After 800 years with one family, 9,500-acre UK estate bought for wildlife with 25,000 donors' help

For nearly eight centuries, the Rothbury Estate in Northumberland remained in the hands of the Percy family, whose descendants include the Dukes of Northumberland. Now, after a two-year fundraising campaign that drew support from more than 25,000 people across over 50 countries, the 9,486-acre estate has been acquired by The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust for nature conservation, as per a report by The Guardian.

The charities announced the successful purchase on October 30, 2026, describing it as a rare opportunity to restore wildlife habitats across a vast stretch of northern England.The campaign, which sought to raise around £30 million, brought together individual donors, charitable foundations, philanthropists and government support. According to The Wildlife Trusts, members of the public contributed more than £17 million, while a £5 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and a £1.94 million grant pledged by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) helped push the appeal towards its target.