Building for the future

Although most people associate us with the nation’s iconic castles such as Culzean in Ayrshire, our work involves caring for a much wider range of structures: from castles to crofts and wind turbines to watermills.

We look after over 1,600 buildings, including:

• Great castles and country houses such as Craigievar Castle in Aberdeenshire and Newhailes in East Lothian
• Vernacular structures such as Beaton’s Croft House on Skye
• Properties associated with famous Scots such as the Hill House, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and the cottage where Robert Burns was born in Alloway

Our approach to building conservation takes into account the special character and location of the buildings, which are often within important historical and natural settings.

As a conservation charity, the Trust promotes sustainable design in new builds, and this has been successfully delivered at our new visitor centres at Bannockburn and Culloden. Our current challenge is to ensure that all our buildings are managed according to our strong environmental principles. In recent years we’ve been installing environmentally friendly Biomass boilers, introducing energy-efficient lightbulbs across the country and exploring how we can harness the power of renewable energy through wind and water schemes.

We strive to manage our buildings in a way that is sensitive to the existing built fabric and surroundings, follows good conservation practice, and promotes their continued use and enjoyment for everyone.

You can help support our vital conservation work by joining as a member, volunteering with us or donating to our cause.