The Orton Trust was founded in 1968 with the aim of encouraging the traditional stonemasonry skills used in the restoration and conservation of historic buildings. Its activities are based in a redundant church at Orton (formerly a chapelry of Rothwell), and a lecture room nearby, both buildings being near Kettering in Northamptonshire. The Trust made a further contribution to the re-use of redundant churches, when in 1977 it acquired St Peter's, Little Oakley, near Corby, which it leases at present to a small craft workshop. With having to look after and maintain 2 churches and a lecture room, as well as running courses, the Orton Trust is fully reliant on donations to carry on its work.