national trust places to visit near me

The 11 stunning National Trust properties and sites worth visiting in and around Lancashire

Discover these National Trust sites near Lancaster, Preston, Blackpool, the Lake District and more

• 11:10, 27 JUL 2021

Lancashire is blessed with stunning, picturesque countryside.

The county welcomes thousands of visitors every year for staycations and days out, and with the likes of the Lake District and Blackpool promenade being here, it's hardly no surprise.

With the summer holidays now in full swing and the majority of lockdown restrictions ceasing to exist, the county is expected to see the return of even more tourists.

READ MORE: Cafe chain with 'proper coffee and great grub' to open in Preston

Those who choose to come to Lancashire for a break away or for a walk are spoilt for choice.

From Williamson Park in Lancaster to the chocolate-box town of Keswick in the Lake District, Lancashire has many options when it comes to days out.

National Trust is a big part of this, offering over 300 places to visit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The UK conservation charity has three main sites and historical properties here in Lancashire, with nine also available within an hours drive from the county.

We've decided to take a look at some of the National Trust places you can visit in and around the county, what you can do there and why it's worth visiting.

For prices of all the National Trust properties, find out here or to become a National Trust member (which gives you discount on attraction entry fees) visit here.

Gawthorpe Hall

Gawthorpe Hall can be found near Burnley and is described as an Elizabethan gem in the heart of industrial Lancashire.

The hall has a rich history, featuring 17th century panelling in the Drawing Room, and is sometimes referred to as the 'Downton of the North', according to the National Trust website .

Visitors can take a stroll through the formal gardens with views of the river, or take a short ramble through the woodland to enjoy the wildlife.

Inside the hall you can see the Gawthorpe Textile Collection which showcases intricate needlework, lace and costume amassed by Rachel Kay Shuttleworth as well as contemporary pieces from talented artists across the region.

To book a visit to Gawthorpe Hall or to find out more visit the National Trust website here or call 01282 771004.

Rufford Old Hall

This fine Tudor building near Ormskirk is the home for stories of romance, wealth and 500 years of Hesketh family history.

Visitors here can enjoy North Woods, the Walled Garden, North Lawn, Beech Walk Paddock, the Orchard and the Squirrel Border.

The Orchard has a fascinating past.

The first recording of an orchard at Rufford is from 1779, when the hall was leased to a gardener called Thomas Lowe for 21 years at an annual rent of £22 and 16 shillings.

Today, Rufford's orchard contains a varieties of apple and pear trees, including Keswick Codlin, Duke of Devenshire, Lemon Pippin and Bramleys Seedling to name a few. It's the perfect place to roll out a picnic and enjoy some peace and quiet.

And there's plenty of things to do with the kids at Rufford Old Hall this summer.

Take part in sports activities, grab a free balance bike, set your imaginations free inside the house or simply explore nature as a family.

See more and book a visit to Rufford Old Hall here.

Heysham Coast

Beautiful sandstone headland renowned for its eighth-century chapel and rock hewn graves; a wonderful urban green space.

That's how Heysham Coast is described by the National Trust.

The coast, which has a backdrop of Morecambe Bay, is just a short drive from Lancaster and offers a glimpse into the area's Viking past.

Among the site is St Patrick's Chapel which possibly dates back to the mid-eighth century, or a little later.

The rectangular chapel is constructed of sandstone and measures roughly 7 meters by 2.2 meters.

One of the best architectural features is the curved Anglo-Saxon style doorway.

Local tradition states that St Patrick may well have come ashore here in the fifth century, after being shipwrecked off the coast, and subsequently established a small chapel.

Around St Patrick's Chapel are the remains of eight rock-cut graves hewn from the headland, several of which are body shaped and have rock-cut sockets, possibly for wooden crosses.

It is thought that the graves were created around the eleventh century and were used for burying very high-status individuals.

From sea crossings to shipwrecks and Saints to sands, there's plenty to explore here.

Sizergh is a medieval house with rich gardens and an estate and can be found near Kendal, in Cumbria.

Although situated in Cumbria, the National Trust estate is just a short drive away from Lancashire.

The site contains a Garde I listed castle and Tudor house, with the earliest part of the building dating back to the 14th century.

Visitors can explore the house, which is open Thursday to Sunday (12-4pm), the gardens and head out on nearby walks including the Park End Moss wetland and Sizergh's wildlife walk.

There is acres of woodland to explore as well as enjoying a bite to eat at the café near the castle, which is open seven days a week from 10am.

To book a visit to Sizergh or to find out more visit the National Trust website here .

Dalton Castle

Slightly further a field, about an hours drive from Lancaster, is Dalton Castle.

The National Trust site in Dalton-in-Furness boasts a 14th century tower which was built to assert the authority of the Abbot of Furness Abbey.

The 14th-century tower known as Dalton Castle was formerly the manorial courthouse of Furness Abbey.

According to the National Trust website, here the abbott exercised his right to hold manorial courts and administer justice within the lordship of Furness, as authorised by the abbey's foundation charter of 1127.

Explore the historic grounds and the vast art collection which is housed there, and includes; a helmet, glove box, paintings and more.

Find our more about Dalton Castle here.

Beatrix Potter fans can visit her 17th century farmhouse.

Hill Top is Beatrix Potter's 17th-century farmhouse: a time-capsule of her life and can be found in Ambleside, Cumbria.

Just over an hour away from Lancashire, the site gives a glimpse into Beatrix Potter's life.

Visitors can explore the famous garden, just like in the books, and meet the man who cares for one of the most famous vegetable gardens in the world, Pete Tasker.

The house boasts collections from the Beatrix Potter Gallery, all aiming to keep the legacy of the author alive.

There's also a café at Hill Top and walks nearby too - including a native woodland to explore which was planted at one of Beatrix Potter's favourite places.

To book a visit at Hill Top visit the National Trust website here or you can call 015394 36269.

Wray Castle

Wray Castle is a Gothic Revival castle sitting on the shores of Lake Windermere.

The castle has turrets and towers and is housed informal grounds in Ambleside, Cumbria.

It's between an hour or two hour drive from Lancashire, depending upon which part of the county you're leaving from.

Created in the 1840s by an heiress and a dentist, the Wray Castle estate includes an impressive Gatehouse, a jetty and several boathouses.

And there’s plenty of outdoor fun for all the family this summer at Wray Castle - see a full list of activities here.

Keld Chapel

If you're looking to get away from the county then you could drive to Keld Chapel.

Located in Shap, Cumbria, the remote medieval chapel is one of a kind.

This picturesque and rustic stone chapel is thought to have been the chantry for Shap Abbey originally.

It was built around the sixteenth-century and has been used as a cottage and meeting house during its long history.

The key to open the chapel door is hanging by the front door of the house opposite.

Situated in the heart of the Lake District, Townend is an atmospheric farmhouse full of quirky objects and fascinating stories.

The National Trust site can be found in Windermere, Cumbria and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

The 17th century house features a library, made up of around 1,500 books which cover many diverse topics.

It was the home of the Browne family, local farmers, for 400 years before it was donated to the Trust in 1948.

Visitors can also find exhibitions housed there and learn more about the Browne family.

Book a trip there by visiting the website here.

Eskdale and Duddon Valley

Eskdale and Duddon Valley is popular among walkers.

The site is a descent from high mountains down to beautiful beaches on Cumbria's western coast.

Walkers can wander along one of the memorable riverside walks with their intimate scenic combination of crags, woods and waterfalls.

A favourite lower level walk is the Eskdale trail which follows the river from St Catherine’s Church where you can cross the river on stepping stones.

On a warm day visitors can cool off in one of the many rock pools.

To find out more about the walking site and the activities available visit the website here.

A little south from Lancashire is Formby in Merseyside.

The coastal site is a nature haven for wildlife and people, with dramatic sand dunes, surrounded by sweeping coastal pinewood.

With hundreds of acres of woodland and a sandy beach that stretches for miles, Formby is the perfect place to walk your dog whatever the time of year.

Many visitors also bring their horse for a walk here.

To find out more about what to do in the area visit the National Trust website here.

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Have you got news for us? Contact our newsdesk on [email protected] .

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Top 10 places for a day trip from Moscow

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Moscow offers tourists many great sights to see, but if you ask locals, they will tell you that Moscow is not all there is to Russia, so it’s worth getting away sometimes. Without exploring further, you miss something of the Russian unique character. If you wonder what to visit near Moscow, we recommend you 10 places where a tourist can go for a refreshing recreation, new impressions, and acquaintance with Russian history and culture.

01 Sergiyev Posad

Sergiyev Posad is one of the most beautiful towns located around Moscow. It’s not only famous for its monastery, the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, but also for the fact that it’s the only town in the Moscow Region that is included in the Golden Ring of Russian cities. Its cities and towns influenced the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church. But the main thing which one should visit Sergiyev Posad is the Lavra for sure. You may spend there all day, walking around and enjoying the sense of its power and strength. You absolutely have to buy some honey cakes as souvenirs for friends and feed Lavra’s pigeons when entering the monastery. Besides, you may visit Sergiyev Posad State History and Art Museum-Reserve, which has quite an impressive collection, take a look at the displays in the National Museum of Toys, and taste truly Russian food in local cafes and restaurants.

You can reach Sergiyev Posad by suburban electric train, by bus, or by car. The electric train departs from the Yaroslavsky rain terminal every thirty minutes, and the trip lasts for an hour and a half. You may take a bus near the ‘VDNKh’ metro station, and you’ll be in Sergiyev Posad in an hour and a half at least and in two hours at most. Your car will take you there in an hour and a half at most, too. You should drive the Yaroslavskoye highway. 

If you want to look at a city that combines hi-tech and historical past, you should absolutely visit Kolomna. It is one of the most famous ancient cities in Russia, a beautiful port on the Oka River. Kolomna has its own Kremlin, which is made of red brick, like the Moscow Kremlin. Inside it, you may find many monasteries and churches, including the one in which Dmitry of the Don, Prince of Moscow, and Grand Prince of Vladimir, had his wedding to the Grand Duchess of Muscovy Eudoxia of Moscow. There is still a reserved residential area which is called Posad, right in the Kremlin territory. The buildings date back to merchants’ times. There are some interesting churches, too. In 2006, the Kolomna Speed Skating Center, known as the Kometa Ice Rink, was opened. Its futuristic look contrast the picturesque views of the ancient Kolomna Kremlin and its beautiful churches.

The best way to reach Kolomna is an electric train that departs from the Kazansky rail terminal. The trip lasts for two and a half, or one hour and forty minutes by the Ryazansky express. You can also choose a bus from the Vykhino metro station (1.4 to 4 hrs due to traffic jams) or a car.

03 Shakhmatovo

Shakhmatovo was a manor of the well-known Russian lyrical poet Alexander Blok. His grandfather Andrey Nikolaevich Beketov bought it, and young Blok used to spend it there every summer. Later, he moved there with his wife Lyubov Mendeleeva, who was the daughter of the famous chemist Dmitri Mendeleev. Blok’s grandfather decided to buy Shakhmatovo because of its picturesque views. They are really very nice, and the better time to visit this place is spring and summer. According to his own project, Blok’s mansion is a wooden house built by the poet but burnt by peasants in 1921. It was rebuilt in 2001, and since that time, it often holds big events and excursions. There is also a stable in Shakhmatovo territory, and everyone interested may ride a horse, or rent a bicycle in the summertime, or ski in wintertime.

Shakhmatovo can be reached by car because other options combine train departs from the Leningradsky rail terminal, then changes to bus till the Tarakanovo manor, then goes by foot, or bus from the Vodny stadion metro station, and then also by foot. Travel time is 1.4 hrs.

04 Zakharovo

It is a manor located in the Odintsovo District of the Moscow Region, where everybody interested may learn more about the greatest Russian poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. In 1804, Zakharova was bought by his grandmother Mariya Alexeevna Gannibal, and young Pushkin was brought here every summer from 1805 through to 1810. He recalled Zakharovo in his poems as well. Now, the house which Pushkin visited as a child doesn’t exist anymore, but it was rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century on the former basis. Now it is a quiet and nice place with a museum dedicated to the famous poet's childhood, where one may spend a day enjoying the spirit of the time when young Pushkin ran across manor’s paths. From that time, linden park, approach alleys, and pond were saved. Not very far away from Zakharovo, another place connected to Pushkin’s name is located. It’s called Bolshiye Vyazyomy, and there the young Pushkin’s brother Nikolenka was buried after his death at the age of six.

The best way to go there is by train, which departs from the Belorussky rail terminal and goes to Zvenigorod. You should leave at the Zakharovo station. Travel time is an hour and a half.

05 Borodino

Borodino is truly a sacred place for all those who honor the great Russian past. The Borodino Battlefield held the most important fighting during the Patriotic War of 1812. This place was made a museum area in 1839, just after 27 years after the battle. More than two thousand memorable things are stored in the museum, including some monuments of military honor, architectural objects dated back to the 19th and 20th centuries, and fortification facilities. Besides, there is also an exhibition dedicated to the famous novel ‘War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, who visited Borodino in person and described this battle in his book. Every year, reconstruction events occur in Borodino, which is considered the best for visiting. But if you want to feel the spirit of the battle past, it’s better to visit it in more quiet time.

To go there, you should take a train from the Belorussky rail terminal, leave in Mozhaysk, and then change to the bus. The whole travel time is about 2 hrs.

06 Melikhovo

Melikhovo is considered one of the most important museums dedicated to Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, one of the brightest Russian writers and playwrights. Chekhov had been living in Melikhovo from March 1892 until August 1899 with his parents and close relatives. Melikhovo is where he wrote his plays “Uncle Vanya” and “The Seagull.” He sold this manor before going to the Crimea, and it became vague after the revolution. But in 1939, it was decided to establish a museum based on Chekhov’s place of living. Anton Chekhov’s sister Maria and his nephew initiated the process, and the museum opened its doors in 1941. Now Melikhovo shows the path of Chekhov not only as a writer but as a doctor and public figure as well. Some paintings of famous artists such as Isaac Levitan and Vasily Polenov, who were Chekhov’s friends, are being stored. It’s a nice place to visit to learn more about Chekov’s life and work.

The best way to reach Melikhovo is by bus, which departs from the Yuzhnaya metro station, and goes to Protvino, Obolensk, or Serpukhov, or by the direct 365 bus. Also, you may choose an electric train from the Kursky rail terminal. Travel time is 1,5 hrs.

07 Abramtsevo

This is another manor connected to the lives of important Russian people — not only writers but also artists. Abramtsevo, located close to Sergiev Posad, was a property of Sergey Aksakov, a writer and a Slavophiles, and later of Savva Mamontov, a well-known patron of the arts. Abramtsevo used to be visited by writers Ivan Turgenev and Nikolay Gogol, poet Fyodor Tyutchev, and such artists as Isaac Levitan, Vasily Polenov, and Mikhail Vrubel, and by the great Russian singer Fyodor Shalyapin as well. The exhibition in the museum is dedicated to famous Abramtsevo owners and guests. It was made a museum in 1917, and its first curator was Alexandra Mamontova, Savva Mamontov’s daughter. The main sightseeing view is a wooden building made in the 18th century and saved in Savva Mamontov's form in the 19th century. There are also some bright buildings such as hut pavilion or hut bath-house. You have to remember that the main manor house may be visited only with an excursion group on the weekend.

Electric train to Abramtsevo departs from the Yaroslavsky rail terminal and goes to Sergiyev Posad or Aleksandrov. You may reach Abramtsevo by bus as well. Travel time is an hour and a half.

08 Yasnaya Polyana

Yasnaya Polyana is known as a place of residence of the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. He was born there, wrote his novels ‘War and Peace’ and ‘Anna Karenina,’ died and is buried. He’d been living in this manor for fifty years. Yasnaya Polyana is located in the Tula Region, 200 km from Moscow to the south. This manor consists of many interesting and significant objects. For example, the interior of the main house where Tolstoy lived is being kept like it was in 1910 — it was the last year for the writer. All things in the house are considered to be personal belongings of Tolstoy and his family. Besides the main house, the Yasnaya Polyana ensemble includes the so-called Volkonsky house — the house of Tolstoy’s grandfather, the Kuzminskiye wing, which is a part of the oldest house where Tolstoy was born, now non-existent, the birch alley made by Sofya Andreevna, Leo Tolstoy’s wife, stable, ponds, and favorite Tolstoy’s bench. Leo Tolstoy’s tomb is located close to the ravine's edge — it’s where he wanted to be buried.

The whole travel time to Yasnaya Polyana is about 4 hrs as long as it’s located near Tula. It can be reached by train, or by car. First, you should go to Tula by train from the Kursky rail terminal or by bus from the Tsaritsyno, Domodedovskaya, Prazhskaya, or Ulitsa Akademika Yangelya metro stations, and then change to bus, or by trolley bus for Yasnaya Polyana.

09 Polotnyany Zavod

This place which title can be translated into Russian as ‘linen factory,’ is known for its connection to the Goncharov family, from which Natalia Goncharova, Alexander Pushkin’s wife, originated. The real linen factory was built on the bank of the Sukhodrev River in the Kaluga Region in 1718 by Peter the Great order. Goncharov, Natalia’s great grandfather, was one of the companions who participated in the factory’s development. Every companion built his own manor close to the factory’s building, and even for those times, it was quite an uncommon situation. Polotnyany Zavod was visited by the empress Catherine the Great, the Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, and Nikolay Vasilievich Gogol. In 1999, when everybody celebrated the bicentennial of Alexander Pushkin, Polotnyany Zavod was made a museum, and now it welcomes many guests who come to see dramatized excursions and to learn more about Pushkin times. The poet himself visited this place two times, in 1830 and 1834. Polotnyany Zavod has the most picturesque panoramic view in the Kaluga Region.

To go to Polotnyany Zavod, you should take a bus from the bus station near the Tyoply Stan metro station, and go to Kondorovo. It takes a little more than three hours.

Tarus is just another little town in Kaluga Region, which is considered to be typical Russian. It’s located on the left bank of the Oka River and has really magnificent views. It feels like time stands still there. Tarusa managed to preserve the best from the past, and even now, it consists mostly of one-storeyed houses made of wood or stone. They say it’s because Tarusa residents declined railroad construction. This town became popular among Russian intellectuals at the beginning of the 20th century when famous artist Vasily Polenov discovered it and told about Tarusa to anyone in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Tarusa is known to be a hometown for Russian writer Marina Tsvetaeva, whose family spent summertime there. Tsvetaeva museum is a museum every guest of Tarusa should visit for sure. Besides, Konstantin Paustovsky, another famous Russian writer, lived there till his death and was buried in Tarusa. The absolutely must-do in Tarusa is to walk along the embankment of the Oka River.

The best way to reach Tarusa is by direct bus which departs from the bus station near the ‘Tyoply Stan’ metro station. Travel time is about two hours.

• Baikal Lake read
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• The Altai Mountains read
• Siberia read
• Mountain Elbrus read
• 1. Sergiyev Posad
• 3. Shakhmatovo
• 4. Zakharovo
• 5. Borodino
• 6. Melikhovo
• 7. Abramtsevo
• 8. Yasnaya Polyana
• 9. Polotnyany Zavod

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Politics latest: SNP leadership hopeful issues warning to opposition parties

John Swinney has confirmed he intends to stand as leader of the SNP for a second time. Meanwhile, England and Wales are holding a series of elections, with several regional mayors and police and crime commissioners being decided as well as council seats up for grabs.

Thursday 2 May 2024 12:25, UK

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• Swinney to run for SNP leader  | Warns opposition to 'watch out'
• Forbes also expected to make statement on leadership bid
• Polls open across England and Wales I How to watch Sky News coverage
• Elections taking place across 107 local authorities in England
• Mayoral contests are also taking place, including for London mayoralty 
• Twenty-five London Assembly seats are up for grabs
• A by-election is taking place in Blackpool South
• Voters across England and Wales will elect 37 police and crime commissioners (PCCs)
• Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

People voting in local elections in England will need to provide photo ID.

It is the second year the requirement has been in place - but in 2023,  14,000 people couldn't cast their ballot because they didn't take ID to the polling booth.

There are 22 different types of ID you can use - and if you don't have any of them, you can register for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Here's everything you need to know to avoid being caught out:

Earlier we promised to bring you more pictures of dogs at the polls ( see post at 8.30am ).

Meet Pepper and Peggy...

They patiently joined their owners at a polling station in Baildon, West Yorkshire. 

And enjoyed a spot of sunshine too. 

More than 700 migrants were detected crossing the Channel on Wednesday - a new daily record for the year so far. 

According to the Home Office, 711 people made the journey in 14 boats.

That would work out to an average of 51 people per boat. 

The provisional total for the number of Channel crossings this year so far now stands at 8,278.

Crossings have surpassed the record for the first four months of a calendar year. 

Some voters in Cambridge have reportedly had to cast their votes from the back of a car this morning after the opening of a polling station backfired. 

Cambridge Electoral Services said voters at Milton Road Library were given the "rare" experience after problems getting into the building. 

The problem now appears to have been resolved, with polling stations at the library "up and running".

Writing on X, Cambridge Electoral Services thanked polling teams "who remained calm and carried on".

John Swinney is asked whether he thinks as SNP leader he will deliver independence for Scotland.

"Yes," he replies. 

Earlier, he used his speech to say he has believed all his adult life "that Scotland's future is best served as an independent country".

He said he recognises "most people need to be convinced of that point before independence can be achieved", adding he wants to focus on reaching out to people with "respect and courtesy to address the obstacles in the way of winning the case for independence".

But he said he accepts his party "is not as cohesive as it needs to be". 

"I will give all that I have in me to ensure the success of our course," he said.

John Swinney is now taking questions.

Sky's  Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies  puts it to him that some are suggesting he is another continuity candidate. He also asks whether he will offer Kate Forbes the post of deputy first minister if he is appointed.

Mr Swinney avoids the second question, saying he will come to that in due course. 

He instead focuses on his bid to bring change to the SNP, saying "the opposition parties better watch out what's coming to them".

"We just can't go on as we are today," he says.

"That's that's the reason I'm standing, because if we go on the way we were going today, I think we will face tough times."

He says he is "stepping up to the plate" to "make sure we deliver the change that we need to deliver".

"But I tell you one thing, once I draw the SNP together as one unified team, the opposition parties in Scotland better watch out what's coming towards them," he says.

Announcing his bid to become SNP leader, John Swinney has said he wants to see Kate Forbes "play a significant part" in his team. 

"She is an intelligent, creative, thoughtful person who has much to contribute to our national life," he says. 

"And if elected, I will make sure that Kate is able to meet that contribution and that will be part of a united team that draws together our whole party, which given my deep, deep devotion to the SNP, I think I am best placed to put together."

He goes on to say he wants Ms Forbes to be part of "team SNP and a very involved, senior participant in team SNP".

Kate Forbes is expected to give a statement later today. 

Ms Forbes, who narrowly lost out to Humza Yousaf in last year's leadership election, has not confirmed her intention to enter the leadership contest. 

However, she has so far refused to rule herself out of the race.

John Swinney has confirmed he intends to stand as leader of the SNP for a second time.

Mr Swinney previously served as SNP leader between 2000 and 2004, later becoming Nicola Sturgeon's number two from 2014 to 2023.

Announcing his bid, Mr Swinney said: "I want to build on the work of the SNP government to create a modern, diverse, dynamic Scotland that will ensure opportunity for all of her citizens."

"I want to unite the SNP and unite Scotland for independence."

He lists "the pursuit of economic growth and social justice" among his priorities. 

He also says he wants to "design an approach to net zero that takes people and business with us".

Mr Swinney's leadership bid comes after Humza Yousaf announced he was standing down as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister earlier this week.

John Swinney is starting his statement. 

He is expected to launch his campaign to become leader of the SNP for a second time. 

It comes after Humza Yousaf announced he was standing down as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister earlier this week.

The SNP's Kate Forbes is also expected to give a statement later today. 

John Swinney is expected to declare his bid to become the new leader of the SNP later today, Sky News understands.

Kate Forbes is also expected to make a statement later on Thursday.

It comes after Humza Yousaf announced he was standing down as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister following his decision last week to cut power-sharing ties with the Scottish Greens - a move which saw his leadership collapse.

Mr Swinney previously served as SNP leader between 2000 and 2004; later becoming Nicola Sturgeon's number two from 2014 to 2023.

He is considered a front-runner for the top job once again, having garnered support from senior figures within his party, including from the SNP's Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn.

The Perthshire North MSP is expected to make a statement in Edinburgh on Thursday morning.

However, he could face competition from the party's former finance minister Ms Forbes, who narrowly lost out to Mr Yousaf in last year's leadership election.

Though the Skye, Lochaber, and Badenoch MSP has not confirmed her intention to enter the leadership contest, she has so far refused to rule herself out of the race.

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What the data says about crime in the U.S.

A growing share of Americans say reducing crime should be a top priority for the president and Congress to address this year. Around six-in-ten U.S. adults (58%) hold that view today, up from 47% at the beginning of Joe Biden’s presidency in 2021.

We conducted this analysis to learn more about U.S. crime patterns and how those patterns have changed over time.

The analysis relies on statistics published by the FBI, which we accessed through the Crime Data Explorer , and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), which we accessed through the  National Crime Victimization Survey data analysis tool .

To measure public attitudes about crime in the U.S., we relied on survey data from Pew Research Center and Gallup.

Additional details about each data source, including survey methodologies, are available by following the links in the text of this analysis.

With the issue likely to come up in this year’s presidential election, here’s what we know about crime in the United States, based on the latest available data from the federal government and other sources.

How much crime is there in the U.S.?

It’s difficult to say for certain. The  two primary sources of government crime statistics  – the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) – paint an incomplete picture.

The FBI publishes  annual data  on crimes that have been reported to law enforcement, but not crimes that haven’t been reported. Historically, the FBI has also only published statistics about a handful of specific violent and property crimes, but not many other types of crime, such as drug crime. And while the FBI’s data is based on information from thousands of federal, state, county, city and other police departments, not all law enforcement agencies participate every year. In 2022, the most recent full year with available statistics, the FBI received data from 83% of participating agencies .

BJS, for its part, tracks crime by fielding a  large annual survey of Americans ages 12 and older and asking them whether they were the victim of certain types of crime in the past six months. One advantage of this approach is that it captures both reported and unreported crimes. But the BJS survey has limitations of its own. Like the FBI, it focuses mainly on a handful of violent and property crimes. And since the BJS data is based on after-the-fact interviews with crime victims, it cannot provide information about one especially high-profile type of offense: murder.

All those caveats aside, looking at the FBI and BJS statistics side-by-side  does  give researchers a good picture of U.S. violent and property crime rates and how they have changed over time. In addition, the FBI is transitioning to a new data collection system – known as the National Incident-Based Reporting System – that eventually will provide national information on a much larger set of crimes , as well as details such as the time and place they occur and the types of weapons involved, if applicable.

Which kinds of crime are most and least common?

Property crime in the U.S. is much more common than violent crime. In 2022, the FBI reported a total of 1,954.4 property crimes per 100,000 people, compared with 380.7 violent crimes per 100,000 people.  

By far the most common form of property crime in 2022 was larceny/theft, followed by motor vehicle theft and burglary. Among violent crimes, aggravated assault was the most common offense, followed by robbery, rape, and murder/nonnegligent manslaughter.

BJS tracks a slightly different set of offenses from the FBI, but it finds the same overall patterns, with theft the most common form of property crime in 2022 and assault the most common form of violent crime.

How have crime rates in the U.S. changed over time?

Both the FBI and BJS data show dramatic declines in U.S. violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s, when crime spiked across much of the nation.

Using the FBI data, the violent crime rate fell 49% between 1993 and 2022, with large decreases in the rates of robbery (-74%), aggravated assault (-39%) and murder/nonnegligent manslaughter (-34%). It’s not possible to calculate the change in the rape rate during this period because the FBI  revised its definition of the offense in 2013 .

The FBI data also shows a 59% reduction in the U.S. property crime rate between 1993 and 2022, with big declines in the rates of burglary (-75%), larceny/theft (-54%) and motor vehicle theft (-53%).

Using the BJS statistics, the declines in the violent and property crime rates are even steeper than those captured in the FBI data. Per BJS, the U.S. violent and property crime rates each fell 71% between 1993 and 2022.

While crime rates have fallen sharply over the long term, the decline hasn’t always been steady. There have been notable increases in certain kinds of crime in some years, including recently.

In 2020, for example, the U.S. murder rate saw its largest single-year increase on record – and by 2022, it remained considerably higher than before the coronavirus pandemic. Preliminary data for 2023, however, suggests that the murder rate fell substantially last year .

How do Americans perceive crime in their country?

Americans tend to believe crime is up, even when official data shows it is down.

In 23 of 27 Gallup surveys conducted since 1993 , at least 60% of U.S. adults have said there is more crime nationally than there was the year before, despite the downward trend in crime rates during most of that period.

While perceptions of rising crime at the national level are common, fewer Americans believe crime is up in their own communities. In every Gallup crime survey since the 1990s, Americans have been much less likely to say crime is up in their area than to say the same about crime nationally.

Public attitudes about crime differ widely by Americans’ party affiliation, race and ethnicity, and other factors . For example, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are much more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners to say reducing crime should be a top priority for the president and Congress this year (68% vs. 47%), according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

How does crime in the U.S. differ by demographic characteristics?

Some groups of Americans are more likely than others to be victims of crime. In the  2022 BJS survey , for example, younger people and those with lower incomes were far more likely to report being the victim of a violent crime than older and higher-income people.

There were no major differences in violent crime victimization rates between male and female respondents or between those who identified as White, Black or Hispanic. But the victimization rate among Asian Americans (a category that includes Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders) was substantially lower than among other racial and ethnic groups.

The same BJS survey asks victims about the demographic characteristics of the offenders in the incidents they experienced.

In 2022, those who are male, younger people and those who are Black accounted for considerably larger shares of perceived offenders in violent incidents than their respective shares of the U.S. population. Men, for instance, accounted for 79% of perceived offenders in violent incidents, compared with 49% of the nation’s 12-and-older population that year. Black Americans accounted for 25% of perceived offenders in violent incidents, about twice their share of the 12-and-older population (12%).

As with all surveys, however, there are several potential sources of error, including the possibility that crime victims’ perceptions about offenders are incorrect.

How does crime in the U.S. differ geographically?

There are big geographic differences in violent and property crime rates.

For example, in 2022, there were more than 700 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in New Mexico and Alaska. That compares with fewer than 200 per 100,000 people in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine, according to the FBI.

The FBI notes that various factors might influence an area’s crime rate, including its population density and economic conditions.

What percentage of crimes are reported to police? What percentage are solved?

Most violent and property crimes in the U.S. are not reported to police, and most of the crimes that  are  reported are not solved.

In its annual survey, BJS asks crime victims whether they reported their crime to police. It found that in 2022, only 41.5% of violent crimes and 31.8% of household property crimes were reported to authorities. BJS notes that there are many reasons why crime might not be reported, including fear of reprisal or of “getting the offender in trouble,” a feeling that police “would not or could not do anything to help,” or a belief that the crime is “a personal issue or too trivial to report.”

Most of the crimes that are reported to police, meanwhile,  are not solved , at least based on an FBI measure known as the clearance rate . That’s the share of cases each year that are closed, or “cleared,” through the arrest, charging and referral of a suspect for prosecution, or due to “exceptional” circumstances such as the death of a suspect or a victim’s refusal to cooperate with a prosecution. In 2022, police nationwide cleared 36.7% of violent crimes that were reported to them and 12.1% of the property crimes that came to their attention.

Which crimes are most likely to be reported to police? Which are most likely to be solved?

Around eight-in-ten motor vehicle thefts (80.9%) were reported to police in 2022, making them by far the most commonly reported property crime tracked by BJS. Household burglaries and trespassing offenses were reported to police at much lower rates (44.9% and 41.2%, respectively), while personal theft/larceny and other types of theft were only reported around a quarter of the time.

Among violent crimes – excluding homicide, which BJS doesn’t track – robbery was the most likely to be reported to law enforcement in 2022 (64.0%). It was followed by aggravated assault (49.9%), simple assault (36.8%) and rape/sexual assault (21.4%).

The list of crimes  cleared  by police in 2022 looks different from the list of crimes reported. Law enforcement officers were generally much more likely to solve violent crimes than property crimes, according to the FBI.

The most frequently solved violent crime tends to be homicide. Police cleared around half of murders and nonnegligent manslaughters (52.3%) in 2022. The clearance rates were lower for aggravated assault (41.4%), rape (26.1%) and robbery (23.2%).

When it comes to property crime, law enforcement agencies cleared 13.0% of burglaries, 12.4% of larcenies/thefts and 9.3% of motor vehicle thefts in 2022.

Are police solving more or fewer crimes than they used to?

Nationwide clearance rates for both violent and property crime are at their lowest levels since at least 1993, the FBI data shows.

Police cleared a little over a third (36.7%) of the violent crimes that came to their attention in 2022, down from nearly half (48.1%) as recently as 2013. During the same period, there were decreases for each of the four types of violent crime the FBI tracks:

• Police cleared 52.3% of reported murders and nonnegligent homicides in 2022, down from 64.1% in 2013.
• They cleared 41.4% of aggravated assaults, down from 57.7%.
• They cleared 26.1% of rapes, down from 40.6%.
• They cleared 23.2% of robberies, down from 29.4%.

The pattern is less pronounced for property crime. Overall, law enforcement agencies cleared 12.1% of reported property crimes in 2022, down from 19.7% in 2013. The clearance rate for burglary didn’t change much, but it fell for larceny/theft (to 12.4% in 2022 from 22.4% in 2013) and motor vehicle theft (to 9.3% from 14.2%).

Note: This is an update of a post originally published on Nov. 20, 2020.

• Criminal Justice

John Gramlich is an associate director at Pew Research Center .

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