- charity launches appeal to raise over £300,000 to help fund the purchase and care of land around the Cerne Abbas Giant, Britain’s largest chalk figure
- Acquisition will unlock new opportunities to explore the archaeology of the site and the people who lived there and to care for nature habitats
- Giant’s landscape setting, which includes other nationally important monuments, will be conserved in perpetuity
- Sir Stephen Fry and Sean Fletcher back Giant appeal
The National Trust has launched an appeal to help fund the purchase and care of a precious corner of Dorset’s countryside.
The charity is looking to raise £330,000 to help fund the purchase and care of, a 138‑hectare (340‑acre) site - equivalent to 190 football pitches - surrounding the famous Cerne Abbas Giant, Britain’s largest chalk figure.
Thanks to generous grants and bequests, over £2 million[1] has already been raised. Now, public support is being sought to help fund the purchase and care of the Giant’s lair, including Giant Hill, and the surrounding area for heritage, wildlife and future generations.
The campaign, which launches today, is being supported by household names Sir Stephen Fry and Countryfile and Good Morning Britain presenter – and National Trust Ambassador - Sean Fletcher[2].
Hannah Jefferson, General Manager for West Dorset & Cranborne Chase, said: “Research shows the Giant dates from the Early Medieval Period (770–1100 AD) [3], while the surrounding landscape has been important to people for thousands of years, with evidence of human activity stretching back to 4300 BC. Since the National Trust began caring for the Giant in 1920, we’ve worked to protect its heritage and wildlife – and this appeal is the next step in that journey.
“To acquire the land around such an important figure would also unlock new opportunities to explore the site with the potential to uncover much more about the people that lived in this landscape.”
The acquisition of the rest of Giant Hill will provide a unique opportunity to conserve the Giant’s setting in perpetuity. Near to the Giant lie other nationally important monuments including ‘The Trendle’ - earthworks whose date and purpose are unknown - a Bronze Age burial mound and earthworks for an Iron Age settlement, including several house platforms. Acquiring the wider surroundings will also help protect and conserve unrecorded evidence of the prehistoric and later landscape.
Archaeologist Steve Timms said: “The acquisition will provide an opportunity for archaeological research and investigation on a landscape scale. This will not only help us manage the land in the most appropriate way, but also answer questions about the development of settlement and ritual activity over the area over several millennia.”
General Manager Hannah Jefferson added the land purchase would also open up new ways to engage the public with the iconic site.
“There’s potential for new walking and play opportunities, creativity and interpretation that joins up the monuments here, all inspired by the spirit of place. We want to work with more organisations and people who love the Giant as much as we do, starting by understanding what the local community needs from the landscape.”
The land is ecologically, as well as archaeologically, significant.
Designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Giant Hill is already home to 36 butterfly species including the endangered Duke of Burgundy butterfly, a species found in England only. By joining up parcels of land around the Giant, the Trust hopes to create more of the specialist habitat it needs to survive and thrive, alongside other rare chalk grassland butterflies.
As part of fundraising efforts, the charity has launched a Crowdfunder prize draw. Ten donors (plus one guest each) will win a money-can't-buy experience to be part of the giant’s re-chalking event in 2026. The first 500 entries into the prize draw will receive a limited edition ‘Cheeky Giant’ pin badge – an imagined rear view of the Giant – as a special thank you[4].
Donations can also be made online at: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cerne-giant-appeal
The Trust hopes to raise the funds by the end of January 2026. Any donations received after 30 January, or after the appeal has reached its target, will be used to support habitat creation, transform the wider site for nature and for people to enjoy, and increase access – in consultation with the local community – ensuring every gift makes a lasting difference.
IMAGE CAPTIONS:
National Trust launches appeal to help fund the purchase and care of land around Cerne Abbas Giant in Dorset to protect rare butterflies. Credit James Beck and National Trust Images
A view from the Cerne Abbas Giant towards Giant Hill in Dorset. Credit National Trust Images & James Beck