Clouds Hill is a cottage near Wareham which was the rural retreat of T.E Lawrence, known more commonly as Lawrence of Arabia.
This tiny, beautiful cottage has been kept as he left it, thus reflecting his complex personality and close links with the Middle East, as detailed in a fascinating exhibition about his life which is housed in the motorbike shed.
The bunk room is lined with aluminium foil to help keep in the heat and still contains Lawrence’s sleeping bags. The room was also used as a larder with food stored under glass domes.
Inside the music room you can see Lawrence’s wind up gramaphone with its huge horn. This room was often used to entertain guests who included Thomas Hardy and Robert Graves.
Whilst he lived here, T.E Lawrence read, wrote and listened to music and wrote ‘I’ve a hut in a wood near camp wherein I spend my spare evenings’ about Clouds Hill.
Following his tragic death in 1935 his brother donated Clouds Hill to the National Trust who in turn made Clouds Hill a museum dedicated to his life.
During your visit explore the beautiful grounds or why not enjoy a walk along the ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ trail’ which takes you through idyllic country lanes and leafy woodlands. The trail also takes in Lawrence’s final resting place at a churchyard in Moreton.
Clouds Hill is carefully looked after by The National Trust a charity which dedicates it’s time to looking after hundreds of places around the country. Support them by visiting this beautiful place and seeing for yourself just how much dedication goes into ensuring that these attractions around forever, whilst enjoying a great day out!
