The Stowe House Preservation Trust

Analysis

The Stowe House Preservation Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Buckingham. It was registered in November 1997, 29 years ago. Its declared purposes cover environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03394958). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Stowe House Preservation Trust reported income of £515k and spending of £739k, spending 143% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £1.0m to £515k (-50%), an average of -16% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 82%. Over the whole period it spent 83% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, The Stowe House Preservation Trust sits at the 90th percentile: it is larger than about 90% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 90th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The School Journey Association (£515k), Wright's Clock Land CIO (£516k) and Dee Trust (£511k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 46%, donations and legacies 9.8% and investments 4.5%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £42k. Charitable activities took 75% of spending and raising funds 23%. Reserves of £2.7m would cover about 42 months of spending at that rate. It employed 4 people.