140 episodes

Delve into immersive tales of history, nature and adventure with the award-winning National Trust Podcast. From wild landscapes to heritage sites and historical legends, unearth fascinating stories about people and places in the UK.

This series, travel to the 1930s to unmask the eccentric Ferguson’s Gang, find out how the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree impacted the community, and discover what life was like for the people who toiled deep in a Roman gold mine.

To learn more about podcasts from the National Trust go to http://nationaltrust.org.uk/podcasts

This podcast is made by the National Trust, Europe’s biggest conservation charity. Looking after history, nature and beauty for everyone to enjoy.

National Trust Podcast National Trust

    • History

Delve into immersive tales of history, nature and adventure with the award-winning National Trust Podcast. From wild landscapes to heritage sites and historical legends, unearth fascinating stories about people and places in the UK.

This series, travel to the 1930s to unmask the eccentric Ferguson’s Gang, find out how the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree impacted the community, and discover what life was like for the people who toiled deep in a Roman gold mine.

To learn more about podcasts from the National Trust go to http://nationaltrust.org.uk/podcasts

This podcast is made by the National Trust, Europe’s biggest conservation charity. Looking after history, nature and beauty for everyone to enjoy.

    City Growing with Tayshan Hayden-Smith

    City Growing with Tayshan Hayden-Smith

    Ex-professional footballer Tayshan Hayden-Smith turned to the healing power of nature after the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in 2017. Since then, he’s been on a journey to bring access to nature to all. He shows ranger Kate Martin around his local community garden and together they see that a garden can be anywhere and anything. 

    Later Kate heads to the National Trust’s Sutton House to see the garden they’ve created out of an old car scrapyard and learns how to grow in small and unusual spaces.


    [Ad from our sponsor]

    This episode is supported by Blue Diamond Garden Centres. Fill your space with beauty and heritage with a collection of bulbs, seeds and plants, curated by Blue Diamond Garden Centres working with National Trust gardeners. A minimum of 10% of the retail selling price will be given to support the National Trust’s conservation work and ambitions to plant and establish 20 million trees by 2030.

    https://www.bluediamond.gg/national-trust


    Production:
    Host: Kate Martin
    Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris
    Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez 

     
    Discover more: 

    Find out more about gardener and activist Tayshan Hayden-Smith’s community work here: https://www.growtoknow.world/ 

    You can read about growing in small spaces in ‘Small Space Revolution’ by Tayshan Hayden-Smith. 
    Inside Tayshan demonstrates 20 different practical projects you can create to positively change small outdoor spaces and pulls out inspiration from community gardens around the world. 

    You can buy the book here: https://www.dk.com/uk/book/9780241680445-small-space-revolution/

     
    If you’d like to learn more about gardening with tips from our experts, you can here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/gardening-tips 


    If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk
     

    • 23 min
    The Workhouse | One Step Up From Prison?

    The Workhouse | One Step Up From Prison?

    If you didn’t have money and a way to support yourself and your family in the 1800s you might be forced to go into the workhouse. Find out what life was really like for the men, women and children who ended up there. 

    Heading into the Workhouse, even if modern times, feels ominous and foreboding. Walk alongside Curator James Grasby as he enters The Workhouse and Infirmary in Southwell and takes on the role of an inmate in 1871. He meets the tyrannical Master of the house and discovers what work he would have done, and whether he made it out alive.

    [Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trust

    Production
    Host: James Grasby
    Producer: Claire Hickinbotham
    Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez

    Discover more

    Find out more about the history of The Workhouse and Infirmary www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/the-workhouse-and-infirmary  

    Learn about the collections that tell the stories pf people who lived and worked at The Workhouse and Infirmary 
    www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/the-workhouse-and-infirmary/collections-at-the-workhouse-and-firbeck-infirmary  

    • 26 min
    My Dog Walked Saved Me | A Mental Health Journey

    My Dog Walked Saved Me | A Mental Health Journey

    When one man set off on a walk around the UK coast, little did he know that adopting a rescue dog would change the course of his life. 

    Christian Lewis was at rock bottom when he embarked on a journey that would last 6 years, but it was ‘Jet’ and the power of nature, that would piece him back together to lead him onto a life that would otherwise have been unimaginable for this army veteran.

    [Ad from our sponsor]
    This podcast is supported by Forthglade natural pet food, founding partner of the National Trust’s Dogs Welcome Project. Improving dog-friendly places for you and your four-legged friend to explore and enjoy together, from dedicated off-lead open spaces to pet-friendly holiday cottages. Discover more about the Dogs Welcome Project, supported by Forthglade: forthglade.com/pages/national-trust  

    Production
    Host: Claire Hickinbotham 
    Producer: Claire Hickinbotham 
    Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez 

    Discover more
    In Memory of Jet: 
    With thanks to Christian Lewis for sharing his story, and his love of ‘Jet’ the rescue dog with us.
    Christian Lewis was raising money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity - https://ssafa.org.uk/ and his story continues @wildernessfamilyuk  


    If what Christian talked about in this podcast resonated with you, you can get help on the MIND website.
    https://www.mind.org.uk/  


    To find out about taking your dog to National Trust places. 
    https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dog-friendly  


    Or have a look at our new book 'Great British Walkies'. 
    https://shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-great-british-walkies.html



    If this podcast has inspired you to get out and experience the coast, and get a blast of fresh sea air, with or without a dog, check out these suggestions.
    https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/walking/top-coastal-walks  

    Follow the National Trust Podcast on your favourite podcast app. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk

    • 22 min
    125 Treasures | The Needle on the Lawn

    125 Treasures | The Needle on the Lawn

    The Philae Obelisk at Kingston Lacy in Dorset is an ancient reminder of a very different world. Learn about its origins, why it came to be in England and how its hand-carved inscriptions were key to unlocking the secrets of Egyptian hieroglyphs. Listen to this classic episode from our series 125 Treasures, presented by Alison Steadman.

    [Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trust

    Discover more
    Watch BBC Two's Hidden Treasures of the National Trust:
    www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001lttx

    Read about the Philae Obelisk and other treasures at Kingston Lacy:
    www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/kingston-lacy/the-treasures-at-kingston-lacy

    Find out more about Kingston Lacy:
    www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/kingston-lacy

    This mini series shares it's name with a National Trust book. Find out more and browse other reads in our collection:
    shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-125-treasures.html

    Follow the National Trust Podcast on your favourite podcast app. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk 

    • 28 min
    Poetry and Music in Bloom with Simon Armitage and LYR

    Poetry and Music in Bloom with Simon Armitage and LYR

    Join us as we celebrate the season of blossom with poetry and music written and produced by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and his band LYR. In this episode, Simon shares the inspiration behind his poetry, and the band discuss how they produced the song Blossom: A CV and collaborated with community choirs as part of the Blossomise album.

    Production
    Producer: Jesse Edbrooke
    Sound editor: Jesus Gomez

    Discover more
    Find out more about Simon Armitage and his poetry
    www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/news/poet-laureate-simon-armitage-creates-blossom-inspired-poem

    Watch videos about the Blossomise project shot by young film makers
    www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLgonOCHSWf0I_a_fhmX2K_r_3MoKXA2c

    Listen to the full tracks of Simon and LYR’s Blossomise music in collaboration with the National Trust and funded by the People’s lottery post code lyrband.bandcamp.com/track/blossom-a-cv

    [Appeal]
    Plant a tree with the National Trust and help us establish 20 million trees by 2030. Whatever the size of your donation to the Plant a Tree appeal, you’ll be helping to create beautiful green spaces for people and wildlife to thrive. And why not dedicate your donation to someone in your life? You’ll receive a digital certificate to customise and gift. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/support-us/plant-a-tree

    Follow the National Trust Podcast on your favourite podcast app. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk

    • 17 min
    The Mysterious Tale of Ferguson's Gang

    The Mysterious Tale of Ferguson's Gang

    In the 1930s, the mysterious Ferguson’s Gang captivated the British public with their daring and unusual stunts. Led by the enigmatic “Bill Stickers”, the group was unlike any other gangsters of the era. They were mask-wearing, all-women activists who gave money in quirky ways to help save the countryside. 

    In this docudrama, uncover the identities of the people behind the secretive Ferguson's Gang, and unravel a tale of intrigue, mischief and mayhem that made a lasting impact on British heritage.

    [Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trust

    Actor voices
    Lizzie Crarer, Rae Alexander, Sally Rudd, and Caitlin Packer, courtesy of
    https://www.primetheatre.co.uk/
    Ric Jerrom and James Turton.

    Production 
    Producer and sound designer: Nikki Ruck 
    Sound editor: Jesus Gomez

    Explore Further
    Discover more about the gang
    www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/history/people/who-were-fergusons-gang

    Learn more about Ferguson's Gang and their legacy on Polly Bagnall’s website, where you can discover more about the book- Ferguson's Gang: The Remarkable Story of the National Trust Gangsters. 
    www.pollybagnall.com/ferguson-s-gang

    Copies of Ferguson’s Gang’s ‘Boos’ are available for viewing at The Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre by prior arrangement. 
    www.wshc.org.uk/visiting-the-centre.


    Ferguson’s Legacy
    While Shalford Mill remains closed to the public, you can still explore the legacy of Ferguson's Gang by visiting Newtown Old Town Hall on the Isle of Wight, Mayon and Trevescan cliffs in Cornwall, and Stonehenge.

    www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/isle-of-wight/newtown-national-nature-reserve-and-old-town-hall/history-at-newtown-old-town-hall
     
    www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/coast-beaches/discover-mayon-cliff

    www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/stonehenge-landscape

    • 29 min

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