National Trust, British organization founded in 1895 and incorporated by the National Trust Act (1907) for the purpose of promoting the preservation of—and public access to—buildings of historic or architectural interest and land of natural beauty. (The powers and privileges of the Trust were extended by acts of Parliament of 1919, 1937, and 1939.) Headquartered in London, it serves England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. A parallel organization, the National Trust for Scotland, headquartered in Edinburgh, was founded in 1931.

The society was established through the efforts of Octavia Hill (q.v.), a housing reformer; Sir Robert Hunter, a campaigner for the protection of commons and public rights; and Hardwicke D. Rawnsley, vicar of Wray, Westmorland. Its governing council consists of 50 members, half chosen by learned societies, museums, and other bodies and half chosen by incumbent members. A number of committees and subcommittees are staffed by various experts in the care of land, buildings, and artifacts. The two Trusts are dependent financially on voluntary support in the form of donations, legacies, admission fees, and the annual subscription of members. (Membership is open to all.) The National Trust had a membership of more than 2,000,000 by the late 20th century.

The first acquisition (a donation in 1895) was 4.5 acres (1.8 hectares) of cliff land at Dinas Oleu, overlooking Cardigan Bay in Wales. One hundred years later the two Trusts owned almost 700,000 acres and some 350 stately homes, buildings, gardens, and other places open to the public at stated times for admission fees. Included are such famous sites as Bannockburn Monument, Chartwell (Winston Churchill’s home), Cliveden, Culloden (the battlefield), parts of Hadrian’s Wall, Hatfield Forest, Knole, Lyme Park, Penrhyn Castle, Petworth House, Powis Castle, Runnymede (of Magna Carta fame), and Sudbury Hall.