In the wake of the destruction of the First World War and facing the looming threat of more conflict, Britain became increasingly aware of the fragility of its heritage. In an effort to preserve its history, dozens of voluntary organisations were created to protect Britain’s ancient buildings and rural landscapes – foremost of these, the National Trust. In his book The Men from the Ministry, Simon Thurley paints a picture of Britain between the wars, traumatised by conflict and fearful of losing what remained of its history.
Thurley is the Chief Executive of English Heritage, former director of the Museum of London, and one of the UK’s leading architectural historians. Join us for a fascinating evening revealing what British architecture tells us about our nation, and the lengths to which we have gone to preserve it.