The National Trust is embarking on a significant shift in how the public experiences its historic properties, moving away from a strictly 'look but don't touch' approach. The conservation charity has announced plans to make its grand stately homes feel more welcoming and accessible throughout the year.
A New Era of Welcome and Relaxation
Gone are the days when pine cones were strategically placed on chairs to deter visitors from perching. The Trust's key principle for 2024 is to allow people to feel genuinely at home and relaxed in these historic settings. Where practical, guests will be encouraged to sit on historic furniture and actively use libraries and reading rooms, rather than simply viewing them from behind a rope.
"We want people to be able to feel at home, feel relaxed and welcome," explained Tarnya Cooper, the National Trust’s Cultural Heritage Director. "These places belong to all of us. We want people to sit down, pause, relax."
Pioneering Properties and Practical Changes
This initiative is already being trialled at several properties. At Wightwick Manor in the West Midlands, chairs that are safe to use are being marked with distinctive cat-themed cushions. Meanwhile, at the Blickling Estate in Norfolk, modern children's books and non-fiction have been placed along visitor routes in rooms like the Lower and Upper Ante rooms, creating inviting spots for rest and reading.
The Trust is expanding comfortable seating areas at several other locations, including:
- The Vyne in Hampshire
- Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire
- Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire
- Upton House in Warwickshire
- Dyrham Park, near Bath
Most notably for book lovers, libraries at Wightwick Manor, Powis Castle in mid Wales, and Kingston Lacy in Dorset will be opened for public reading. The charity is also improving lighting in some spaces to enhance the visitor experience, such as a project to better illuminate a pair of Rubens portraits.
Careful Conservation Remains Paramount
The Trust emphasises that this new accessibility does not mean a free-for-all. A careful, property-by-property assessment is underway to determine which pieces of historic furniture are robust enough for use and which are too fragile or significant. "There isn't a one-size-fits-all," Cooper clarified. While some sturdy, relatively modern pieces will be available, many historic armchairs and sofas will remain for viewing only.
Alongside this drive for greater public access, the National Trust is launching several major conservation projects this year. These include installing large public screens in towns and cities to broadcast the lives of wildlife like seals, puffins, and beavers. The charity also aims to release more beavers into the wild and support the expansion of white-tailed eagles across England and Wales.
In a further development, the Trust is set to take on the management of Heartlands in Cornwall, an eight-hectare heritage regeneration site that serves as a gateway to the Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site. This holistic approach underscores the charity's dual mission: to protect the nation's heritage while making it truly accessible and relevant for everyone.
