Noticing that the National Trust — that venerable, active, and profoundly English institution — appears to be increasingly torn apart by various controversies, I felt compelled to write. This should not be happening. Like the BBC, itself now subject to attacks from many sides, the National Trust ought to stand as one of the foundation stones of the national will to conserve not only historic buildings and landscapes, but the very essence of England and of being English. With these concerns in mind, I decided to write the following letter to the National Trust, which may be of interest to others who care about the organisation or who, like us, have long been members.
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Dear National Trust,
We have been members of the National Trust for nearly fifty years — in fact, ever since we married. Indeed next year it will be our golden wedding anniversary.
Over the decades we have not only taken immense pleasure in visiting your properties and natural sites throughout the United Kingdom. but also have carried out volunteering for the Scottish National Trust participating in work parties on the island of St Kilda.That represents a lifetime of loyalty and appreciation for the work you do. Now, though we are retired and living in Italy, whenever we return to the UK we make it a point to visit National Trust places, especially those in towns new to us. Last year, for example, we greatly enjoyed your beautiful property in Salisbury Cathedral Close — Mompesson House — and during our stays in London we have visited many of your houses there. We also remember with particular admiration that remarkable small house at 575 Wandsworth Road in south London, transformed by its owner, Khadambi Asalache, who created the extraordinary hand-carved fretwork that fills the interior — a testament to craftsmanship, patience, and devotion.
We are writing, however, because we feel increasingly concerned about the current public debate surrounding the National Trust — discussions about whether it is becoming “woke” or not. From our perspective, the Trust’s essential mission has always been clear: the conservation of our heritage and its transmission to future generations. That purpose stands above passing political fashions, and we sincerely hope it will continue to unite rather than divide supporters.
We are especially concerned about the future of Clandon Park. We were fortunate enough to visit it when it stood in its full glory, and as residents of Italy we felt particular appreciation for the contribution of the great Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni. To contemplate the house remaining permanently as a ruin strikes us as short-sighted and, frankly, dispiriting.
For this reason, we are enclosing several photographs of Clandon Park taken during our visit many years ago, long before the devastating fire and indeed before the age of digital photography. These are original film photographs that we have carefully preserved and recently rediscovered in our family archives. They come from a time when such controversies surrounding the National Trust were not familiar, certainly not as intense as they are today — in many ways, a happier and more settled period for the organisation and its members. We hope these images may serve as a small reminder of the house as it once was and of the affection it inspired in those who visited it.
We understand that some ruins serve a powerful symbolic purpose. Recently in Berlin we saw the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church preserved in its damaged state as a reminder of wartime destruction. In Dresden, however, we witnessed a different approach: the magnificent Church of Our Lady — the Frauenkirche — restored to its former splendour, not to erase memory, but to demonstrate reconciliation and renewal after devastation.
In the case of Clandon Park, we respectfully feel that restoration would send the stronger message. Maintaining a ruin indefinitely may ultimately prove more costly and less inspiring than undertaking a long-term reconstruction project. Even if such a vision required twenty or thirty years, it would be an investment in beauty, craftsmanship, and historical continuity. Across Europe — in Poland and Hungary, for example — buildings destroyed during the war are still being restored decades later. Time need not be an obstacle to ambition.
Our hope is that the National Trust will continue to stand above polarising debates and remain a unifying guardian of heritage. We would be deeply saddened to see the organisation weakened or divided by these issues.
Thank you for your continued dedication and for the many decades of enjoyment you have given us.
Yours faithfully,
Francis and Alexandra Pettitt
PS. The photographs also include pictures of the Maori meeting house (wharenui) in its gardens which happily survived the 2015 fire) They do not include pictures of the interior as the National Trust at that time forbade taking photographs of the interiors of its properties.