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Victoria, Albert and the Christmas Tree Trend
In 1848 an image of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children decorating their evergreen, caused a sensation and sparked a Christmas tree trend in Britain. Many people began to bring trees into their homes and decorate them with homemade ornaments, sweet treats and naked candles tied with ribbons. The Victorians can be credited with inventing our modern Christmas. In this episode, Clara Woolford, Curator at Cragside in Northumberland, takes us to the mid 1800s to discover how the “Cult of Christmas” and the centrepiece, the Christmas Tree, entered into millions of homes. Discover more See the UK's tallest living Christmas tree, a 42m giant redwood at Cragside, Northumberland: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/christmas-at-cragside Read about the history of the Christmas tree: www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/history/queen-victoria-christmas-tree [Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trust The National Trust Podcast is changing In spring 2025 we'll be changing the National Trust Podcast to bring you more immersive stories in Nature, History and Adventure. Stay on this stream for our new Nature Podcast The Wild World Of… and look out for our new History podcast Back When. Remember to subscribe or follow either show in your favourite podcast app to be the first to hear new stories when they arrive. Production: Host and producer: Michelle Douglass Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez
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World Heritage Heroes | Saving History in Cairo & Norfolk
Heritage sites like the medieval palace Bayt Al Razzaz in Egypt and the picturesque Blickling estate in the UK, are under threat from climate change. What connects these vastly different places? And what can the guardians of these historic treasures learn from each other as they battle extreme weather, social upheaval and other challenges? Discover the global fight to protect our heritage. You can watch a video of this podcast on National Trust Youtube: https://ntpodcasts.org/Video [Ad] Open the door to more with a National Trust membership. As well as free entry and parking at over 500 places we care for, you’ll receive: • Access to our online Members’ Area, full of exclusive member-only content, • A yearly handbook packed with visit inspiration, • And our award-winning member magazine 3 times a year. Now also available digitally. Become a National Trust member: nationaltrust.org.uk/become-a-member. For a taste of the digital magazine, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/historic-recipes, or if you're a member and you'd like to switch, look for My Account on the website. Production Host: James Grasby and Jesse Edbrooke Producers: Jesse Edbrooke Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Further Information INTO - The International National Trusts Organisation https://www.into.org/ Withstanding Climate Change https://www.into.org/withstanding-change-project/ Blickling and Bayt Al Razzaz in partnership https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/norfolk/blickling-estate/blickling-estate-twins-with-bayt-al-razzaz-in-cairo If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
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Surfing in the North Sea | An Unimaginable Dream
As a wheelchair user, Melissa rarely has the opportunity of spending time on the beach with the rest of her family; and an activity for them all in the water together was unimaginable. But an ‘adaptive surfing for families’ session in South Shields in the North East, changed everything. You can watch a video of this podcast on National Trust Youtube: https://ntpodcasts.org/Video [Ad] Open the door to more with a National Trust membership. As well as free entry and parking at over 500 places we care for, you’ll receive: • Access to our online Members’ Area, full of exclusive member-only content, • A yearly handbook packed with visit inspiration, • And our award-winning member magazine 3 times a year. Now also available digitally. Become a National Trust member: nationaltrust.org.uk/become-a-member. For a taste of the digital magazine, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/historic-recipes, or if you're a member and you'd like to switch, look for My Account on the website. Production: Host: Claire Hickinbotham Producer: Katy Kelly Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Discover More: Find out more about South Shields Surf: southshieldsurf.co.uk Learn about Team England Para: Adaptive/Para - Surfing England If you’d like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at: [email protected]
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Isaac Newton | The Gravity of Good Friends
Sir Isaac Newton is best known for coming up with the theory of gravity while relaxing in his orchard, thanks to an apple that fell beside him one afternoon – helping him to unravel one of the universe's great mysteries. But that story is only a small part of the tale... Heather Birkett delves into one of the greatest minds of all time. Discover how a friendship with astronomer Edmund Halley helped to bring Isaac's ideas to the world and beyond. [Ad from our sponsor] This episode is supported by Blue Diamond Garden Centres. Fill your space with beauty and heritage with a collection of bulbs, seeds and plants, curated by Blue Diamond Garden Centres working with National Trust gardeners. A minimum of 10% of the retail selling price will be given to support the National Trust’s conservation work and ambitions to plant and establish 20 million trees by 2030. https://www.bluediamond.gg/national-trust Production Host: Heather Birkett Producers: Jack Glover and Michelle Douglass Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Discover more This episode continues the story from a previous release 'Pips in Space | Featuring Tim Peake'. You could listen to that episode and hear more about the Newton Trees: https://bit.ly/NTPod81 Find out more about Woolsthorpe Manor www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/woolsthorpe-manor Read a biography about Sir Issac Newton www.newtonproject.ox.ac.uk/ If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
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Ghost Stories | Murder in the Castle
On 18th March AD 978 at Corfe Castle in Dorset, a 16-year-old boy was brutally stabbed in the back and died shortly after. That boy was the teenage king, Edward the Martyr. But who was the murderer, or murderers? Join James Grasby and author Anna Groves on this Halloween historical Whodunnit, as they try and figure out who committed the regicide, with the help of some other worldly encounters. [Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trust Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production Hosts : James Grasby and Anna Groves Producers : Pippa Tilbury-Harris and Nikki Ruck Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Actor voices : Caitlin Packer, Ethan Hughes, Louise Bray, Mark Powell courtesy of Prime Theatre Discover More If you’d like to read more about the ghosts of the National Trust, you can purchase Anna Groves’ book, ‘Britain’s Ghosts’ here: https://shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-britain-s-ghosts.html To find out more about Corfe Castle including details for visiting, please click here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/corfe-castle If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]
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About National Trust Podcast

Delve into immersive tales of history, nature and adventure with the award-winning National Trust Podcast. From wild landscapes to heritage sites and historical legends, unearth fascinating stories about people and places in the UK. This series, travel to the 1930s to unmask the eccentric Ferguson’s Gang, find out how the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree impacted the community, and discover what life was like for the people who toiled deep in a Roman gold mine. This podcast is made by the National Trust, Europe’s biggest conservation charity. Looking after history, nature and beauty for everyone to enjoy. Discover more from National Trust Podcasts Listen to Ranger Rae Rae and the Wildlifers, our new kids' podcast: https://podfollow.com/national-trust-kids-podcast See videos of the National Trust Podcast on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Get in touch with feedback and ideas for stories you'd like to hear: [email protected]

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