National Trust Research

A view of an archaeological trench with a group of archaeologists in hi-viz clothing, located at the bottom of a stone and vegetated cliff with the historic castle at the top

An aerial image of an archaeological trench surrounded by grass and some boulders, with a group of archaeologists working and wearing hi viz vests

A woman and a man are looking at some archaeological finds in the hands of the man

March 5th is #CornwallDay, so we're resharing the opportunity to see St Michael's Mount on #DiggingforBritain.

A team from Durham University and the National Trust were searching for evidence of Bronze Age tin processing on the island.

You can watch it on BBC iPlayer: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

And research into Cornish grasslands is proving that hemiparasitic plants improve bee and butterfly numbers.

Hemiparasites take some of their nutrients from other plants. They slow the growth of grasses, giving other plants and their pollinators space to thrive 🐝

📸National Trust Images/Gesine Garz

Restoration of 17th century plaster ceiling at Lanhydrock House The National Trust is embarking on the restoration of a 17th century plaster ceiling at Lanhydrock House, partnering with the University of Plymouth to...

It's Cornwall Day 〓〓 so we're celebrating some Cornish research!

Art historians working on the 17th-century Long Gallery ceiling at Lanhydrock have found that its pictures - which show stories from the Book of Genesis - came from books printed all over Europe.

www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/his...

National Trust research partnerships Find out about the research partnerships that are helping the National Trust deliver high-quality collaborative research.

🌿 Discover how research is shaping the future of our work!
We’re proud of our research collaborations that help us protect nature, heritage, and historic places for everyone.🏛️🌳
🔍Explore our current partnerships and learn how we work together to create impact: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/r...

This painting, 'Stourhead in its Infancy', shows the Wiltshire estate in the early 1700s - or does it?

New National Trust research has shown that all's not what it seems!

See for yourself in the new exhibition 'The Secret Lives of Paintings', at Stourhead from 14 March.

📸National Trust Images

Sound on 🎧to join our collaborative PhD student Ruth on her research trip to Tyntesfield last week!

This silver-covered prayer book was copied in France in the early 16th century. We think it's probably the National Trust's most beautiful medieval book...

@openuniversity.bsky.social
📸Daisy Gibbs

Presenting the Proceedings of the NT PhD Conference 2025! 🎉

Inside you'll find papers by our talented collaborative students, exploring topics like neurodiversity in heritage and women in 19th century libraries.

Download from our Research Repository: nt.iro.bl.uk/concern/conf...

Artists Paints, Pestle & Mortar Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire ©National Trust Images/Peter Greenway

🗓️On 10th March at 6pm, #NationalTrust conservation scientist Valentina Risdonne chairs an online webinar 🖥️ on 🏡'Interiors, Exteriors & Sculptures'🏛️as part of Discovering #HeritageScience series 🔍during #BritishScienceWeek ✍️Register & see more webinars here: nationaltrust.webex.com/webappng/sit...

Photo credits: Ken the volunteer diver - shared with permission

🤩Throwback to last summer🌅 when Ken the diver joined a group of volunteer researchers to gather fortnightly data from beneath the waves 🌊on the health of seagrass meadows🌿 at #StudlandBay in Dorset - seahorse sightings included 🐟+🐴 More details at www.dorsetcoasthaveyoursay.co.uk/studland-bay... ⚓

A gingerbread man in a Christmas tree at Blickling Estate, Norfolk ©National Trust Images/Rob Coleman

🎶On the Tuesday before Christmas Research at the National Trust gave to me
🎵A 500 year wait for Buckland music
🎲20+ new games for Avebury stone circle
🌿£3m for 3 transformative Green Corridors
🐾8 Paws for Thoughts Recommendations
🌳5 Be’s for Urban Trees
…and nature recovery with BVLOS drones🎶

Festive Christmas decorations in the Octagon Room at Basildon Park, Berkshire ©National Trust Images/Megan Taylor

🎶On the 6th day before Christmas, Research at the National Trust gave to me 🎶
⏱️17 micro internships
🌱9 Seed Fund projects
🌳6 years as an IRO
👏5 PhD completions
🙌3 newly externally funded projects this year
... and a Strategic Partnerships #KnowledgeExchangeUK Award 🎶

KE Awards 2025 winners image. Credit: Knowledge Exchange UK

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2025 Knowledge Exchange Awards!

These projects demonstrate exceptional achievements in knowledge exchange, innovation and collaboration, showing how research collaboration deliver benefits for people and the economy.

Explore: www.ukri.org/news/ukri-ce...

We're so privileged to be part of this partnership, and very proud indeed of our colleagues at both institutions who have made it happen 🙌🌟
Onwards and upwards!

This fantastic recognition highlights the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to advancing knowledge exchange. A huge thank you to everyone who supported us along the way.

Congratulations to all the winners and well done to the KE UK team for hosting such a fantastic event!

The award recognises our collaborative project 'Shaping Landscapes for People and Nature to Thrive: A Strategic Partnership', which is helping to transform how landscapes are managed, boost biodiversity, and empower people to play an active role in caring for the natural world.

🎉Exciting news! 🏆Together with our research partner the University of Exeter, we have won in the Strategic Partnership category at the #KnowledgeExchangeUK Awards! Read more about the work researchandinnovation.co.uk/creating-rea...

🤩Excited to be heading to the KE Awards 2025 tomorrow! Our partnership 🫶with the University of Exeter has been shortlisted as a finalist in the KE Awards 2025!🏅See ke.org.uk/news/finalis... Read about the partnership: researchandinnovation.co.uk/creating-rea... #KnowledgeExchangeUK #KEUK #KEAwards25

@kerrylouisehistory.bsky.social this made us think of you!!

We're proud to be a partner on this project, which is bringing the stories of carpets to life - they're much more than just somewhere to put your feet 👣

Nature recovery requires whole-ecosystem action With one in six species threatened with extinction in the UK, senior ecologists are calling for an ecosystem approach to halt nature decline.

Humanity's future depends on strong, resilient ecosystems.🌳🐿️🐝🌱🦋

We've written a report with partners including @newcastleuni.bsky.social @nhm-london.bsky.social @zslofficial.bsky.social presenting a big-picture ecosystem approach to restoring nature.

Read it here: www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articl...

A graphic card with a painting of a person connected to the earth by Ria Poole and the words 'Biodiversity Parliament 2025. Is Nature for all? Exploring Environmental Justice.' displayed on the front.

as well as finding quicker better & more creative ways to build positive visions of environmentally just #futures.

#renewparliament2025 | #renewbiodiversity | #isnatureforall?

CANALETTO - A Self-Portrait (1697-1768) with St Pauls in the background at Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire. ©National Trust Images/Hamilton Kerr Inst/Chris Titmus

🎉Celebrating 1 Year of #RICHeS with #UKRI🌟 by spotlighting the National Trust Paint Archive project which will create an archive of paint samples 🎨from historic interiors across NT properties, unlocking new insights into the UK’s material🪑and cultural heritage.
www.riches.ukri.org/funding/rich...

Discover the UK's natural environment Learn how the National Trust helps to protect our nature. Embrace the beauty and tackle the challenges of the British environment with us.

Content Alert: The @nationaltrust.org.uk's nature pages are absolutely brimming with incredible #biodiversity content from Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles to Naturehood: Urban nature walks & challenges via the free app: @gojauntly.bsky.social

#renewbiodiversity
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/nat...

Ironbridge Gorge transfer Museums in the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire will transfer to the care of the National Trust from spring 2026

*NEWS* We’re delighted to share that from 2026, the National Trust will take on the care & management of Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust museums, collections & properties, supported by Department for Culture, Media & Sport funding.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/shrops...

#industrialheritage

River Tern at Attingham Park, Shropshire ©National Trust Images/Trevor Ray Hart

Samuel Shaw - researcher on the National Trust-led TREASURE project - explores how the Trust’s art collections can inspire floodplain meadow restoration by reconnecting heritage & ecological practice📍Attingham 📖 Link: theconversation.com/how-the-nati...
#NatureRecovery #ArtAndEcology#TREASUREProject

A photograph of a pond taken in water with views above and below the waterline.

We’re celebrating #NationalPoetryDay by exploring the rhythmic world beneath & above the water.

‘Pond Beats’ worked with school children to create #biodiverse soundscapes intertwined with the potent imagination of this new generation of #eco-poetry makers...

…What happened next... 👇👇👇

Indigenous Plant Stories in an English Treasure House Delve into the links between Knole and Indigenous American histories as we investigate its colonial connections.

Delighted to share some initial research that Stephanie Pratt (Crow Creek Dakota) & I have started at Knole @researchnt.bsky.social. How can its transatlantic connections also centre Indigenous presence? What new interpretation might such frameworks allow?

www.historyworkshop.org.uk/indigenous-h...

Using a drone to photograph the giant from above at Cerne Abbas, Dorset ©National Trust Images/Clive Whitbourn

𖥂🎮 𖥂 Delivery drones alert! With AutoSpray Systems, we're testing using long-range, heavy-lift 🏋️drones to restore peatland 🌱 by delivering 🌟✨ environmental materials to multiple remote and ecologically sensitive areas 🗺️📍ENG WLS NI
www.gov.uk/government/n... #innovateUK #FutureFlight #NationalTrust

Yes, it was fabulous wasn't it Joan! Really glad you enjoyed hearing it.

Tune into Radio 3 this Sunday at 5pm to hear our Research Officer Daisy speaking about this fabulous exhibition and the 500-year-old music that it's uncovered - and hear the music sung by the @exeter.ac.uk Chapel Choir.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...