The white triangle of our flag is from the wall @NTKingstonLacy. William Bankes profoundly shaped the building, but had to flee England in 1841 to avoid prosecution for same-sex acts. While in exile, he continued to send back works of art to his beloved Kingston Lacy.

Roses from @SissinghurstNT, Kent, create the pink chevron. Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson once called this place home, enjoying an unconventional marriage where both pursued same-sex affairs. (3/13)

The door of Clouds Hill, Dorset, makes up our blue chevron. It was a place of refuge for renowned actor T.E. Lawrence, who hinted at homosexual experiences throughout his writing. (4/13)

Greek poet Sappho (or rather, her bust @KedlestonNT) creates the black chevron. Born on Lesbos around 620BC, little’s known for sure about her life. Only fragments of her work survive, expressing proclamations of love for women and girls. (6/12)

Moving onto the stripes, the red is a portrait from the collection @SmallhytheNT of Vita Sackville-West wearing one of Ellen Terry’s costumes. Terry’s daughter, Edy, lived at Smallhythe too along with her two partners who both defied conventional gender expression. (7/13)

Giving the orange stripe its colour is the ceiling mural in the church at Staunton Harold. The Chevalier d’Eon, a gender non-conforming French spy, soldier and expert fencer, sought refuge from persecution on the estate, with close friend and ally, the 5th Earl Ferrers. (8/13)

A playbook from @Smallhythe in Kent lends its colour to the yellow stripe. Edy Craig and her two partners transformed the house into a pioneering place that offered women freedom of expression in art, gender and sexuality. (9/13)

The hills of @PeakDistrictNT make up the green stripe. Here poet and author Edward Carpenter, a pioneer of sexual freedom, walked the moors with partners George Hukin and George Merrill. Their relationships coupled with a passion for the landscape and natural world. (10/13)

Our penultimate stripe is created with the blue of the tiled fire surround at Monk’s House, Sussex. It was home to novelist Virgina Woolf, who pursued an intense affair with writer Vita Sackville-West which inspired her controversial novel, Orlando. (11/13)

Finally, the rose garden @NTLymePark is behind the purple stripe. James Lee-Milne, a bisexual man, was involved in the acquisition of many places we care for, including Lyme Park. In 1943, he wrote of it ‘Lyme is one of England’s greatest houses’. (12/13)

Our inclusive #Pride flag is made up of just some of the fascinating stories from the places we care for: https://bit.ly/3Q7ds3u We’re continuing to research and share the histories of these places, reflecting the diversity of the people who have made their homes here. (13/13)

@nationaltrust brilliant thread. As a life member, I'm so pleased to see you doing stuff like this.

@yaxleymellis Thanks so much for your support, Robert.

@nationaltrust Thank you for sharing these stories. They are such a part of who we were and who we are 🌈

@Mike___MK Thanks for your support, Mike. Have you ever visited any of these places before?

@nationaltrust Thank you for once again shining a light on histories often forgotten or dismissed. What an exemplary approach to #Pride posting I hope others with a platform can take inspiration or guidance from 🌈

@JoshAlexCairo Thank you, Josh.

@nationaltrust @sullivansa1 Great thread and thank you for you support of the entire LGBTQ+ community. History is not always kind to the treatment of LGBTQ+ lives but these remarkable people are a beacon of light 🏳️‍🌈🌈🏳️‍⚧️

@jweiss70 @sullivansa1 Thanks Jessica.

@nationaltrust This is brilliant @nationaltrust 👏 This is the way for large organisations & corporations to celebrate #Pride Loved learning all of this. 💗

@Katherine_L_21 Thanks for the kind words, Katherine.

@nationaltrust So interesting, thank you!

@LCobbyWriter You're very welcome, Louise.

@nationaltrust Why does the national trust believe it must highlight the sexuality preferences of people…. Why not just husband the national heritage

@GSCOTT71212158 Hello William, many of the places we look after were home to, and shaped by, people who challenged conventional notions of gender and sexual orientation. As such, we’ve supported Pride for many years.

@nationaltrust @LindumChap I love what you do. As a very long time member of yours, my longtime partner & me have always felt welcome at your properties. Thank you. 🏳️‍🌈

@nationaltrust @RClareAshton Brilliant, thanks NT! An awesome thread and so important to share these stories. 😀🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

@nationaltrust @LGBTglitterati Really interesting post. Thank you for sharing and creating this awesome National Trust LGBTQI+ flag.

@nationaltrust Thank you for your active and ongoing commitment to LGBTQ+ heritage!

@nationaltrust This drivel is why I cancelled my membership

@nationaltrust The Pride flag looks like this 🏳️‍🌈

@nationaltrust @ecossefilmmaker Thanks. That’s really interesting. 🙂

@nationaltrust Love it!