arundells

This is a very interesting tour for anyone who remembers Edward Heath as Prime Minister and a rare cahnce to see inside one of the beautiful houses in Salisbury Cathedral's Close. There was a danger of th ehouse being closed to the public some years ago - I'm very glad it's still open to keep that connection with recent history. Ot's full of artefacts - many from the Far East and an interesting colection of political crtoons.

It looks a lovely house but was closed when we visited. One hears he was a grumpy fellow around the Close though a few admit he played the organ well

Beautiful house and garden, maintained in such a way as though Ted Heath had just slipped out. The guide was excellent and the house is packed with such fascinating memorabilia, that it must be one of the most interesting and memorable places to visit. The fact that it is all so recent as well, makes it all the more fascinating. I am so pleased that this house and its content have been saved for the nation and I have encouraged all my friends and relations to get over there - quick! Its proximity to the cathedral, Mompesson House, the Salisbury and Military Museums etc mean that one can enjoy a really full day out. Can't recommend it highly enough.It deserves to go from strength to strength as a major tourist attraction!

Ex prime minister Edward Heath's home. A fantastic historic building....especially good are the silk wall papers....

Edward Heath's home, not many rooms available to view, for the price - £10 per adult. Gardens are delightful. Don't take children, it's quite a tights squeeze at times in the house when busy.

I have now been fortunate enough to have visited this delightful property which was the former home of the now deceased former Prime Minister Ted Heath. Arundells is simply beautiful and set in the beautiful The Close, a stone's throw from Salisbury Cathedral..in fact just cross the green and you are at the cathedral. How Ted Heath must have loved his home. The pretty rear garden backs right onto the River Avon-so tranquil. The front is gravel with a circular lawn. It feels a little like a chateau in Normandy. A truly wonderful place and a must see venue if you are touring Britain.

Limited numbers able to book on each guided tour so everyone could hear the tour guide speak. Where space was tight two guides took part of the group to separate areas which meant a more intimate look at what we were being shown. Loved the fabulous Chinese wallpaper on the hallway/staircase and the collection of cartoons. Sadly no-one in our group could play the piano so we did not hear the tones of the Steinway piano, but were assured that when someone is able to play they are given an opportunity to do so! What a surprise - no 'hands off' here at all - we were able to sit on Sir Edward's chairs and sofas and I was able to admire the fabulous view down the garden from the char he used to sit at his desk in his first floor office. To share the intimacy of the drawing room and hear just a few of the names of his many lunch guests made this a very interesting visit. As someone who loves to sail a highlight was to see the models of his Morning Cloud yachts too. All in all a great deal packed in - but the tour did take longer than anticipated; almost two hours. No matter, I would recommend taking even longer, having a stroll in the lovely garden too and it really would have been interesting to peep behind the scenes into the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom too...... perhaps they will be included one day?

Booked on tour online which was very easy to do. I was taking my elderly parents because I thought they would like it. The guides are very knowledgeable about both Ted Heath and the history of the house. The highlight for me was just getting a feel for the various rooms (you can actually sit on the chairs, unlike most places) and looking at the pictures on the wall. The pictures are really nice - lots of John Piper, some Augustus John, Singer Sergeant, Churchill, a real variety of English and French pictures and also a lot of Japanese reflecting Sir Edward's interest in the Orient. My parents really enjoyed it and we left with a sense that Sir Edward achieved a great deal in life through his interests in music and sailing, as much as his life in politics. He also was a much warmer person in real life and enjoyed living in Arundells very much.

We were recommended to book for a tour and did so even though we thought it would be low on our list. The staff/volunteers are all excellent and helpful. The gardens are really lovely and with autumn colours and Salisbury Cathedral as a backdrop, absolutely stunning.The guided tour was one of the best I have been on and the house was fascinating. I was not a great Heath fan but came away rather admiring the way he had risen from a lowly background to the statesman that he became.He collected, rather cheekily in many cases, a wide range of interesting and beautiful items which adorn the house.This a place I would happily recommend and shall no doubt return to revisit, if only to see the gardens at a different time of year.

A nice lived-in house and personal tour. Lots of nice things. Whilst, in retrospect, one might question his politics, one can only admire his house and garden. Well worth a visit.

Beautiful house in a stunning location. Just as the previous occupant left it so a picture of his well rounded life. Being a former PM's house left untouched its pretty unique.(if you didn't like Ted Heath don't let that stop you going, it is wonderful and a great tour conducted by knowledgeable guides. A must if you are in Salisbury.

an excellent surprise! A fascinating house, knowledgeable guides and the opportunity to get close to photos and other items. A wonderful collection of photos, paintings, cartoons and private treasures. The house has a lovely intimate feel. The gardens are delightful. a real hidden secret in Salisbury.

After checking out this property on Trip Advisor and finding time on my hands after touring the cathedral, I stopped in. Along with a charming couple (coincidentally named Heath), Stuart conducted us on an hour-plus tour of the home of former Prime Minister Edward Heath, left almost exactly as at Heath's death. It is not a museum, but a private home, yet contains elements of both. If you're a fan of yachting or of British politics, music, or you just like to have that unexpectedly delightful vacation experience, this could be the place for you. I had no expectations; consequently, I was both delighted and educated. Where else will you see a baby grand Steinway decorated with signed photographs of the Queen Mum, a gorgeously young King Hussein, Fidel Castro, and Richard Nixon? Where else might you see a Walter Sickert pencil sketch near a John Singer Sargent and TWO Winston Churchill original paintings? Seen a dining room where Dame Maggie Smith may have rubbed elbows with Sting? Possibly nowhere. Curator Stuart knew the Prime Minister for years and clearly knows more than he's telling, which is part of his charm. The gardens are also lovely, with a view of the Avon river at the back, where swans just happened to be gliding during my time there. For political junkies, a separate collection of original political cartoons featuring Mr. Heath are also available to view, along with rare Japanese and Chinese art pieces that Heath picked up during his career. Well worth seeing.

This is an extremely interesting property to visit (regardless of your political persuasion) with very knowledgeable guides. You are taken round the house in small groups on a guided tour and for our visit we had a different guide for each room. The property has a 'lived in' feel which makes it all the more attractive and we were encouraged to sit in one of the rooms as the guide explained its collection of art and personal mementoes. You are free to walk around the gardens; the whole site covers approximately two acres but it doesn't seem that big. Garden leads down to the river, the water meadows and grazing land. An idyllic location. The tour takes at least an hour and a quarter - we had to dash off before the end as our car parking was running out. The staff allowed us to have a quick look at the staircase and room that we were going to miss. Highly recommended.

The gardens are a must to visit and they are well kept and extend right down to the River and to the adjacent water meadows. The guides were most informative and we spoke to the Head staff Stuart and Pam who had previously worked for Ted Heath.Fascinating and a real must see property if you have an hour or so to spare.