the UK, and we look after places at eight UNESCO World Heritage sites.

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The Lake District becomes a World Heritage Site 

The Lake District has become a World Heritage Site joining iconic locations such as the Taj Mahal, the Great Barrier Reef and Grand Canyon as a place of international acclaim.

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Walking towards Stonehenge Landscape, Wiltshire
Stonehenge Landscape   Wiltshire

Stonehenge Landscape, Wiltshire

Stonehenge is probably the most famous megalithic site in the world. This mysterious and sacred place is surrounded by a landscape full of huge prehistoric monuments such as the Avenue, Kings Barrow Ridge and the Cursus. The National Trust cares for all of the land that surrounds Stonehenge.

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Avebury: Partial view of stone circle with sun shining through trees behind
Avebury   Wiltshire

Avebury, Wiltshire

Avebury is one of the most important megalithic monuments in Europe and is one of England's most spiritual places. The great stone circle at the heart of the site encompasses part of the village of Avebury. The surrounding landscape is rich in evidence of the people who inhabited this area for thousands of years.

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The ballroom at The Bath Assembly Rooms
Bath Assembly Rooms   Somerset

Bath Assembly Rooms, Somerset

Designed by John Wood the Younger in 1769, at a time when Bath and its spa were becoming fashionable among polite society, the Assembly Rooms were both a meeting place and a venue for public functions. Bombed in 1942, they were subsequently restored and are now home to the Bath Fashion Museum.

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A view of Michell's engine house at Levant Mine
Levant Mine and Beam Engine   Cornwall

Levant Mine and Beam Engine, Cornwall

Cornwall's engine houses are dramatic reminders of the time when the county was a powerhouse of tin, copper and china clay mining. Learn about Cornwall's industrial heritage and discover the great beam engines.

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East Pool Mine at Pool, near Redruth, Cornwall
East Pool Mine   Cornwall

East Pool Mine, Cornwall

At the very heart of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site sit these two great beam engines, originally powered by high-pressure steam boilers introduced by local hero Richard Trevithick. Preserved in their towering engine houses, they are a reminder of Cornwall's days as a world-famous centre of industry, engineering and innovation.

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A view towards the east end of the Abbey church showing the great East window arch at Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden   North Yorkshire

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, Yorkshire

This World Heritage site comprises the spectacular ruin of a 12th-century Cistercian abbey and monastic watermill, an Elizabethan mansion and one of the best surviving examples of a Georgian water garden. Elegant ornamental lakes, canals, temples and cascades provide a succession of dramatic, eye-catching vistas.

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Cattle grazing at Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland
Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort   Northumberland

Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort, Northumberland

Hadrian's Wall is part of a frontier known as the 'Roman Limes' which originally stretched more than 5,000km from the Atlantic coast of northern Britain through Europe to the Black Sea. The National Trust owns a six-mile stretch of this magnificent feat of military engineering which includes Housesteads Fort, the best preserved of 13 outposts along the wall.

Visit Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort
View of the Giant's Causeway
Giant's Causeway   County Antrim

Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland

Legend has it, these stone blocks were part of a bridge the giant Finn McCool built to cross the sea to Scotland. Build your own stepping-stone bridge with cushions and cross your room without touching the floor.

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A view looking at Golden Cap from St Gabriel's Mouth looking East, Dorset

Jurassic Coast, Dorset 

The Jurassic Coast is England's only natural World Heritage site - ranked alongside the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon. Running from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland in Dorset, the coastline depicts 185 million years of the earth's history. Its fossils and geological features have drawn admirers and scientists for over 300 years. The National Trust protects one third of this stunning 95-mile coastline which remains accessible and beautiful.

Jurassic Coast