Heritage Open Day: Celebrating our 130 year anniversary since the National Trust bought Alfriston Clergy House - the first property bought by the then newly formed National Trust - a fascinating exhibition looking at the life of our most illustrious tenant. Celebrating our 130 year anniversary since the National Trust bought Alfriston Clergy House - the first property bought by the then newly formed National Trust - a fascinating exhibition looking at the life of our most illustrious tenant Sir Robert Witt. Sir Robert was co-founder of the National Art-Collections Fund (now the Art Fund), Trustee of the National, Tate and Watts galleries and co-founder of the Courtauld Institute of Art along with his wife tenanted the property from early 1900s until the 1950s.