Disbelief from National Trust members because it fingers again Tudor mansion to earlier house owners AFTER it carried out £3.3million of restorations
National Trust members have been left ‘appalled’ by the decision to hand back the running of a Tudor mansion to its previous owners after a £3.3million restoration is carried out.
The charity announced last week that the Throckmorton family had requested to take back the running of Coughton Court in Alcester, Warwickshire, from February 2026.
But the announcement sparked a furious backlash from members who have been told they would then no longer be able to visit the country estate for free.
Their donations and calls to ‘sponsor a tile’ helped to fund the ‘biggest conservation ever made at Coughton Court’ to repair the damaged roof.
The project, which is set to be completed in the summer, was also paid for by the National Trust and through a grant made by the Wolfson Foundation.
A ‘dismayed’ Philip Roberts, 74, a former volunteer guide, said the family was ‘reaping the benefits’ of the development.
He told the Times: ‘I for one will not be paying to visit once the family take over.’
Coughton Court has been owned by the National Trust since 1946 with a 300-year hereditary lease that granted the Throckmortons residancy at the sprawling estate and to manage it as a visitor attraction.
Magnus and Imogen Birch Throckmorton will take over from the National Trust of running Coughton Court much to the dismay of the charity’s members
Members’ donations and calls to ‘sponsor a tile’ helped to fund a £3.3million conservation to repair the damaged roof
In 2005, the charity took over managing visitor operations on a 15 year short-term arrangement at the Grade I-listed mansion. This has been extended on a rolling yearly basis since then.
Twenty-one generations of Throckmortons have lived at the property, with the family linked to the Gunpowder Plot ringleader Richard Catesby.
Marcus and Imogen Birch Throckmorton and their two children currently live at Coughton Court where they are responsible for the estate’s gardens and also manage their Nothing But the Grape wine business.
Mr Birch Throckmorton told MailOnline: ‘It has always been my family’s intention to take back the day-to-day running of Coughton and the National Trust has been aware of our ambitions.
‘With the drive and enthusiasm to restore its legacy, it was decided that the time is right for my wife and I to return the management to family hands.
‘We mutually agreed with the National Trust that the management transfer would take place on completion of the roof repairs so that while the works are taking place, there is a single entity coordinating both the repairs and the visitor experience.
‘The National Trust will continue to own Coughton Court and will be responsible for the ongoing upkeep and maintenance of the property. As a family, we will be responsible for the day-to-day running costs, including care of the collection. No money has been exchanged – the annual management agreement has simply not been renewed.’
In a statement online, Mr Birch Throckmorton added: ‘We’re incredibly excited to bring a family touch to the visitor experience and work with our brilliant team to deliver a vibrant next chapter that will stand out in Coughton’s history in another 300 years.
‘The Throckmortons have a legacy of hands-on management – my mother and grandmother designed and created the gardens that thousands of visitors enjoy today. Imogen and I will continue to uphold this by working across the estate and with the local community to let its distinctive nature shine.
‘We are extremely grateful to the National Trust for the restoration and preservation work that has been undertaken to date.
‘Coughton Court has always been well cared for but we feel the time is right to bring its management back into family hands and celebrate its uniqueness.’
The Throckmortons and their two children currently live at Coughton Court where they are responsible for the estate’s gardens and also manage their Nothing But the Grape wine business
The project, which is set to be completed in the summer, was also paid for by the National Trust and through a grant made by the Wolfson Foundation
The project is set to be completed in the summer, but members will no longer be able to access the property for free from February 2026
Twenty-one generations of Throckmortons have lived at the property, with the family linked to the Gunpowder Plot ringleader Richard Catesby
The National Trust will still own the property and will continue to ‘support its care and maintenance’, the charity said in a statement online.
A spokesperson for the charity ssaid: ‘The National Trust’s responsibility as owner is for the upkeep and maintenance of the property, such as structural repairs, for which an endowment was provided by the Throckmorton family at the time of the original agreement. The income from this endowment is still used.’
It added: ‘With our ongoing responsibility for major repairs, the trust had to replace the roof at Coughton in order to safeguard the property. This work was needed regardless of whether the trust or the Throckmorton family were managing the property, and work began in 2023.
‘During the time of the temporary management of Coughton, the Trust has benefitted from the income from visitors and will continue to do so for the rest of 2025. When the family resume management of Coughton, entry fees and other visitor income will be retained by them for the day to day running costs, including care of the collection.
‘Until February 2026, the National Trust continues to operate Coughton and National Trust members will be able to visit for free for the whole of the 2025 season before the property closes for the winter.
‘We have worked closely with the Throckmorton family for many years and care deeply for Coughton Court and the place it holds in the nation’s history, and we will support them during this period of transition.’
