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Clouds Hill, Dorset

In the First World War T.E.Lawrence found fame leading raids against Turkish troops in Arabia. By 1923 he was desperate to leave his past and celebrity behind. Lawrence tried to find refuge in the RAF, who rejected him once his new idenity as John Hume Ross was discovered by the curious press. He then enlisted in the tank corps as an ordinary recruit, and moved to Bovington Camp in Dorset. Here private T.E. Shaw as he was now known, lived a generally unhappy and tormented life, eased by reckless rides on his motorbike, and by retreating to a little cottage at Clouds Hill near the camp. This derelict building was turned into a remarkable little artistic haven where Lawrence worked on his famous account of his wartime experiences The Seven Pillars Of Wisdom. He also received visitors such as E.M. Forster, Seigfried Sassoon, and Thomas Hardy. Ordinary soldiers would also visit to read poetry and modern novels.

The cottage survives and is now owned by the National Trust. The interior has been recreated to appear as it was when Lawrence lived there. Perhaps the words "lived there" are not really accurate, Lawrence never really lived anywhere. The house is small and spartan, except for a huge leather bed surrounded by book shelves in the downstairs room. There is no sense of Clouds Hill as a home. Lawrence and his guests ate out of tins here. No toys ever lay around on the floor. There is no toilet, Lawrence and his friends using the surrounding bushes. It's not surprising he didn't receive many lady visitors at Clouds Hill. This is a man's den, owned by a man who in a sense never grew beyond his solitary boyhood pursuits, even in seeing, and experiencing much more than most men ever do. It is a place of limitation and freedom.

Opening Times: Clouds Hill is open from 18th March to 31st October, 12 midday to 5pm from Thursday to Sunday.

Clouds Hill may close at dusk as there are no electric lights. It is also open on bank holiday Mondays.

Address: Clouds Hill, Wareham, Dorset BH20 7NQ

Directions: Clouds Hill is nine miles east of Dorchester, off the B3390, just east of Waddock. Click here for an interactive map centred on Clouds Hill.

Access: Narrow doorways, small rooms and stairs make this a difficult property for those with mobility problems.Outside there are steep slopes and loose gravel paths. There is a Braille guide available. A separate building houses an audio visual display on the life of T.E.Lawrence which can accommodate wheelchairs. There is a walking frame available at the house. As in Lawrence's day, there are no toilet facilities.

Contact:

telephone 01929 405616

e-mail: cloudshill@nationaltrust.org.uk

web site: www.nationaltrust.org.uk