In 2025, the National Trust invited the celebrated British photographer Martin Parr (1952–2025) to capture the village community of Lacock in Wiltshire, where Henry Fox Talbot had invented modern photography in the 1830s. It was to be Parr's last major commission. "It is such a bittersweet experience for me to look through these photographs of Lacock taken by Martin over the past year. There are so many echoes from his work throughout his long career. … It's a credit to Martin that he made this work, so full of the life he loved, when his health was failing so dramatically. What a great way to end such a distinguished career, back in the Home of Photography." From Susie Parr's Foreword Over the course of 2025, Martin Parr, one of Britain's best-known and most influential contemporary photographers, turned his lens on the community at Lacock, a village in Wiltshire, England, cared for by the National Trust. In what was to be his last major commission, he captured aspects of daily village life, the annual flower show, the Scarecrow Trail and the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. This collection brings together 58 of those remarkable images, chosen by Parr himself shortly before his death. Quirky, ironic, colourful and occasionally poignant, the selection features many of the elements, juxtapositions and observations that make Parr's work so distinctive. The photographs are accompanied by a foreword by Parr's widow, Susie, and an illustrated introduction by National Trust curator Andy Cochrane, who accompanied the photographer on many of the shoots.
