10 Great National Trust Sites In The UK To Visit - Updated 2024

Great National Trust sites to visit
Philip
Philip 
Updated
| 6 min read

Immerse yourself in some of the UK’s most beautiful, iconic and historically significant locations by choosing to visit a National Trust property. The charity has worked to preserve important sites for the future for more than 100 years. Be they spectacular landscapes or internationally important UNESCO world heritage sites, the trust’s work has certainly chimed with the public - more than five million people are paid up members. And it boasts some truly stunning locales among its extensive portfolio of properties - the world-famous Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland is the trust’s most popular site and welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each and every year. These are just some of the other stunning properties which await you…

1. Cragside

Cragside House - geograph.org.uk - 1254346
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user JThomas used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Welcome to the home of the ‘Modern Magician’. Cragside, near Rothbury in Northumberland, was home to Lord William Armstrong - a noted 19th-century industrialist and inventor who was fascinated by the rapidly developing scientific study of electricity. It was his work in the field that earned him his quirky moniker.

Indeed, Cragside was a truly pioneering property in its use of electricity - for it was the first home on the planet to be powered by hydro-electricity. The stunning house is set in extensive woodlands and the estate is home to several man-made lakes. Close to the house also stands a striking iron bridge - highlighting Lord Armstrong’s links to heavy industry in Newcastle. The beautiful landscape and architecture has won many fans through the years, including occasional royal visits during Lord Armstrong’s lifetime.

Cragside

Address: Cragside, Rothbury, Northumberland, NE65 7PX

Price: From 5.60 to 17 GBP for adults (7.39 to 22.44 USD)

Contact: +44 1669620333 or cragside@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: Cragside

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2. St Michael's Mount

This iconic tidal island in Cornwall is one of the National Trust’s most recognizable properties - and is modeled after France’s world-famous Le Mont-Saint-Michel with which it shares its name. Indeed that connection goes far beyond just its name - with links between the two sites dating back some 1,000 years, when the island was given to the Norman abbey at Mont-Saint-Michel by the English king, Edward the Confessor.

The island itself is still home to a medieval castle and church, as well as more recent history, such as the pillbox fortifications that were installed during the early years of World War II, amid fears of possible invasion. The island, which is located just off the Cornish mainland village of Marazion, is also home to a small settlement that includes a range of gift shops and a licensed restaurant.

St Michael's Mount

Address: Marazion, Cornwall, TR17 0HS

Contact: +44 1736710507 or stmichaelsmount@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: St Michael’s Mount

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3. Cheddar Gorge

Cheddar Gorge - geograph.org.uk - 1009277
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Ken Grainger used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Not all of the National Trust’s major sites are defined by their bricks and mortar. At Cheddar Gorge, the importance of the site lies in its rare landscape and its history of human occupation. This gorge, which is located in Somerset, is three miles (5 km) long and was formed during the last ice age, when glacial activity gouged out its iconic landscape.

The gorge was also a very important site for early human activity in the British Isles, with the various caves proving irresistable to prehistoric man. Partial human remains have been found, dating back 12,000 to 13,000 years in some cases. However, those looking to visit the caves should bear in mind that the Trust’s land does not extend to them. The two main cave complexes that are open to the public are owned by the Longleat Estate, and separate entrance fees will apply to those looking to explore them.

Cheddar Gorge

Address: The Cliffs, Cheddar, Somerset

Contact: +44 1934744689 or cheddargorge@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: Cheddar Gorge

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4. Lundy

Lundy Island West coast (23736146012)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Andrew Bone used under CC BY 2.0

Fans of unspoiled landscapes and wildlife will find much to admire on Lundy in the Bristol Channel. This small island, which sits off the Devon coast and is home to a small resident population of just 28 people, is a haven for nature. It is a designated site of Special Scientific Interest, an official marine nature reserve and is home to a range of seabirds, marine mammals such as seals, and flora.

The island also boasts a long and fascinating history - including links to Barbary Pirates and the Knights Templar. Some of its history is still visible today, in the form of the 13th-century Marisco Castle. The site is owned by the National Trust, but maintained and administered by the Landmark Trust, which runs boat trips to the island for those keen to explore it.

Lundy Island

Contact: +44 1271863636 or lundy@nationaltrust.org.uk (contacts are for the National Trust)

Website: Lundy Island

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5. Powis Castle

Powis Castle
Source: Photo by Flickr user Peter Broster used under CC BY 2.0

The medieval fortress of Powis Castle is famous for its beautiful Baroque garden, which was heavily influenced by French and Italian styles of the day. The castle itself dates back as far as the 1200s but much of what can be seen today is the result of various embellishments and remodeling work over the subsequent four centuries.

Inside, the castle boasts an array of historic tapestries, paintings and sculptures, as well as its State Bedroom - which dates back to the 1660s and features design flourishes that sought to emulate the French court of Louis XIV. The site also houses Roman marbles dating back as far as the first century BC, and the Clive Museum with its rich and varied array of artifacts from India.

Powis Castle and Garden

Address: Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8RF

Price: Adults, from 6.35 to 12.50 GBP (8.38 to 16.50 USD); Children from 3.17 to 6.25 GBP (4.19 to 8.25 USD)

Contact: +44 1938551944 or powiscastle@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: Powis Castle and Garden

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6. The White Cliffs of Dover

Dover cliffs, South Foreland Lighthouse (7961913220)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Archangel12 used under CC BY 2.0

The iconic White Cliffs of Dover need no introduction - their brilliant white chalk foundations having almost become shorthand for Britain’s island status down the centuries. Indeed their connection to ‘fortress Britain’ extends far beyond their sheer faces, the soft chalk containing a labyrinth of tunnels that were cut during World War II to help with the defense of the key port of Dover. Some of these are open to the public at the Fan Bay Deep Shelter.

Naturally, the cliffs’ striking appearance, beautiful landscape and historic connections to the defense of the realm make them exceedingly popular among visitors to England’s south-east coastline. The National Trust’s section of the cliffs includes walks to the South Foreland Lighthouse, which pass an array of interesting plant and animal life - including the pyramidal orchid and the chalkhill blue butterfly.

The White Cliffs of Dover

Address: Langdon Cliffs, Upper Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 1HJ

Price: 3.50 GBP (4.62 USD) for car parking

Opening Hours: Car park: 9am to 7pm daily. Visitor Centre: Varies - check website for details

Contact: +44 1304202756 or whitecliffs@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: The White Cliffs of Dover

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7. Waddesdon Manor

Waddesden Manor03
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user GavinJA used under CC BY-SA 3.0

One of the National Trust’s most popular sites, Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire attracts nearly 400,000 visitors a year - eager to enjoy the building’s striking Neo-Renaissance stylings. Built in the latter part of the 19th-century by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, the manor and its grade 1 listed gardens have cast their spell on everyone from British royalty to film crews. Queen Victoria, for example, was much impressed by the site during a stay in the 1890s.

The building also regularly appears in major movies - including the Robert Downey Jr film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows in 2011. The small screen has also come calling on numerous occasions too. It stood in for the fictional Haxby Park in season two of global smash Downton Abbey.

Waddesdon Manor

Address: Waddesdon, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0JH

Price: Adults typically from 9 to 18 GBP (11.88 to 23.76 USD); Children from 4.50 to 9 GBP (5.94 to 11.88 USD)

Contact: +44 1296820414 or waddesdonmanor@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: Waddesdon Manor

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8. Fountains Abbey

Fountains Abbey 2016 100
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Mike Peel used under CC BY-SA 4.0

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is another of the National Trust’s most popular sites - and for good reason. The haunting walls of this former abbey are the largest monastic ruins in the whole of Britain. Established in 1132 the abbey thrived for centuries until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the early 1500s - an act carried out under the orders of King Henry VIII as he sought to establish a Protestant Church of England after splitting from the Catholic Church in Rome when the Pope refused to grant him a divorce.

As well as the abbey ruins, the trust’s land extends to the Studley Royal Water Garden - a series of ponds and follies that were created by former owner John Aislabie. The lands are host to a variety of riverside walks and home to a number of deer species.

Fountains Abbey

Address: Fountains, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 3DY

Price: Adult 13.60 GBP (17.96 USD); Child 6.80 GBP (8.98 USD); Family 34 GBP (44.89 USD)

Contact: +44 1765608888 or fountainsabbey@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: Fountains Abbey

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9. Lindisfarne Castle and the Farne Islands

LindisfarneCastleHolyIsland
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user matthew Hunt used under CC BY 2.0

The Northumbrian coastline is rightly regarded as offering some of the finest seascapes in the British Isles - its myriad of spectacular castles and the beautiful Farne Isles weaving their spell on travelers throughout the ages. One of the highlights of this stunning landscape is Lindisfarne - or Holy Island. This tidal island was a cradle for early Christianity in the British Isles - indeed, the magnificent illuminated manuscript of the Lindisfarne Gospels was crafted there around 700 AD.

As well as the ruins of Lindisfarne Priory, the island is also home to a small but beautiful castle that is owned by the trust. And those who visit will likely spy other landmarks they’ll wish to add to their itinerary - the Farne Isles and stunning Bamburgh Castle on the mainland are visible from the castle walls.

Lindisfarne Castle

Address: Holy Island, Berwick, Northumberland, TD15 2SH

Opening Hours: Garden open all day. Castle undergoing refurbishment (will reopen April 2018)

Contact: +44 1289389244 or lindisfarne@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: Lindisfarne Castle

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10. Belton House

Belton House South Elevation
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Wehha used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Belton House is a quintessential British manor. In fact, you could almost argue it is THE quintessential manor, as it is rumored to have been the inspiration for the ‘historic house’ silhouette pictured on many a British road sign - alerting drivers to notable buildings in their area. The Grade 1 listed property, which is located in Lincolnshire, is also among the trust’s most visited sites. The grounds are also a popular draw. The estate boasts Dutch and Italian designs, as well as a large deer park. The property also puts on popular open air cinema and theatre events during the warmer months.

Belton House

Address: Belton House, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 2LW

Price: Adults from 8 to 15 GBP (10.56 to 19.80 USD); Children from 6 to 9.60 GBP (7.92 to 12.67 USD)

Contact: +44 1476566116 or belton@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: Belton House

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Gem after gem after gem

Visit these 10 properties and you will have barely scratched the surface of the vast array of properties owned and cared for by the National Trust. The charity has more than 350 heritage properties on its books and is one of the largest landowners in the British Isles. With such near-endless choice on offer, there’ll always be another gem waiting for you.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Philip, a writer and photographer situated in the heart of the picturesque Scottish Highlands, is a seasoned professional journalist with a rich portfolio of contributions to various newspapers,...Read more

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