Arundells Salisbury reopens to the public
The house was home to former Prime Minister, Sir Edward Heath
Arundells, one of the finest houses in Salisbury, is reopening to the public today (18th March 2022).
The house was the private home of Sir Edward Heath, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and is managed by the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation.
The house, with its magnificent gardens in the Cathedral Close, is hosting several events throughout the spring and summer months, showcasing local music, drama, and art, as well as guest lectures from prominent voices from British politics and industry.
Peter Batey CMG, OBE, Chairs the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation:
“We are delighted to welcome the public back to Arundells and look forward to an excellent programme of events during the Spring and over the Summer."
"Sir Edward wanted to share the charm and beauty of Arundells and encourage people to enjoy its attractive gardens and view his extensive art collection and memorabilia accumulated over his long life at the highest levels of politics, music and ocean racing. The programme for the coming season includes dramatic performances in the garden, concerts in both house and garden and a wide range of speaker meetings. This year’s Edward Heath lecture will be given in Salisbury Cathedral on 30th June by Ken Clarke (the Rt Hon the Lord Clarke of Nottingham, CH, PC, QC). After his lecture, Gyles Brandreth will facilitate a discussion between Ken, Robin Butler, Vernon Bogdanor and Dominic Sandbrook.”
Events at Arundells
Beginning 30th of April, renowned sculptor Martin Jennings is hosting an exhibition of his work at the house, including a talk with Jennings at Arundells on 12th May – tickets for the talk are available online, and entry to the exhibition is free with the cost of admission to the house or gardens. Jennings famously sculpted a bust of Sir Edward in 1991 and author George Orwell in 2017, as well as a statue of Sir John Betjeman in 2007 that stands outside St Pancras station. At the reception, Jennings will deliver a lecture on the sculpting process and muses, sharing the stories behind his famous works.
Throughout the summer the Arundells garden will host dramatic performances of Shakespearean play A Comedy of Errors on the 16th of June; Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest on the 26th of July; and E. Nesbit’s The Railway Children on the 18th of August. Jazz group The Ragtime Revellers will return to Arundells on the 8th of June.
The spring and summer months will feature several guest speakers, beginning on the 6th of April with Sir Peter Riddell who will deliver a talk on integrity in British politics followed by Robert Buckland MP on the 22nd of April on the UK’s future relationship with the European Union. In June, former
Conservative minister Ken Clarke will deliver a speech at Salisbury Cathedral, and in July Minette Batters, President of the NFU will deliver a talk on the future of food and the countryside.
In the house visitors can see works by Winston Churchill, L S Lowry, John Singer-Sargent, John Piper, Walter Sickert, and Augustus and Gwen John; gifts from world leaders including Richard Nixon, Fidel Castro and Chairman Mao; political cartoons, Lloyd George’s desk and an extensive range of nautical, musical and political memorabilia.