{"id":234407,"date":"2025-05-10T09:51:44","date_gmt":"2025-05-10T09:51:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/entertainment\/books\/hidden-treasures-of-the-national-trust-by-anna-groves\/"},"modified":"2025-05-10T09:51:44","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T09:51:44","slug":"hidden-treasures-of-the-national-trust-by-anna-groves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=234407","title":{"rendered":"Hidden Treasures of the National Trust by Anna Groves"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\nWith the swathes of properties and landscapes owned and protected by the wonderful National Trust, it’s easy to miss some of the more special items.\u00a0 And without a bit of research, the stories behind these things – the creation, history and upkeep – often remain untold. This book attempts to address that, somewhat, or at least provide a starting point.<\/p>\n

It is based on a BBC television series, but the book always serves as a better reference. As with most of the Trust’s guides it is organised regionally with the visitor in mind: South West, London and South East, Central England and East Anglia, Northern England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. As historian Mary Beard says in her foreword to the book: ‘There are no better places than National Trust properties\u00a0 for facing up to our history, to its successes and innovations, its errors and even its darker sides.’<\/p>\n

The ‘hidden treasures’ refer to the conservationists as much as the landscape, properties and artefacts and the discoveries of new details or meanings. They are a very skilled bunch and\u00a0 a lot of their work is certainly under-appreciated by laymen. I’m referring to myself here of course. However, I never doubt their passion.<\/p>\n

\u200bThe book is well structured with themed sections within each of the features so that an overarching idea of the work of the Trust undertakes, with sub-sections entitled ‘Skills and Techniques’. For example, ‘The Secrets of Saving Textiles’, ‘Heritage and Rural Skills’, ‘Miniature Portrait of Lord Herbert’ for instance. Other chapters include ‘Restoring a Unique Interior’, which looks at the Shell Gallery that is housed in a sixteen-sided building in Devon. It tells the story of the development of an unusual art gallery that is made up from seashells, leaves, feathers and birds, and the intricate care needed to maintain it.\u00a0 Other features include Reweaving a Specular Carpet, solving the mystery of\u00a0 The Woman Behind the Statue, preserving writers’ desks, castle gates, grand dresses, fossils, staircases….as well as the issues of British weather and pest control. Fascinating stuff.<\/p>\n

My favourite pieces are the Sea-Dog table in Hardwick Hall, a really unique design, the State Bed in Erddig in Wrexham with its wonderfully beautiful embroidery, and the homes of The Beatles that really capture the essence of early twentieth century northern England. However, the whole book is a stunning tribute to British heritage.<\/p>\n

This is a well written and informative book with the beautiful colour photography really bringing the past to life. A solid hard backed book, perfect to leave on the coffee table for those who enjoy history and immersing themselves into our culture.\u00a0 Highly recommended.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\nPublished by Collins Reference National Trust Books on 8 May 2025.
\u200bAdvance review copy supplied by the publisher.\n<\/p>\n

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