Storm Babet has caused widespread damage across National Trust properties in the Midlands and northern England, with assessments ongoing days after heavy rainfall. The trust reported significant impacts on historic landscapes, houses, and gardens, including flooding at Cragside in Northumberland, where rising water submerged the Victorian hydro-electric powerhouse and partially covered dynamos and turbines.
At Wallington Estate, also in Northumberland, beavers released this summer were checked after water levels rose on a tributary. High winds blew a stone ball off a garden gate and toppled a 270-year-old oak tree. On Northumberland beaches, a potentially harmful substance washed up, with samples sent for testing.
In the Peak District, hundreds of metres of footpaths eroded, and fences, walls, and bridges were damaged. General manager Craig Best described the storm as frightening, highlighting vulnerability to extreme weather. At Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd in Shropshire, river banks eroded, while at Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire, a wooden footbridge suffered structural damage and bench seats were washed away.
At Hardwick Hall, staff rescued a 300-strong book collection, some dating to the 16th century, as rain leaked through windows. Harry Bowell, head of land and nature, emphasised the need to adapt properties to cope with more frequent extreme weather due to climate change, through measures like tree planting, peatland restoration, and reconnecting rivers with floodplains. He called for urgent government investment and action.
The National Trust urged visitors to check online for site closures during the clean-up operation.
