The National Trust has taken a decision to close Shute Barton to the public. It will now become exclusively a holiday house, available only to a few people who can pay over £2000 a week in rental costs. The decision was taken without any consultation or public announcement. 

Shute Barton is one of England's most historic non-fortified manor houses. Its history goes back to before the Wars of the Roses. Two of England's most powerful women of the Medieval and Tudor Periods - Lady Jane Grey, the "nine-days' Queen of England", and Lady Cecily Bonville - are both associated with it. It has the largest fireplace in England. It is an integral part of the region's history and identity. 

It is also an essential part of community life. When open to the public, the local 13th-century Church, St Michael's Shute, provides tea and cake to the visitors, raising much needed thousands of pounds for its upkeep. This loss puts the church in jeopardy. Local volunteers have always acted as guides, and the local primary school took part in open days. The community are devastated by this decision, which means that an integral part of its history will now only be available to a few rich people from the outside.