Celebrating 60 years of Landmark

This year, our charity marks six decades of activity with a new edition of the Landmark Trust Handbook, a new building opening, environmental sustainability transformations across Britain and free stays for 60 charities.

Since our foundation in May 1965 we've saved more than 200 historic buildings, and we're proud to be regarded as one of Britain’s leading building conservation charities. Iconic properties within our portfolio include the Pineapple folly in Dunmore, 2013’s RIBA Stirling Prize winner Astley Castle and Elton House in central Bath. More recent rescues include the medieval Calverley Old Hall, the country’s only surviving working semaphore tower, an Arts and Crafts cottage hospital – providing community care long before the NHS – and one of Wales’ oldest surviving domestic buildings.

All Landmarks are available as self-catering holiday accommodation and every penny of a booking goes back into maintaining special places in Britain’s landscape, culture and society forevermore.

A new Landmark: The Mayor's Parlour, Maison Dieu

In early 2025 we will release booking availability for our latest rescue project: the Mayor’s Parlour, Maison Dieu in the historic coastal town of Dover. In partnership with Dover District Council, Landmark is delighted to be providing an end-use for the exquisite apartment featuring elaborate Gothic Revival decorative schemes by revered architect William Burges. The Mayor’s Parlour will sleep up to six across double and twin bedrooms and will welcome guests from the summer. 

A new edition of The Landmark Trust Handbook

Spring 2025 will bring the launch of a new 27th edition of our much-loved Handbook; a coffee-table book showcasing detailed insights on our 203 properties.

60 for Free 

In 2025, we will launch a special iteration of our annual 50 for Free scheme gifting free breaks to the beneficiaries of other charities and non-profits, an initiative first developed ahead of Landmark’s 50th anniversary and offered to 50 organisations. This year, we will be celebrating 60 for Free with applications opening in spring before stays for 60 groups take place in autumn. 

New priority building categories 

Our aims as a charity are simple: to preserve historic buildings and to promote public enjoyment. We save historic buildings in danger of being lost forever but, despite Britain having thousands of endangered buildings, can only take on one or two of the most precious each year. To guide our work, Landmark’s trustees agree priority building categories: recent examples have included transport and communications, leading the organisation to rescue buildings such as Coed y Bleiddiau on the Ffestiniog Railway and the Station Agent’s House in Manchester. In 2025 Landmark will review and re-publish our priority categories, so signaling the types of sites we will set our sights on in the future.

Saving more buildings on the brink

Landmark can only succeed in our rescue work with the help of many generous supporters. Plans to save RAF Ibsley Watch Office and Mavisbank House are advancing apace, yet will only succeed with fresh support during this anniversary year. 

Three of our longest-serving buildings, renewed sustainably

The Landmark Trust believes heritage is part of the solution to the challenge of climate change and is committed to achieve net-zero carbon emissions at least by 2045. For six decades our charity’s work has centered on adapting and reusing, but across autumn/winter 2025 we'll unveil the complete rejuvenation of three of our longest-serving buildings, now powered by clean and sustainable heating systems. Saddell Castle in the Mull of Kintyre will reopen in early autumn following our biggest-ever overhaul of an existing building, followed by The Captain’s House at Lower Porthmeor, Cornwall and Tixall Gatehouse in Staffordshire. During 2025-26 renewable power will also be developed and implemented on the island of Lundy.  

Everyone is welcome

Every year Landmark throws open the doors of dozens of buildings to thousands of people through free Open Days, creative workshops and other events. In 2025 special celebrations will be held across the nations, including an open weekend at Saddell Castle to mark its rejuvination plus 10 years of GRIP by Antony Gormley standing steadfast on the shoreline.