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National Trust Research

@ntresearch.bsky.social
675 followers 126 following 130 posts

News, stories, opportunities, and occasional memes from the National Trust's Research Team. You're welcome to contact us at research@nationaltrust.org.uk.

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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 9h
Holly Lawson's PhD research is bringing a young Georgian girl's musical world to life through the study of the Abigail Barneby manuscript at Brockhampton. This project helps us better understand the experiences of women whose voices are often absent from the historical record.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 13h
Excellent work!! 🙌
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The @nationaltrust.org.uk's new Paint Sample Archive opened its doors yesterday for project partners and collaborators to get a first look at the archive’s new facility in the Trust’s Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Have you heard the news? We're on Instagram: www.instagram.com/nationaltrus... Join us there to discover even more about research at the National Trust.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Fascinating news from the archaeologists working at the Bath Assembly Rooms. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
'Layers of Roman history' found beneath Bath Assembly Rooms
Archaeologists say the fragmented finds expand the known extent of Roman occupation in Bath.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
We’re excited to be partnering with @teessideuni.bsky.social and @durham.ac.uk as part of this year’s @beinghumanfest.bsky.social national festival of the humanities (5-14 Nov). Find out more in our Green Corridors North East hub programme, now live at www.beinghumanfestival.org/being-human-....
beinghumanfestival.org
Being Human: Green Corridors North East
Led by Teesside University, Durham University and the National Trust
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
'While the reports covering [the work at Orford Ness] are now mostly declassified, finding them is often difficult.' Volunteer researchers are working behind the scenes at many @nationaltrust.org.uk properties... in this case solving a Cold War mystery. www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2249...
express.co.uk
Mystery concrete circle identified as base of WWIII warning system
(contains affiliate links)
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Congratulations! Fantastic news!! 🎉
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University of Exeter's Environment and Sustainability Institute @uniofexeteresi.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Vacancy for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the @ukri.org @netpositivecentre.bsky.social and @uniexecec.bsky.social. Deadline 28 September. careers.exeter.ac.uk/vacancies/11... @cornwall.exeter.ac.uk
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Who fancies a quick journey into the archives to discover what 17th-century life was really like for the family and servants of @nationaltrust.org.uk's Hardwick Hall? A perfect way to start the weekend if you ask us.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Fascinating new research using isotopic fingerprinting techniques has determined the 'Devil's Arrows' were moved 18km across Yorkshire from Brimham Rocks c.5,000-3,500 years ago. Read more here: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... And in the excellent thread from @nattrustarch.bsky.social below.
bbc.co.uk
Mystery of where Yorkshire Stone Age monuments came from solved
The Devil's Arrows actually came from different site several miles away from previously thought.
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University of Exeter's Environment and Sustainability Institute @uniofexeteresi.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
On 14 September, join @renewbiodiversity.bsky.social and the Biodiversity and People Network for their hybrid, interdisciplinary event 'Perspectives on Environmental Memory: Philosophy, Literature, and Environmental Science.' forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/respon...
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
For the next two weeks, visitors to Nostell will have the rare opportunity to watch research in action as experts from the Hamilton Kerr Institute use macro X-ray fluorescence scanning to look beneath the surface of this treasured @nationaltrust.org.uk painting. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
theguardian.com
Public given rare access as Thomas More painting goes under microscope
Visitors to Nostell in West Yorkshire will get to see cutting-edge research into work considered the only faithful copy of Holbein masterpiece
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
'The initiative was created to address complex environmental and societal challenges that no single organisation could solve alone.' Discover how research done through the @nationaltrust.org.uk's partnership with @exeter.ac.uk is making a difference for people and nature: tinyurl.com/4kx3kkan
ke.org.uk
KE Awards 2025 Case Study | Shaping Landscapes for People and Nature to Thrive: A Strategic Partnership - Knowledge Exchange UK
Learn how Exeter and the National Trust are driving nature recovery, biodiversity and climate resilience across the UK.
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National Trust Archaeology @nattrustarch.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
NT's Senior National Archaeologist Hannah Fluck was recently interviewed for Radio 4's Artworks series "Above and Below: The Battle to Save Britain's Prehistoric Art". Listen here: bit.ly/3SpgENM
bbc.co.uk
Artworks - Above and Below: The Battle to Save Britain's Prehistoric Art - BBC Sounds
Eleanor Barraclough explores the threat from climate change to our ancient creative past.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Green Corridors North East, a major @nationaltrust.org.uk collaborative research project with @newcastleuni.bsky.social @teessideuni.bsky.social & @durham.ac.uk, is excited to be a Hub for this year's @beinghumanfest.bsky.social. Watch for future updates about how you can take part this November!
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
‘In the seven decades since Bob last worked for the [National] Trust, its libraries have been passed through by tens of millions of visitors who have been unaware of his work and legacy, or that the books on the shelves “are physical manifestations of queer historical memory”.’ So, who was Bob? 🧵
Visitors in the Long Gallery at Blickling Estate, Norfolk. ©National Trust Images/Chris Lacey
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Shout-out to all our rangers on #WorldRangerDay! We couldn't do nature research without our expert ranger teams. They know landscapes and habitats better than anyone else, and work every day to find the best ways of caring for them. Thanks, @nationaltrust.org.uk rangers, you're the best.
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Dr Toby Driver @drtobydriver.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
An excellent day yesterday with @nattrustarch.bsky.social's David Thomas & the Early Mines Research Group at NT Dolaucothi Roman mines, Pumsaint ⛏️😮 Great to walk through Roman adit up to an ancient opencast where the excavations have revealed fire setting & an anvil stone 👌 📷 My own
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Have you sent in your question for #AskAnArchaeologist Day yet?
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National Trust Archaeology @nattrustarch.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
This #HampshireDay we are celebrating the ongoing archaeological research at Hinton Ampner as part of larger nature recovery ambitions within the @nationaltrust.org.uk. 🧵
A team of archaeplogists kneeling on the edge of an archaeological feature in a shallow trench, waving their arms.
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RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
WE HAVE AVOCET NEWS!!! An Avocet spotted at RSPB Middleton Lakes has been confirmed as the oldest ever recorded in the UK. At 36 years old, it's lived more than five times longer than the species' average lifespan. First ringed in 1990, it's still out there doing Avocet things. Go on Avocet. 😍
An Avocet strides across the edge of a wetland, one leg lifted mid-step as if caught in an elegant strut. Its striking black-and-white plumage and long upturned bill stand out against a softly blurred backdrop of green reeds.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
🥳The National Trust's fourth Annual Research Report is here! Learn all about how our research is helping us Restore Nature, End Unequal Access, and Inspire Millions. You can download the report from our Research Repository ⬇️ nt.iro.bl.uk/concern/repo...
A child looking through binoculars at Nunnington Hall, North Yorkshire 
©National Trust Images/Rebecca Hughes
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
💡🌎⛅Interested in creating knowledge at the nexus of health and climate research? ⭐Are you an emerging leader from academia, public sector, NGO, charity, or business & creative industries? 📣Be part of the Net+ Leadership Academy - apply by Friday 26th June APPLY👇 netpositivecentre.com/training-edu...
netpositivecentre.com
Leadership Academy information - Net Positive Centre
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
📢One week left to apply to join our team as Postdoctoral Research Fellow! We're looking for a fantastic researcher to join our Nature Towns and Cities team and work in partnership with the @exeter.ac.uk @netpositivecentre.bsky.social. Find out more ⬇️ careers.nationaltrust.org.uk/OA_HTML/a/?_...
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
#academia #postdoc job alert! 📢 We're looking for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our Nature Towns and Cities team and work in partnership with the @exeter.ac.uk @netpositivecentre.bsky.social. Fixed term for at least 2 years, £36,621 pa. ⬇️ careers.nationaltrust.org.uk/OA_HTML/a/?_...
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National Trust Archaeology @nattrustarch.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
NT archaeologist Mark Newman and a team from the University of Bradford have been searching for clues about Inner Farne’s most famous and important inhabitant, St Cuthbert. You can find out more in Episode 3 of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust tonight on BBC Two at 9pm, or on BBC IPlayer.
A pele tower on Inner Farne, offering defence and accommodation for the monks of Durham Cathedral who managed the islands. ©National Trust Images/Rebecca Hughes A group of people sat in front of a building reviewing survey results on a laptop © Blast TV
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Then, it was a mighty tree, a food, a medicine, a nation's cultural symbol. Now, it's a staircase in an English stately home. Researcher Elena of @bristoluni.bsky.social has written the fascinating life story of Dyrham's black walnut trees. plantpublichistory.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2026/04/29/f...
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RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Congratulations ! You have reached the Woodpigeon of encouragement. Great job! Keep going! 📷️ @carlbovisnature.bsky.social
A delighted-looking Woodpigeon perches among frothy white blossom, its soft grey-blue head tilted and bright pale eye wide with excitement. Its beak is open mid-call, clutching a petal or piece of blossom, adding to the wonderfully animated expression. The bird’s warm pink chest and distinctive white neck patch stand out against the blurred spring branches, giving the impression of a pigeon caught in an enthusiastic, blossom-fuelled pep talk.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Same, Magpie Inkcap mushroom, same. 📸NT Images / Rob Coleman
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British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Interrogate and unlock the second largest oral history collection held at the Library, in a doctoral fellowship in collaboration with ‪@researchnt.bsky.social‬ Find out more and apply by Friday 5 June. link.bl.uk/7ts
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Chris Bisson @bisschrisson.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
#worldbeeday Red Tailed, Carder and Buff Tailed, all battling against the wind for some flower grub! @nationaltrust.org.uk @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
This week is Solitary Bee Week 🐝 At Godrevy in Cornwall, we're working with @bisschrisson.bsky.social of @plymuni.bsky.social. He's researching how 'hemiparasitic' plants (that's plants that partly feed on others) can benefit pollinators like this hard-working little Miner Bee. 📸Chris Bisson
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
From Saturday at Saltram, you can see this painting on display - Reynolds' first ever painting showing a person of colour - and find out more about the boy it depicts. It's been an honour to help recentre Boston Jersey (or should that be George?) and retell his story.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Just leaving this here for anyone who's not seen it yet 👀 Come and help us get our Sound Archive ready to open to researchers and the public. Open to all current PhD students pre-submission, up to 6 months from September 2026. @nationaltrust.org.uk @britishlibrary.bsky.social
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
If we miss your email this week, it's probably because we've been watching the most adorable feathery parents feeding their brand new chicks. Watch live now from the Longshaw Estate to add a bit of nature to your work day. @nationaltrust.org.uk #WindowtotheWild www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBM_...
youtube.com
Pied Flycatcher & Blue Tit – Nestbox neighbours LIVE from National Trust Longshaw Estate
YouTube video by National Trust
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
✨Funded placement opportunity✨with @nationaltrust.org.uk and @britishlibrary.bsky.social! We're looking for a PhD student to work on the National Trust Sound Archive of oral history interviews. 3 months FT or 6 months PT from September. For more info, see www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/r...
nationaltrust.org.uk
Doctoral fellowships at the National Trust
Find out more about the doctoral fellowships available through the partnership between the National Trust and the British Library.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
📢Funded doctoral placement alert! The @nationaltrust.org.uk and @britishlibrary.bsky.social are looking for a PhD student to work on the National Trust Sound Archive of oral history interviews. 3 months FT or 6 months PT from September. For more info, see www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/r...
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Our brilliant @cam.ac.uk collaborative PhD student, Molly, has published a blog post all about her research into antislavery at Killerton. There's a rich and complex story here - empire, philanthropy, patriotism, religion, imperialism, antislavery, racism all intertwined. Find out more ⬇️
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
📢Funded PhD studentship alert! Are you interested in using digital tools to make heritage spaces accessible? You might be the perfect candidate for our new collaborative PhD with @uniofsurrey.bsky.social. Find out more: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
The people behind NT Research 👀 We've had a great time at Killerton this week. The team there told us all about how they're restoring woodlands and hedgerows on a vast landscape scale. We're excited to help plan the research needed to make this beautiful place accessible to everyone.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
🌳Professor Rosie Hails (NT's Nature and Science Director 🌿) will be speaking at this summer's Exeter Climate Forum⛅, which has at its heart the Exeter Climate Conference. 🗓️29 June-1 July 2026, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus🏛️ 🔍Read more about the event/sign up: exeterclimateforum.com 🌤️
exeterclimateforum.com
Home
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Have you visited 'The Secret Lives of Paintings' yet? 🎨🖼️🔍 Discover new findings about Stourhead's most intriguing artworks in this year's exhibition. Even in the 18th century, pictures weren't always as they seem. Sharing research with visitors = our favourite thing. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
'Extraordinary discovery' made in old National Trust painting
Using new technology, secrets from the past have been revealed in an old painting.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Last week our 'Knotted Histories' team with @ox.ac.uk took samples of the carpet at Knole (best known as Vita Sackville-West's house). They're hoping to find out when and where the carpet was made. Spot the hidden parrot photographed by postdoc researcher @emilylsteve.bsky.social 🦜
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Fishbourne Roman Palace @romanpalace.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
It's World Bear Day, so here's a bear who's had it with all this. #MosaicMonday
An ancient mosaic showing a bear, walking from left to right across a plain white background. The bear's limbs are somewhat elongated and he wears a rather world-weary expression.
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Last week Dr Stephanie Pratt, art historian and cultural ambassador for the Crow Creek Dakota Nation, and Prof Clare Taylor @openuniversity.bsky.social visited us at Dunster Castle. Their work on Dunster's collections will help us tell new stories for everyone - lots of questions still to answer!
Dr Stephanie Pratt shares findings with National Trust staff and academics. Behind her is a large (as tall as she is) 17th century wooden panel painting representing 'America'.Visiting academics take a closer look at a large panel painting representing Summer while Lydia, Collections and House Manager at Dunster, shines a torch on the painting.Dr Clare Taylor presents findings on a set of gilt leather wall hangings representing the story of Anthony and Cleopatra. The colourful wall hangings hang behind her. We can see Anthony, with long curling brown hair and leather armour, contemplate the sword which he will use to take his own life.
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National Trust Archaeology @nattrustarch.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
On the theme of #MedievalMarch we’re exploring some of the gardens in the care of the National Trust with medieval features. Original gardens dating from this period are rare, but some individual elements such as walls, dovecotes and fishponds, still remain. Find out more here: bit.ly/40BMoj9
The Monk’s Garden at Avebury Manor, Wiltshire in Spring, with stone walls enclosing smaller areas of planting and topiary bushes with the Manor behind. ©National Trust Images/James Dobson
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National Trust Archaeology @nattrustarch.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
March 5th is #CornwallDay, so we're resharing the opportunity to see St Michael's Mount on #DiggingforBritain. A team from Durham University and the National Trust were searching for evidence of Bronze Age tin processing on the island. You can watch it on BBC iPlayer: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
A view of an archaeological trench with a group of archaeologists in hi-viz clothing, located at the bottom of a stone and vegetated cliff with the historic castle at the topAn aerial image of an archaeological trench surrounded by grass and some boulders, with a group of archaeologists working and wearing hi viz vestsA woman and a man are looking at some archaeological finds in the hands of the man
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
It's Cornwall Day 〓〓 so we're celebrating some Cornish research! Art historians working on the 17th-century Long Gallery ceiling at Lanhydrock have found that its pictures - which show stories from the Book of Genesis - came from books printed all over Europe. www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/his...
plymouth.ac.uk
Restoration of 17th century plaster ceiling at Lanhydrock House
The National Trust is embarking on the restoration of a 17th century plaster ceiling at Lanhydrock House, partnering with the University of Plymouth to...
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National Trust Research @ntresearch.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
🌿 Discover how research is shaping the future of our work! We’re proud of our research collaborations that help us protect nature, heritage, and historic places for everyone.🏛️🌳 🔍Explore our current partnerships and learn how we work together to create impact: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/r...
nationaltrust.org.uk
National Trust research partnerships
Find out about the research partnerships that are helping the National Trust deliver high-quality collaborative research.
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