9 0 0 ▁ft ▁( 2 7 5 m ) ▁above ▁sea ▁level , ▁where ▁the ▁mountain ▁air ▁was ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁benef icial . ▁His ▁concern ▁for ▁the ▁health ▁of ▁the ▁community ▁prompt ed ▁him ▁to ▁campaign ▁against ▁over - process ed ▁white ▁bread , ▁encou rage ▁fell ▁running ▁and ▁above ▁all ▁st rive ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁foot paths ▁were ▁kept ▁open ▁to ▁allow ▁walking . ▁He ▁lost ▁his ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁council ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁the ▁vote ▁probably ▁t ipped ▁by ▁ob jections ▁to ▁his ▁firm ▁st ance ▁on ▁public ▁houses ▁and ▁alco hol ▁lic ens ing . ▁ ▁National ▁Trust ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁Ra wn s ley ▁had ▁become ▁convinced ▁that ▁the ▁sur est ▁means ▁of ▁protect ing ▁land ▁for ▁public ▁enjoy ment ▁was ▁not ▁lo bb ying ▁or ▁legisl ation ▁but ▁ownership . ▁There ▁had ▁been ▁cases ▁in ▁which ▁people ▁wished ▁to ▁give ▁or ▁be que ath ▁property ▁to ▁the ▁public , ▁but ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁suitable ▁national ▁body ▁that ▁was ▁leg ally ▁capable ▁of ▁ow ning ▁it . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁Hunter ▁had ▁proposed ▁" the ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁corpor ate ▁company " ▁to ▁hold ▁properties ▁" with ▁a ▁view ▁to ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁open ▁spaces ▁of ▁the ▁country ". ▁Hill ▁was ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁the ▁idea ▁but ▁the ▁Commons ▁Pres ervation ▁Society ▁was ▁against ▁it , ▁fear ing ▁that ▁such ▁a ▁body ▁would ▁comp ete ▁with ▁it ▁for ▁public ▁support ;