People in history

Discover some of the social history behind our places and uncover fascinating facts about the people who have lived in them

John Kipling with a friend and her dog at Bateman's
Kirsty Wark stands in front of a suffragette statue

Our women's suffrage podcast series presented by Kirsty Wark 

In this five-part series we lift the lid on our archives to uncover the seldom-told stories of maids, mill-workers, politicians and even royalty, who fought and campaigned to help shape the world we live in today.

Listen now
Three members of the Agar-Robartes family cycling at Lanhydrock

Places where children played 

Our places have been havens for princesses and prime ministers' children. The childhood memories they created have inspired world-famous authors as well as offering safety to children during the war. Find out more about some of our younger residents' favourite places.

Celebrated garden lovers

The rose garden and pond at Bateman’s, East Sussex

Rudyard Kipling's garden 

Rudyard Kipling's garden at Bateman's, his 17th-century Jacobean home, in the landscape of the Sussex Weald, was the inspiration for Puck of Pook's Hill.

Herbaceous borders along the path leading to Hill Top, Sawrey, Cumbria

Beatrix Potter's garden 

Beatrix Potter bought Hill Top with the royalties from the first of her little books, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. 100 years later, Head Gardener Pete Tasker is determined to return the tiny garden to the one Beatrix created.

Edith Lady Londonderry in the gardens at Mount Stewart

Great women gardeners 

From wealthy socialites to horticultural pioneers, journey through the gardens of time and discover seven of history's most inspirational women gardeners.

Planting the seeds of innovation

Saving our nation's heritage for ever, for everyone

Octavia Hill (after John Singer Sargent) by Reginald Grenville Eves, RA

Who was Octavia Hill? 

A social reformer, public figure, artist and activist, Octavia Hill was also a key figure in the foundation of the National Trust.

Canon Rawnsley (centre) with Beatrix Potter and her family in 1887

Who was Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley? 

Born in Oxfordshire in 1851, Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley (1851–1920) was one of the founders of the National Trust.

Ferguson's Gang members Shot Biddy, Kate O’Brien and Bill Stickers enjoying a picnic, 1935

Who were Ferguson's Gang? 

Ferguson’s Gang was formed in 1927 with five core members, all of whom were women. Their aim was to raise awareness of the need to protect rural areas and they supported the organisation they considered to be the most dedicated to preserving England’s heritage: the National Trust.

More stories from people in history
Article

Visit for free on 'Open Doors' month

Discover a new Special Place each week, for free, with the National Trust Open Doors partnership.

List

Explore the newly conserved Firbeck Infirmary (5 July 2019)

The Workhouse, Southwell, Nottinghamshire

Discover the history of Firbeck Infirmary, its role and why we are bringing it back into the visitor experience at The Workhouse.

Article

Unearthing stories of passion and protest

Many of our places have connections to protests, mass social movements and the development of the rights we enjoy today. This year as we mark 200 years since the Peterloo Massacre, a turning point in our democracy, we’ll be exploring these relationships with a year-long programme of events, exhibitions, podcasts and more.

See more 

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