▁the ▁mid - 1 8 7 0 s ▁he ▁worked ▁with ▁the ▁urban ▁poor ▁in ▁London ▁and ▁Br istol , ▁before ▁being ▁appointed ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁to ▁a ▁rural ▁parish ▁in ▁West mor land ▁in ▁the ▁English ▁Lake ▁District . ▁He ▁soon ▁became ▁a ▁vig orous ▁activ ist ▁in ▁the ▁campaign ▁to ▁preserve ▁the ▁region ▁from ▁excess ive ▁industrial ▁development . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁Ra wn s ley ▁was ▁appointed ▁Vic ar ▁of ▁Cro st h wa ite , ▁C umber land , ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Lake ▁District . ▁He ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁post ▁for ▁ 3 4 ▁years , ▁becoming ▁known ▁locally ▁and ▁nation ally ▁for ▁his ▁ener get ic ▁efforts ▁to ▁improve ▁life ▁for ▁working ▁people . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁founded ▁the ▁K es wick ▁School ▁of ▁Indust rial ▁Art , ▁and ▁he ▁led ▁campaign s ▁to ▁make ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁coun tr ys ide ▁available ▁for ▁everyone . ▁Con cluding ▁that ▁protest s ▁and ▁legisl ation ▁were ▁not ▁enough ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁environment , ▁he ▁joined ▁Robert ▁Hunter ▁and ▁Oct avia ▁Hill ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁to ▁found ▁the ▁National ▁Trust ▁to ▁own ▁land ▁on ▁the ▁public ' s ▁beh alf . ▁It ▁grew ▁to ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁Britain ' s ▁largest ▁and ▁most ▁important ▁land own ers , ▁holding ▁land ▁and ▁buildings ▁in ▁trust ▁for ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁Britain . ▁ ▁Ra wn s ley ▁was ▁a ▁pro l ific ▁writer , ▁publishing ▁more ▁than ▁ 4