Alistair Hardaker | Image: Fountains Abbey East Green (National Trust)
Humphrey Battcock’s gift will fund heritage site acquisitions and visitor programmes as charity announces plans for historic properties and exhibitions.
The National Trust has received a £10m, unrestricted donation from philanthropist Humphrey Battcock, the largest cash donation in the charity’s 131-year history.
The donation’s unrestricted nature provides significant flexibility for the Trust, as most UK charity donations are legally restricted to specific purposes. Excluding legacy donations, only 2.6% of the National Trust’s fundraising income is available to use without restrictions.
Battcock, who received a CBE last year, is a trustee of charities including Teach First and the Centre for Homelessness Impact.
Battcock said: “I will have no say over how the charity spends [the donation] and that is because I trust the National Trust to know how best this money can be used.”
“It was during a visit to Osterley Park and House that I witnessed first-hand the efforts the Trust has put in to ensuring people from all parts of our society have access to its attractions, where it cares for our history, nurtures our nature and makes the fullest use of their potential.”
Hilary McGrady, director general of the Trust, said the £10m is “a huge boost for the National Trust – both because of the vital work it will fund and because of the faith Humphrey has shown in our approach by making it unrestricted.
McGrady said the Trust’s 2026 strategy will attempt to “halt the freefall decline in nature before it becomes irreversible; end unequal access to nature, beauty and history; and inspire millions more people to care for the world around them.
“That’s why every donation, from big individual gifts like the one we’re celebrating today, to smaller donations for specific appeals and the regular contributions of our 5.3 million members, is valued and needed.”
McGrady received a CBE in the most recent King’s New Year Honours list.
The Trust has announced its intention to take on operational management of Heartlands in Cornwall, an 8-hectare heritage regeneration site home to Robinson’s Engine House. The site serves as a gateway to the 10 dispersed mining districts that comprise the Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site, the largest industrial World Heritage Site in the UK. The Trust aims to assume management later this year, subject to confirmation of lease arrangements with Cornwall Council and with support from partners Cornwall Rural Community Charity and Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum. This acquisition follows last year’s announcement that the National Trust would acquire the Ironbridge Gorge museums in Shropshire, part of another UNESCO World Heritage site.
National Trust to take over Ironbridge Gorge museums following £9m grant
The Trust’s Discovery Houses Programme, which uses research and live audience testing to enhance visitor experiences in historic houses, will revitalise libraries and reading rooms across its properties.
Towards the end of the year, visitors to Wightwick Manor, Powis Castle, Kingston Lacy and Upton House will be able to use these libraries for their original purpose, with books available for reading on site. Books will not include historic collection items.
The Trust is also introducing additional seating at The Vyne, Hardwick Hall, Lacock Abbey, Upton House and Dyrham Park.
Three concurrent textile exhibitions titled Journeys will run from May at Dyrham Park, Osterley Park and House, and Blickling Estate. The Trust is partnering with collector, author and curator Karun Thakar to present historic interiors in a new light. The exhibitions will use highlights from Thakar’s collection of global textiles to explore themes of migration, trade, craftsmanship, global history and beauty, examining both tangible heritage and living traditions and uncovering stories often hidden or hard to see in Britain’s country houses.
At Kedleston, the exhibition ‘How Did We Get Here?’ will tell nuanced stories about the journeys taken by objects, people and organisations. Members of the Tibetan community living in Britain have worked in partnership with the Trust to shape this exhibition, which presents films, personal stories and Tibetan artefacts from the Kedleston Museum collection. The exhibition runs from 14 February to 27 September 2026. In the conservation studio next to the museum, there will be a rare opportunity to get behind-the-scenes insight into the conservation work and techniques that helped make the exhibition happen.
The Trust’s 2026 plans also include nature restoration initiatives and infrastructure upgrades, with live camera feeds of wildlife to be brought to public spaces in towns and cities through roadshows.
The Trust is partnering with Disney and Pixar on a story-led trail inspired by their animated film Hoppers, running from February half term and aimed at children aged six to 11.
Major play facility developments are underway at Tyntesfield and Fountains Abbey, opening in 2027, with upgraded areas opening at Shugborough in 2026.
McGrady added: “The lack of what are becoming known as ‘third places’ in our daily lives is becoming increasingly apparent. Children need spaces away from school and home to play and explore and build their creativity. Young people need somewhere to slow down and connect with the world around them. We all need a space to breathe and recharge, whether that is in a beautiful garden, on a wooded walk or immersed in culture.
“In 2026 I want more people to be able to find their place, whether that’s at a National Trust place or somewhere in their local community. We will work with other charities, organisations and authorities to try and make sure access to nature, beauty and history is a right for everyone, not a privilege for a few.”
