Editing National Trust for Scotland

{{Short description|Conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                = National Trust for Scotland
| image               = National Trust for Scotland logo.svg
| formation           = {{start date|1931|5|1|df=y}}
| status              = Trust
| headquarters        = Broadstone, 50 South Gyle Crescent, [[Edinburgh]] EH12 9LD Scotland
| location            = Scotland
| leader_title        = Key people
| leader_name         = [[Jackie Bird]] ({{small|President}})<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/our-new-president-jackie-bird|title=Our new President: Jackie Bird|date = 26 September 2022|publisher=National Trust for Scotland|access-date=2 October 2022}}</ref><br />[[Mark Jones (museum director)|Sir Mark Jones]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/sir-mark-jones-named-as-new-chair|title = Sir Mark Jones named as new Chair|date = 20 September 2021}}</ref><br />({{small|Chairman}})<br />Philip Long<br />({{small|Chief Executive}})
| staff               = 617 [[full-time equivalent]]<br/>1,144 Total
| membership          = 326,000<ref name=annual-report-2024/>
| website             = {{URL|http://www.nts.org.uk}}
}}
[[File:Craigievar castle 1991.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Craigievar Castle]], Aberdeenshire, one of many properties in the care of the charity.]]

The '''National Trust for Scotland''' ({{langx|gd|Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba}}) is a Scottish [[Building preservation and conservation trusts in the UK|conservation organisation]]. It is the largest membership organisation in [[Scotland]] and describes itself as "the charity that cares for, shares and speaks up for Scotland's magnificent heritage".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nts.org.uk/what-we-do|title=What we do |publisher=National Trust for Scotland |access-date=12 February 2025}}</ref>

The trust owns and manages around 130 properties and {{convert|76,000|ha|acre km2}} of land, including [[List of castles in Scotland|castles]], ancient small dwellings, historic sites, [[Gardens in Scotland|gardens]], coastline, mountains and countryside. It is similar in function to the [[National Trust]], which covers [[England]], [[Wales]], and [[Northern Ireland]], and to [[National trust|other national trusts]] worldwide.<ref name=reciprocal>{{cite web |url=https://www.nts.org.uk/support-us/become-a-member/explore-the-world |title=Explore the world |publisher=National Trust for Scotland |access-date=12 February 2025}}</ref>

==History==
The trust was established in 1931<ref>Hurd, Robert (1938), ''Scotland Under Trust'', Adam & Charles Black, London</ref> as the "National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty", following discussions held in the smoking room of [[Pollok House]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/pollok-house|title=Pollok House|website=National Trust for Scotland|access-date=22 December 2022}}</ref> The Trust was incorporated on 1 May 1931, with [[John Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl]] being elected as its first president, Sir [[Sir_Iain_Colquhoun,_7th_Baronet|Iain Colqhoun]] serving as the first chairman. [[Sir John Stirling-Maxwell, 10th Baronet|Sir John Stirling Maxwell]], owner of Pollok House, was appointed as a vice-president, and provided the trust with its first property, [[Crookston Castle]]. <ref name=nts-guide-p23/><ref name=our-history>{{cite web|url=https://www.nts.org.uk/what-we-do/history|title=Our History|access-date=12 February 2025|publisher=National Trust for Scotland}}</ref> Another early acquisition was [[Glen Coe]], which was purchased with assistance from the [[Scottish Mountaineering Club]] in 1935.<ref name=our-history/>

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = National Trust for Scotland Order Confirmation Act 1935
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to confirm a Provisional Order under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936 relating to the National Trust for Scotland.
| year                  = 1935
| citation              = [[26 Geo. 5 & 1 Edw. 8]]. c. ii
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = Scotland
| royal_assent          = 10 December 1935
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo5and1Edw8/26/2/pdfs/ukla_19350002_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
Following the passage of the '''{{visible anchor|National Trust for Scotland Order Confirmation Act 1935}}''' ([[26 Geo. 5 & 1 Edw. 8]]. c. ii), the trust gained the power to declare its properties "inalienable", meaning that they are effectively held ''in perpetuity'', and can only be removed from the trust with parliamentary permission.<ref name=nts-guide-p23>{{cite book|title=The National Trust for Scotland Guide|editor=Robin Prentice|publisher=Jonathan Cape|year=1976|page=23|isbn=0-224-01239-8}}</ref> 

When the trust took on the management of mountain estates there was controversy concerning issues such as the siting of visitor centres, which some considered inappropriate for land of "wild" character. The trust has since removed some intrusive facilities, with the original [[Glen Coe]] Visitor Centre being removed in 2002; a new centre was built lower down the glen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glencoe/visitorcentre/index.html|title=Glen Coe Visitor Centre|publisher=Undiscovered Scotland|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref> Similarly the visitor centre at [[Ben Lawers]] was removed in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/mountain-goes-back-nature-hideous-visitor-centre-torn-down-2466818|title=Mountain goes back to nature as 'hideous' visitor centre torn down|publisher=The Scotsman|access-date=23 December 2022|date=6 August 2012}}</ref>

In August 2010, a report called ''Fit For Purpose''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nts.org.uk/About/The-Review |title=A future for our past |publisher=National Trust for Scotland |access-date=17 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111133336/http://www.nts.org.uk/About/The-Review |archive-date=11 January 2011 }}</ref> by [[George Reid (Scottish politician)|George Reid]], commissioned by the Trust, cited shortcomings that were corrected though organizational restructuring largely completed by the end of its 2011/12 Fiscal Year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/aug/09/scotland-national-trust-properties-sale |title=Scotland National Trust properties up for sale after review prompts reforms |date=9 August 2010 |author=Severin Carrell |work=The Guardian |access-date=17 March 2013 }}</ref> The stabilisation of the Trust's finances allowed it to make its first acquisition in seven years when it bought the [[Alloa Tower]] in Clackmannanshire in 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/homes_interiors_gardens/13211104.What_next_for_the_National_Trust_for_Scotland/ |title=What next for the National Trust for Scotland |author=Mark Smith |date=25 April 2015 |work=The Scottish Herald |access-date=16 April 2016 }}</ref>

Historians working for the NTS have estimated that at least 36 of the 139 historic properties owned by the Trust have links to the [[Atlantic slave trade]]. Many former of owners of NTS properties either directly or indirectly benefited from the ownership or exploitation of enslaved people, or received compensation payments from the [[Slave Compensation Act 1837]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|first=Severin|last=Carrell|title=Slave trade links of Scotland's Glenfinnan memorial revealed|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jan/07/history-of-scotlands-glenfinnan-memorial-rewritten-after-to-slave-trade-revealed|magazine=[[The Guardian]]|publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]]|date=7 January 2021|access-date=4 February 2024}}</ref>

==Organisation==
The trust is a [[Charitable organization|registered charity]] under [[Scottish law]].<ref>{{Scottish charity|SC007410}}</ref> {{As of|2024}} it employed 1,144 people in total (taking account of seasonal employees), up from 760 in 2022. This equated to 617 people on a [[full-time equivalent]] basis, up from 469 in 2022.<ref name=annual-report-2022/><ref name=annual-report-2024/> The Trust's Patron is [[King Charles III]]; the President is [[Jackie Bird]]; the CEO is Philip Long OBE; and the chairman is [[Mark Jones (museum director)|Sir Mark Jones]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nts.org.uk/our-people|title=Our People|publisher=National Trust for Scotland|access-date=22 December 2022}}</ref> 

==Funding==
For the year ending 28 February 2022, the trust's total income was £49.3&nbsp;million, up from £44.3&nbsp;million in 2020–21. The largest sources of income were membership subscriptions (£14.7&nbsp;million), commercial activities (£9.0&nbsp;million), investment income (£5.3&nbsp;million), and property income (£5.3&nbsp;million). In the same year the trust's total expenditure was £51.9&nbsp;million, up from £44.1&nbsp;million in 2020–21. The trust therefore recorded an operating deficit of £2.7&nbsp;million, however this was less bad than anticipated and largely attributed to the aftermath of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland|COVID-19 pandemic]]. A three-year business recovery plan was put in place to restore financial sustainability and ensure the trust was able to undertake repairs and maintenance delayed by the pandemic, and to continue to invest in conservation and visitor engagement activities at its properties.<ref name=annual-report-2022>{{cite web|url=https://ntswebstorage01.blob.core.windows.net/nts-web-assets-production/downloads/Annual-Report-and-Financial-Statements-for-the-year-ended-28-February-2022-1022.pdf|title=Trustees' Annual Report and Financial Statements For the Year ended 28 February 2022|publisher=National Trust for Scotland|access-date=12 February 2025}}</ref>

For the year ended 29 February 2024, the trust's total income was £69.5&nbsp;million; in the same year the trust's total expenditure was £75.9&nbsp;million. The trust therefore recorded an annual operating deficit of £6.4&nbsp;million, however this loss was offset with investment growth of £7.9&nbsp;million during the year, meaning the trust recorded a small increase in overall balance carried forward to the following year.<ref name=annual-report-2024>{{cite web|url=https://ntswebstorage01.blob.core.windows.net/nts-web-assets-production/downloads/Trustees%E2%80%99-Annual-Report-and-Financial-Statements-for-the-year-ended-29-February-2024-0924.pdf|title=Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 29 February 2024|publisher=National Trust for Scotland|access-date=12 February 2025}}</ref>

==Membership==
Annual membership of the trust allows free entry to properties and "Discovery Tickets" are available for shorter term visitors. Membership also provides free entry to National Trust properties in England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and many other [[national trust]]s worldwide; members of these organisations enjoy a reciprocal right of free entry to NTS properties.<ref name=reciprocal/> The trust has independent sister organisations in the United States ([[The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA]]), and Canada (The Canadian National Trust for Scotland Foundation). The organisation's membership magazine was ''Heritage Scotland'' until 2002 when it was re-named ''Scotland in Trust''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/reaching-out-engaging-with-our-audiences-over-the-years|title=Reaching Out – engaging with our audiences over the years|first= Ian|last= Riches|publisher=National Trust for Scotland |access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref>

For the maintenance of its nature properties, the trust depends on the contributions of volunteers, with local circles of conservation volunteers working on projects during weekends. The charity also formerly organised working holidays called "Thistle Camps" on various properties, with activities undertaken including [[Trail|footpath]] maintenance and woodland work such as [[Rhododendron ponticum|rhododendron]] control. However as of 2025 Thistle Camps are currently not on offer,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nts.org.uk/support-us/get-involved/find-a-volunteering-opportunity/volunteer-faq|title=Volunteer FAQs|website=www.nts.org.uk|access-date=7 February 2025}}</ref> with the programme having original been suspended in 2020 due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.friendsofcrarae.com/volunteer-work-crew-blog/|title=Volunteer Work Crew Blog|publisher=Friends of Crarae|access-date=7 February 2025}}</ref>

==National Trust for Scotland properties==

===Historic houses===
The trust owns 27 historic houses, ranging from large houses such as [[Culzean Castle]] and the [[House of Dun]] to humbler dwellings such as the [[Tenement House (Glasgow)|Tenement House]] and [[Moirlanich Longhouse]].<ref name=our-history/>

===Gardens===
The trust is Scotland's largest garden owner with just under 70 gardens that cover 238 hectares and contain 13,500 varieties of plant.<ref name=AboutSNT2012 /> These gardens include 35 "major gardens" with the remainder forming part of other properties. The gardens represent the full history of [[Gardens in Scotland|Scottish gardening]] ranging from the medieval, to the renaissance at [[Culross Palace]], through the 18th-century picturesque at [[Culzean Castle]] and Victorian formality at the [[House of Dun]] to 20th-century plant collections at [[Brodick Castle|Brodick]] and [[Inverewe Garden|Inverewe]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Greenoak |first= Francesca |date=1 June 2005 |title=The Gardens of the National Trust for Scotland |publisher=Aurum Press Ltd |isbn=1845130375}}</ref>

===Coastline and countryside===
[[File:Loch lomond1.jpg|thumb|The Trust owns large areas of upland, including [[Ben Lomond]].]]

The trust is the third largest land manager in Scotland, owning 76,000 hectares of Scottish countryside including 46 [[Munro]]s, 8 [[National nature reserve (Scotland)|national nature reserves]], more than 400 islands and islets, and significant stretches of coastline.<ref name=our-history/><ref name="AboutSNT2012">{{cite web |url=http://www.nts.org.uk/about/downloads/cid_2012_text_only.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722180342/http://www.nts.org.uk/about/downloads/cid_2012_text_only.pdf |archive-date=2012-07-22 |url-status=live |title=National Trust for Scotland: About |date=June 2012  |publisher=The National Trust for Scotland |access-date=16 April 2016 }}</ref> Trust countryside properties include [[Glen Coe]], [[Torridon Hills|Torridon]] and [[Mar Lodge Estate]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nts.org.uk/Countryside/Mountains/ |title=National Trust for Scotland: Mountains|publisher=The National Trust for Scotland |access-date=9 February 2018}}</ref>

The trust's management of its coastal and countryside sites is guided by its ''Wild Land Policy'' which aims to preserve the land in its undeveloped state and provide access and enjoyment to the public.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nts.org.uk/Countryside/Wildland/ |title=National Trust for Scotland: Wild Land|publisher=The National Trust for Scotland |access-date=9 February 2018}}</ref> Trust sites are home to a diverse variety of native wildlife. The Trust estimate that almost 25% of Scotland's seabirds nest on its island and coastal sites, equivalent to 8% of seabirds in Europe. The Trust's countryside properties are home to native mammal species including [[red deer]], [[pine marten]], [[European wildcat|wildcat]] and [[red squirrel]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nts.org.uk/what-we-do/countryside-and-wildlife/key-wildlife|title=Key wildlife|last=National Trust for Scotland|date=2019-07-20|website=National Trust for Scotland|language=en|access-date=2019-07-21}}</ref>

Since 1957, the trust have owned and managed the archipelago of [[St Kilda, Scotland|St Kilda]], Scotland's first [[World Heritage Site]] and the only World Heritage Site in the UK to be listed for both its natural and cultural significance. St Kilda and the surrounding [[sea stacks]] are home to over one million seabirds<ref name="AboutSNT2012"/> as well as three species unique to the islands; the [[Soay sheep]]; [[St Kilda field mouse]] and [[St Kilda wren]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/387/|title=St Kilda|last=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|access-date=2019-07-21}}</ref>

===Paintings and sculpture collection===
Across its properties the trust is responsible for the conservation and display of hundreds of thousands of objects from paintings to [[Domestic furnishing in early modern Scotland|furniture]] and domestic tools. The primary aim of the trust's curatorship is to present collections and works of art in the historic settings for which they were commissioned or acquired.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nts.org.uk/CollectionsArchivesLibraryServices/ |title=Collections and Conservation |publisher=The National Trust for Scotland |access-date=16 April 2016 }}</ref>

===Most visited sites===
During the 2023-24 financial year the trust received in 4.5&nbsp;million visitors in total, including an estimated 1.8&nbsp;million visitors recorded at free-to-enter countryside properties: the trust considers this figure to be below the actual number due to practical challenges of recording open access across a large countryside estate.<ref name=annual-report-2024/> In the year 2021–21 the trust welcomed a total of 2.2&nbsp;million visitors to its properties, of which 1.3&nbsp;million were visits to "gated" properties (properties which non-members are required to pay for entry).<ref name=annual-report-2022/> In 2016 the 10 most visited properties were:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/in-pictures-scotland-s-10-most-popular-national-trust-properties-1-4014637 |title=In Pictures: Scotland's 10 most popular National Trust properties |date=28 January 2016 |author=Alison Campsie |work=The Scotsman |access-date=16 April 2016 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! # !! Property !! Location !! Visitors
|-
| 1 || [[Robert Burns Birthplace Museum]] || South Ayrshire<!--Do not link counties per WP:OVERLINK--> || 236,000
|-
| 2 || [[Glenfinnan Monument]] || Highland|| 187,000
|-
| 3 || [[Culzean Castle|Culzean Castle and Country Park]] || South Ayrshire|| 154,000
|-
| 4 || [[Glen Coe]] || Highland|| 133,000
|-
| 5 || [[Battle of Culloden#Culloden battlefield today|Culloden]] || Highland || 118,000
|-
| 6 || [[Threave Gardens]] || Dumfries and Galloway || 57,000
|-
| 7 || [[Inverewe Garden]] || Highland || 56,000
|-
| 8 || [[Falkland Palace]] || Fife || 43,000
|-
| 9 || [[Crathes Castle|Crathes Castle and Gardens]] || Aberdeenshire  || 42,000
|-
| 10 || [[Drum Castle]] || Aberdeenshire || 25,000
|}

===Gallery===
<gallery>
Crookston Castle.jpg|[[Crookston Castle]] in [[Glasgow]] was the first property acquired by the Trust.
Ridges_of_Gearr_Aenoch_and_Aonach_Dubh,_Glencoe.jpg|[[Glen Coe]], the Trust's first major land acquisition
BurnsCottage.jpg|[[Robert Burns Birthplace Museum]], the Trust's most popular visitor site
Culzean_Castle_house_and_gardens_01.JPG|[[Culzean Castle]] in [[South Ayrshire]] is one of the Trust's most iconic sites.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[List of National Trust for Scotland properties]]
*[[Historic Scotland|Historic Scotland (Dissolved in 2015)]]
*[[Historic Environment Scotland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*Bremner, Douglas. ''For the Benefit of the Nation''. McGraw-Hill Contemporary. 2001. {{ISBN|978-0-901625-69-4}}
*Greenoak, Francesca. ''The Gardens of the National Trust for Scotland''. Aurum Press Ltd. 2005. {{ISBN|1845130375}}

==External links==
{{cc}}
*{{Official website|http://www.nts.org.uk}}
{{Tourism in Scotland}}{{National Trust}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:National Trust For Scotland}}
[[Category:National Trust for Scotland| ]]
[[Category:National trusts|Scotland]]
[[Category:Conservation in Scotland]]
[[Category:Environmental organisations based in Scotland]]
[[Category:Heritage organisations in Scotland]]
[[Category:Charities based in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Scottish landowners]]
[[Category:Culture of Scotland]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1931]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1931]]
[[Category:1931 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Scotland]]