Dorset National Trust Great Places To Visit
National Trust properties of Dorset vary from a scraggy sheep grazed hillside field to an elegant lawn trimmed rural mansion.
And in between even more choices!
Clouds Hill home of TE Lawrence.
Touring the county you also have the chance to visit the former home of a world famous author.
Plus that of another author and soldier who incidently both were knew to each other.
Firstly starting with the stately pile of Kingston Lacy.
Kingston Lacy. Manor house and country estate.
Located like a tiny stone island in a sea of 8,500 acres of lush and very rural Dorset countryside.
The former home of the Bankes family was remodelled several times in its history.
Like Many This Too Was Touched By Slavery
Although, like many similar homes of that period sadly touched by involvement in the Caribbean slave trade.
A striking building of Chilmark stone clad in 1830, but before just in brick. Its most well known owner William John Bankes who became engulfed by the Egyptian history trend. He became an enthusiastic collector of artefacts from Egypt.
Kingston Lacy. Manor house and country estate.
One giant obelisk still stands in the garden came from the later Ptolemaic period when Cleopatra ruled Egypt. The inscription also played a part in deciphering hieroglyphics along with the Rossetta stone.
A red granite sarcophagus that once housed the body of Amenemope, Chief Steward of Amun of Thebes can also be found in the extensive grounds.
The house offers a glimpse of stately upper-class life furnished with period items and decor.
Shabti’s sent back to the house from Egypt.
However, William Bankes continued to travel to his favoured country and sent back many artefacts from Egypt for the house.
As an absent estate owner due to being labelled a homosexual he lived for many years in Italy, France and he died in Venice in 1855.
Encompassed in the extensive grounds are yet two more additional National Trust properties to visit.
Kingston Lacy. Manor house and country estate.
Badbury Rings an iron-age hill fort with its beech tree lined approach plus the White Mill a corn mill located on the River Stour near Shapwick.
An almost buy one get two free. However, signing up for Trust membership they would be free anyway! Just at one location you could be getting some of your fee back!
There is also a foreign visitors pass available for 7 or 14 days Admit one – £37, Admit two – £65 or Admit family – £71. 14 days option is Admit one – £43, Admit two – £77 or Admit family – £91.
Touring Pass https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/touring-pass
Dorset National Trust Encompasses Grand And Humble
Heading west the next location is miniscuel and humble compared to the grandeur and size of Kingston Lacy.
The former home of Lawerence of Arabia, T.E. Lawrence or sometimes known as Air-craftsman Shaw.
Air Craftesman Shaw. Former RAF mat at Clouds Hill home of TE Lawrence.
His Clouds Hill cottage was handed over to the National Trust by his family after his mysterious death in motorcycle crash just yards from his oasis of calm in the forested woodland close to the modern Army tank driving ranges of Bovington Camp.
An Inscription Over The Door In Greek… Don’t Worry
Painted brick cottage where Lawrence was surrounded by hundreds of books and music that he played on a giant early record player with the sound emanating from a huge papier-mâché horn.
He even had a hand in the fireplace design at Clouds Hill home of TE Lawrence.
A humble place that was visited by leading figures, writers and even politicians of the mid 20’s to mid 30’s till he died in 1935.
Most of the furnishings are from that time. A number items around the cottage were designed by him or modified by him.
A Greek inscription over the entrance at Clouds Hill letter cut by TE Lawrence.
Four small rooms make up the cottage and the grounds of around five acres provide a chance to experience why Lawrence loved this escape to the country. Mainly after his bitter disillusionment of his war in Arabia and the political decisions that followed after.
Dorset Author’s House Under National Trust Ownership
One of the eminent visitor to Clouds Hill was Dorset author Thomas Hardy at a time when Hardy was himself nearing the end of his life.
He travelled over to see Lawrence from his home at Max Gate in Dorchester. And that is the next place on this National Trust trail.
Max Gate. Home designed and built by Thomas Hardy.
Designed by the author himself Max Gate grew as the author’s finances grew with his book sales.
Books for bricks. As Hardy was able to extend the house over time as sales of his novels went from strength to strength.
Trained as an architect, Hardy had the house built in 1885 and he lived there until his death in 1928.
Here Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Jude the Obscure, The Mayor of Casterbridge and hundreds of poems were penned in various studies dotted around the house. I counted three studies on my visit.
Books Turned Into Bricks For Thomas Hardy
Certainly from the rear of the property you can see how the house expanded in time with additional rooms added over a number of years.
Addotional rooms added at the rear of Max Gate.
A new kitchen, scullery and food stores were built in and after 1895. Extra rooms upstairs as well, one of which was the Poetry or Third Study. Plus, his first wife Emma tended to live apart in a set of third floor attic rooms created for her.
Hardy’s original study was moved to The Dorset County Museum in Dorchester.
The red brick atmospheric home has a pleasant walled garden in which Hardy drew inspiration from for his writings. A place where he walked most days and the garden is still in the same form as it was for him.
Hardy’s Third study at Max Gate.
Not the prettiest of houses. At the time of ifs construction it was very much more isolated than it is today. However, exploring the interior does give you an insight into the man and a chance to see where such famous books and writings were created.
The extended kitchen looking like it would have in Hardy’s time .
Not currently available but there is also a chance to learn from one of the volunteers about local food and witness a cooking demonstration in the kitchen within the newer extension.
Birthplace Of Hardy Also Under National Trust Ownership
As well as the home of his death. The Trust also own the home of his birth, at Higher Bockhampton. Located in a tiny hamlet to the east of Dorchester well within Thorncombe Woods.
Higher Bockhampton. The Birthplace of Thomas Hardy.
From wooded countryside to the open fields of the rolling hills of rural Dorset. Here also the Trust has its reach.
A giant solitary figure carved on the hill above Cerne Abbas is all part of the inventory of the National Trust.
Cerne Abbas Giant Dorset.
The 55 metre high Cerne Giant cut into the chalk hill looks down onto the village complete with its Medieval timber and thatched buildings.
Situated in the middle of a rough pasture field, the club wielding figure complete with male erection has been said to date back to the Roman times or before. However, recent modern science has dated the work from much later times.
Volunteers re-chalking the giant at Cerne Abbas Giant Dorset.
It’s possible to view the giant from afar in a special viewing area on the edge of the village. But every few years the Trust do provide access when they carry out re-chalking the outline of the giant.
Rude Giant Also Owned By The Trust
Volunteers and families help out carrying new material or re-cutting the lines on the very steep hillside location.
This rather rude artwork is now thought to be from the Saxon period.
Perhaps if you fancy a chance to stay in a National trust property for a holiday then head to Portland House overlooking Portland harbour.
Portland House can be rented from the National Trust.
With 7 bedrooms and parking for up to 6 cars this Art Deco house furnished in that same style could be yours for a minimum of 3 days for around £3,000.
Portland House furnished in Art deco style.
Hark back to the days of Agatha Christie in this cliff top property. That has a Mediterranean feel with views beyond to the Jurassic Coast of the county too.
