Under threat: the birthplace of Darwin’s historic theory

Groups including the Geological and Linnean societies say government's 3,000% rent rise could force them to quit their Burlington House premises after 167 years

Some of Britain's most distinguished learned societies say they may be forced to leave their central London premises because the government has imposed rent rises of more than 3,000% over the past few years.

Last week the Geological Society and the Linnean Society announced that they had united with the Society of Antiquaries in a campaign to try to stop the government pricing them out of their premises at Burlington House, on Piccadilly, where they have been since 1854.