The Trust was formed by Hampshire County Council as part of its response to European Architectural Heritage Year in 1975. Its principal objective was to increase public awareness of the plight of those historic buildings which were suffering from either a lack of maintenance or lack of a viable use. For almost 20 years the Trust operated a revolving fund which allowed it to purchase and restore a number of threatened buildings before putting them back on the market. Not all the buildings the trust saved were sold; a few have remained in the Trust’s ownership and are currently administered by other bodies on the Trust’s behalf: Whitchurch Silk Mill and Bursledon Brickworks for which independent Trusts are now in place, and Bursledon Windmill.

In recent years the Trust has adjusted its operations to reflect changes in the property market. It now provides an advisory role. Funding of the Trust now depends almost entirely on membership subscriptions, and all interested in supporting its work are welcome to join. Members receive the Annual Report and have the opportunity to attend the AGM and other activities such as visits and seminars. The AGM is held somewhere in Hampshire, often in an historic building. The Trust is very grateful for the support of its members who also include local planning authorities and relevant local societies.