The National Trust has found itself at the centre of discrimination claims after refusing to let a Catholic filmmaker shoot at a historic religious site in Northumberland.
Christian Holden, who specialises in documentaries with Christian themes, was turned away from St Cuthbert’s Cave because of what the Trust called his “religious affiliation”.
The 51-year-old filmmaker from Tenby, Pembrokeshire, had requested permission to film at the cave, where St Cuthbert’s body is believed to have been hidden from Viking raids in the 9th century.
But Trust officials said no, sparking accusations from Voice for Justice UK that the heritage charity has breached equality laws.
The Christian human rights group argues that blocking someone from filming based on their faith amounts to illegal discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
Mr Holden had been commissioned earlier this year to create a documentary following Dr Jason Baxter, an American academic, and students from Benedictine College, a Roman Catholic university in Kansas.
The group walked the 62-mile St Cuthbert’s Way in August, tracing the saint’s historic route from Melrose in Roxburghshire, where Cuthbert served as prior, to Lindisfarne in Northumberland, where he was bishop.
The documentary aimed to explore the legacy of the 7th-century monk, who’s now the patron saint of Northumbria.
Christian Holden was turned away from St Cuthbert’s Cave because of what the Trust called his ‘religious affiliation’
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St Cuthbert’s Cave was a crucial location for the film – it’s traditionally believed to be where the saint’s body rested in 875 AD before being moved to Durham, where it remains today.
When Mr Holden requested permission in June to film at the cave, he was initially told the Trust doesn’t host filming of a religious or political nature.
“To have someone say we can’t host you because of your religious affiliation – that’s really stunning,” Mr Holden told The Telegraph.
After following up with a phone call, he received an email confirming the Trust would maintain its refusal due to the film’s religious affiliation.
Emails seen by The Telegraph reveal a Trust employee wrote: “We will, however, be following through with our initial decision that we will not be able to host your filming due to its religious affiliation.
“I’m sorry I know this is disappointing, but this approach has been mandated from the highest level of the NT.”
Saint Cuthbert is a medieval Northumbrian saint and is believed to have been initially buried at St Cuthbert’s Cave in 875 AD before being moved to Durham, where it remains today
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The documentary was forced to go ahead without featuring St Cuthbert’s Cave. Voice for Justice UK believes the Trust has broken the law by denying access based on religious grounds.
Rev Lynda Rose, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “The National Trust is tasked with protecting the nation’s historical sites and monuments. Christianity first came to our shores almost 2,000 years ago.
“For around 1,300 years, we have been a Christian country. Our heritage is Christian.”
She called the refusal “a rejection and betrayal of the heritage they ostensibly exist to protect”.
It’s not the first time the Trust has faced criticism over its approach to Christianity.
In 2023, the charity released an “inclusivity and wellbeing” calendar that featured Diwali, Eid and Ramadan but left out Christmas and Easter.
The National Trust has since insisted it doesn’t actually have a formal policy against religious filming.
A Trust spokesman said: “The National Trust has no mandate or policy about religious filming.
“Each request should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and we are looking into how this was handled to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
They pointed out that religious programmes have been filmed at Trust properties before, including Songs of Praise at Fountains Abbey in 2022.
“We welcome everyone to the places in our care and provide space for people to come together and celebrate their culture and heritage,” the Trust said.
The organisation says it’s keen to work with Mr Holden to find a resolution to the issue.