The Landmark Trust is a British building conservation charity, founded in 1965 by Sir John and Lady Smith, that rescues buildings of historic interest or architectural merit and then makes them available for holiday rental. The Trust's headquarters is at Shottesbrooke in Berkshire.
Most Landmark Trust properties are in England, Scotland and Wales. Several are on Lundy Island off the coast of north Devon, operated under lease from the National Trust. There are also seven Landmark Trust properties in Italy.
The Trust is a charity registered in England & Wales and in Scotland. An independent sister charity, The Landmark Trust USA, was originally a part of the Landmark Trust but has operated as a separate organisation since 1999. There are five properties in Vermont, USA, one of which, Naulakha, was the home of Rudyard Kipling in the 1890s. There is also an Irish Landmark Trust.
Those who rent Landmarks provide a source of funds to support restoration costs and building maintenance. The first rentals were in 1967 when six properties were available. The Trust's 200th property, Llwyn Celyn, opened for rental in October 2018. Landmark sites include forts, farmhouses, manor houses, mills, cottages, castles, gatehouses, follies and towers and represent historic periods from medieval to the 20th century.
Governance and administration The Trust employs a 400-person workforce headed by a Director. Anna Keay was appointed Director in 2012, succeeding Peter Pearce (1995–2012) and Robin Evans FRICS (1986–1995).
The work of the Trust is overseen by a board of trustees chaired by Neil Mendoza.
Prince Charles became Patron of the Landmark Trust in 1995.
A group of high-profile supporters act as Ambassadors for the Trust, helping raise awareness of the Trust's role in rescuing and preserving remarkable buildings. As at March 2017 these were: David Armstrong-Jones; George Clarke; Nicholas Coleridge; Simon Jenkins; Griff Rhys Jones; and Natascha McElhone.
In media The Gothic Temple at Stowe was filmed in March 1999 as the Scottish Chapel in the Bond movie The World Is Not Enough.
In May 2015 five life-sized sculptures by Antony Gormley, titled Land, were placed near the centre of the UK and at four compass points, in a commission by the Landmark Trust to celebrate its 50th anniversary. They were at Lowsonford (Warwickshire), Lundy (Bristol Channel), Clavell Tower (Dorset), Saddell Bay (Mull of Kintyre), and the Martello Tower (Aldeburgh, Suffolk). The sculpture at Saddell Bay is to remain in place permanently following an anonymous donation and the granting of planning permission. The sculpture on Lundy was relocated to Cambridge.
The work of the Trust was the subject of a six-part Channel 4 television documentary, Restoring Britain's Landmarks, first broadcast in October 2015.
Four Channel 4 programmes, Great British Buildings: Restoration of the Year, transmitted from 23 March 2017, were co-hosted by Landmark Trust Director Anna Keay and Kevin McCloud. Buildings featured included Belmont, Lyme Regis.
In May 2025, two More4 programmes, Historic House Rescue, were transmitted featuring Calverley Old Hall and Fairburn Tower.
Properties available for holiday lets The following lists aim to be complete and illustrate both the variety of structures and geographical spread of the trust. In the Trust's early years, prior to the incorporation of the charity, properties were often bought with the support of the Manifold Trust. The Landmark Trust's current portfolio also includes properties bequeathed to the Trust, leased, or operated through a management agreement on behalf of other owners. Dates of acquisition and first lettings are shown where available from Landmark Trust or other published sources; time differences between dates often reflect previous/current ownership and the extent of restoration required.
Detailed histories of each building are prepared by the Trust's Historian during its renovation. These include summaries plus before and after photographs of restoration works as carried out. Each building history is then left as an album in the property for visitors to peruse. All Trust property history albums were made available online for the first time in October 2018.
Channel Islands
Fort Clonque, Alderney Nicolle Tower, St Clement, Jersey
England Lundy
The Landmark Trust manages the Island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel on behalf of the National Trust, and operates a number of holiday cottages there. The properties managed by the Trust include:
The Barn Bramble Villa East Bramble Villa West Castle and Keep Cottages Government House Hanmers Millcombe House The Old House The Old Light The Old School The Quarters Radio Room St John's Square Cottage Stoneycroft Tibbets
London and South East England NameImagePlaceCountyAcquiredOpened for letsNotes43 and 45a Cloth FairSmithfieldLondon EC11981Two properties. 43 is the former home of the late Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman.Cobham DairyCobhamKent2016/172019Grade II* ornamental dairy designed by James Wyatt in the 1790s in the style of an Italianate chapel, on the Buildings at Risk register. The Trust launched an appeal in 2016 to rescue the building and had raised £200,000 by 31 March 2017, thereby securing a further £200,000 match funding from Ecclesiastical Insurance. The full target of £954,000 was achieved by late 2017. Renovation started during 2018 and was completed in Autumn 2019.Fox HallCharltonWest Sussex1983GoddardsAbinger CommonSurrey19911997Architect: Edwin Lutyens 1898–1900, 1910Gothic TempleStoweBuckinghamshire19701977The GrangeRamsgateKent19972006Architect: Augustus PuginGeorgian House, Hampton Court PalaceEast MoleseySurrey19931993Built as a kitchen, later housing Foreman of the Gardens and Clerk of Works.Hole CottageCowdenKent19691970Laughton Placenear LewesEast Sussex1978Luttrell's TowerEaglehurst, near SouthamptonHampshire19681968Mayor's Parlour, Maison DieuDoverKent20202025Obriss Farmnear WesterhamKent19901996The Old ParsonageIffley, OxfordOxfordshire1997Oxenford GatehouseElsteadSurrey20092010Princelet StreetSpitalfieldsLondon E120042005The Prospect TowerBelmont Park, FavershamKent19901992St Edward's PresbyteryRamsgateKent20102015Sackville HouseEast GrinsteadWest Sussex19951997Bequeathed by Ursula Honess, granddaughter of Sir Aston Webb.Semaphore TowerChatley HeathCobhamSurrey20182021The Steward's HouseOxfordOxfordshire19851986Wilmington Priorynear EastbourneEast Sussex19992000Leased from Sussex Archaeological Society who operated it as a museum until 1992. Appeal launched for restoration and renovation in 1995/1996.Circular Letter, undated, from Peter Pearce, Director, Landmark Trust, c.1995
East of England NameImagePlaceCountyAcquiredOpened for letsNotesThe Ancient HouseClareSuffolk1999Heritage Lottery Fund grant £82,200 towards restoration, 1997Cavendish HallCavendishSuffolk20102010Freston TowerIpswichSuffolk20012005Houghton West LodgeHoughtonNorfolk19901996Keeper's CottageShuttleworthBedfordshire20042007Lynch LodgeAlwalton, near PeterboroughCambridgeshire1983Manor FarmPulham Market, near DissNorfolk1979Martello TowerAldeburghSuffolk1971Methwold Old VicarageMethwoldNorfolk19982002New InnPeasenhallSuffolk1971Three separate lets prior to refurbishment in 2013Peake's HouseColchesterEssex19951995Purton GreenStansfieldSuffolk19691971Queen Anne's SummerhouseShuttleworth, Old WardenBedfordshire20042009Stoker's CottageStrethamCambridgeshire20052007Warden AbbeyOld WardenBedfordshire19741976Remodelled 2017The Warren HouseKimboltonCambridgeshire20042012
North of England +NameImagePlaceCountyAcquiredOpened for letsNotesThe Banqueting House, GibsideGibsideTyne & Wear19771981Winner in Sunday Times / Jackson-Stops & Staff "Country House Awards", April 1988Beamsley Hospitalnear SkiptonNorth Yorkshire19831983Brinkburn Millnear RothburyNorthumberland19901992Calverley Old HallCalverleyWest Yorkshire19811984Causeway HouseBardon MillNorthumberland1988Cawood CastleCawood, near SelbyNorth Yorkshire1985Coop HouseNetherby, near CarlisleCumbria1992CowsideLangstrothdaleNorth Yorkshire2011Culloden TowerRichmondNorth Yorkshire1981The Grammar SchoolKirby HillNorth Yorkshire19731975HowthwaiteGrasmereCumbria1986Morpeth CastleMorpethNorthumberland19881991The Music RoomLancasterLancashire19741977Negotiations to purchase started 1970. Refurbished 2013The PigstyRobin Hood's BayNorth Yorkshire19881991The RuinHackfall, GrewelthorpeNorth Yorkshire20012005Hackfall Gardens acquired by the Woodland Trust in 1989 who invited Landmark Trust to restore this building, then known as Mowbray Point. Appeal for purchase (£10,000) and restoration (£250,000) launched 1990.The Station Agent's HouseManchesterGreater Manchester20232024
Midlands +NameImagePlaceCountyAcquiredOpened for letsNotesAbbey GatehouseTewkesburyGloucestershire1986Built 1500, standing guard over Tewkesbury AbbeyAlton StationAltonStaffordshire19701972Former railway station for Alton TowersAstley CastleNuneatonWarwickshire19952012First lease surrendered 2001. Winner of the 2013 Stirling PrizeThe Bath HouseNear Stratford-upon-AvonWarwickshire19871991The BirdhouseBadger DingleShropshire20152016Bromfield Priory GatehouseNear LudlowShropshire19901993First listed as opening in 1992Landmark Trust – 1992 Price ListBush CottageNear BridgnorthShropshire20112011The ChateauGate BurtonLincolnshire1981Field HouseMinchinhamptonGloucestershire1986The House of CorrectionFolkinghamLincolnshire19821986Ingestre PavilionTixallStaffordshire19881991Iron Bridge HouseIronbridgeShropshire19721977Knowle HillNear TicknallDerbyshire19891994Building restoration started 1992Langley GatehouseNear Acton BurnellShropshire19921993Repairs funded by English HeritageLengthsman's CottageLowsonfordWarwickshire19922006Located on the towpath of the Stratford-upon-Avon CanalLock CottageStoke PoundWorcestershire19911993Built between 1790 and 1815, located on the Worcester and Birmingham CanalNorth StreetCromfordDerbyshire19741987Earliest piece of planned industrial housing in the world, at the heart of a designated World Heritage Site.Old Campden House – East Banqueting HouseChipping CampdenGloucestershire19871990Old Campden House – West Banqueting HouseChipping CampdenGloucestershire1998200332 St Mary's LaneTewkesburyGloucestershire1982St Winifred's WellWoolston, near OswestryShropshire1987Shelwick CourtNear HerefordHerefordshire19811984Swarkestone PavilionNear TicknallDerbyshire1985Tixall GatehouseNear StaffordStaffordshire19681977The TowerCanons AshbyNorthamptonshire1980The White HouseAston MunslowShropshire19901991
Southwest