A lovely and interesting book, a snapshot of items held in NT properties

It does feel a little light on the darker aspects of some of the items held in NT properties mind you, it features the peacock dress, only mildly touching on its controversialness, but mostly by suggesting the 'hard work' of Indian workers, rather than the horrors of colonialism. But even suggesting it is anything less than a perfect item is something, it just feels like now is the time to be more honest in history books!

Overall I'd recommend, just do bear in mind that it's an edited history designed to be a glossy celebration of holdings!


I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.

Really informative book about some of the wonderful treasures saved by the national trust. Great photos, lovely to read about the history of the treasures

A lovely book that unearths and explains some of the hidden treasures. Really helpful when visiting National Trust places.

For two seasons, fairly recently, the BBC have had a series looking at the darker corners of the National Trust estate and how they've been brought to life (and I see word of a third series for 2025). I don't mean 'dark' as in 'oh dear, here be slaves' – although that thinking does come into it – but the lesser-known, out-of-public-thought issues they have had. Much similar material, if not summaries of the programmes concerned, are on these pages. So while you might not realise how much has to be restored, mended, cleaned, revamped, and plain improved, it's all here.

The contents then are a combination of jobs the NT have had to fund, and manage to undertake, potentially in lockdown conditions too. Some involved sprucing up and adding layers of experience and interpretation to visitors (they sound dutifully proud of a massive cotton mill revamp), but other times it's to redo a roof, restore some fading bits here and there, or take off and replace something on a wall that's getting too damp. Or it's just plain getting something fit and proper again, making sure a clock or even a garden plant is revived to full working health.

If anything some of the picture selection lets the side down. Much is made of Henry James' secretaire in the text, only for us to remain unable to see the full thing very well. But other entries are definitely given the treatment they deserve – said pagoda clock with brilliant close-ups.

This is fairly bitty, and amenable to smallest-room browsing, with most chapters being just five or seven pages at most. But they adequately show the wealth of virtues the NT has, and the merits of all their restorers, cleaners and advisors, and these pages alone could create a great wish-list for visits to see what the fuss was all about. I guess that's why the photos aren't as great as hoped for, then, but they almost knock this from its four star status.

This was a really fascinating book picking out some of the more unusual objects and buildings from the NT, ranging from the search for original Beatles graffiti to a tin mine and a beautiful peacock dress. The narrative gives context and also sheds a light on the roles of the people behind the scenes who maintain and conserve the various treasures.
My only quibble would be that I read it on a kindle where all the illustrations were in black and white, whereas I imagine they would be in colour and more impressive in a physical book.
Thank you to netgalley and Collins reference for an advance copy of this book

With 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. 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.

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 for facing up to our history, to its successes and innovations, its errors and even its darker sides.'

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 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.

​The 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. Other features include Reweaving a Specular Carpet, solving the mystery of 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.

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.

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. Highly recommended.

I have loved visiting the National Trust locations since I was a child so it was great to see more treasured and unseen areas.

This is a beautifully presented book with lovely photos - it would be a real asset to a coffee table but is also very readable. I read it cover to cover and devoured the fascinating stories about people and objects. It covers many treasures now owed by the National Trust with stories about where they came from and who owed them. Many have been painstakingly repaired or renovated by specialist conservors as their condition has deteriorated during the years.

The book is grouped into properties geographically around England and also Wales and Northern Ireland. It really inspired me to go to the properties. I loved the inclusion of Paul McCartney's childhood home in Liverpool with his brother, Mike, sitting on their loo, to try and help the National Trust find where he and Paul might have doodled some graffiti on the walls. Still to be discovered!

There is no table of contents which I found frustrating as I want to go back to properties and make a note of their names but there are too many pages to scroll through. There is an index but that is not helpful as too detailed.

With thanks to NetGalley and Collins Reference for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A really enjoyable read! I love visiting National Trust locations but had no idea the vast collection of treasures looked after by the trust. I particularly enjoyed the writing style, it was fun and added a bit of personality to the book. My favourite story was the map of Europe by Rudyard Kipling!

I was so delighted to receive early access to this title. It features the inimitable Mary Beard who is an excellent guide.

The book is organized by parts of the country beginning with London with the last chapter being Norther Ireland. Go in order or dip in. Either works well.

Anglophiles, whether in England or not, will found so much to enjoy in these pages. I'd be hard pressed to say whether I preferred the photos or the text. Both were quite engaging.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the National Trust* for this title. All opinions are my own.

*Also many thanks to the Trust for all that they give us!

This book kept me up half of the night. The stories were fascinating , I learnt so much and the photographs were great. We are members of the National Trust and have been to many of the places in this book but we still found many things that we did not know. The stories behind the houses and their original owners were filled out for us too. Will need to buy this book.

If you have zero or little knowledge about the gems that are covered in this book, you will enjoy it plenty.
Each hidden treasure is presented through information relevant to their qualities.
I had not expected renovation, preservation and conservation elements to be included, which were a nice touch.
Great photos and layout as usual.

With properties ranging from historic mines to the intricacies of a Fabergé egg, it is certainly a difficult task to compress the National Trust’s locations and their hidden treasures into the confines of one book.
There is an odd disparity in the amount of information given to each chapter - there are “I did not know THAT” moments, like that there were charging points along the River Thames to charge electrically powered pleasure boats in the 1920s. But: Do I really need to know the size range of the tiles at Attingham Park? 3.5cm to 5.7cm in case you should worry.
I would have preferred to learn at least something of the methods employed by the restorers rather than the many staged photographs “restorer with tool poised over item” followed by platitudes like “fashions come and go” or “(…) make the work of curators and conservators endlessly satisfying”.
All in all, it compelled me to watch the BBC program this book accompanies.