A lavish nine-bedroom Victorian house in Oxford which was once Lawrence of Arabia’s childhood home, with a bungalow specially built for the adventurer, is up for sale for £2.6million.
Renowned archaeologist and military officer T.E. Lawrence, who is better known as Lawrence of Arabia, moved into 2 Polstead Road with his family in 1896 when he was eight years old.
The large house has a blue plaque to commemorate his residency and even has a bungalow in the back garden where Lawrence spent most of his time as a teenager.
The former childhood home of renowned military officer Lawrence of Arabia in Oxford is on the market for £2.6million
A blue plaque is visible from the front of the grand nine-bedroom property to commemorate T.E. Lawrence’s residency
Portrait of Welsh-born archaeologist, author and military leader Thomas E. Lawrence wearing a headdress (left). Lawrence led the Arab forces in their revolt against the Turks during and after World War. T.E Lawrence as a child in circa 1893 (right)
Included in the large price tag is a bungalow located in the back garden which was built specially for Lawrence and was where he spent most of his time as a teenager
It was built by the Lawrence family because the main house was not big enough to accommodate the whole family and comprises of a sitting room, kitchen, bedroom, shower room and cloakroom.
In addition to the nine bedrooms, the main property also has three bathrooms, two reception rooms, a kitchen, a dining room, family room, study, utility and cloakroom set over four floors.
The four-storey house comprises 3,573 sq. ft, and can be split into two accommodations as there is separate access to the lower ground floor.
T.E. Lawrence was a British archaeologist, army officer and writer. The 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia depicts Lawrence’s experience, played by Peter O’Toole, in Hejaz and Greater Syria during World War I.
The film was nominated for 10 Oscars at the 1963 Academy Awards and won seven including the Best Picture award.
Lawrence and his brothers attended local schools before he went on to study history at Jesus College, Cambridge.
The four-storey house comprises 3,573 sq. ft, and boasts a large garden. The house can be split into two accommodations as there is separate access to the lower ground floor
In addition to the nine bedrooms, the main property also has two reception rooms, ideal for entertaining guests
The dining room has been modernised and has access to the rear of the property and into the large gardens
He called the property his home between 1896 and 1921 and it is where he spent the final year before he left to travel the Middle East, where he picked up the nickname ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.
In 1918, after returning from war, Lawrence was elected a Fellow Of All Souls College.
He gained international fame as the ‘Uncrowned King of Arabia’ after uniting Arab tribes against the Turks during the First World War.
He died in a motorcycle accident in 1935, aged just 46.
The property, which provides easy access to London with direct routes from Oxford Parkway to London Marylebone in 55 minutes, is currently on the market with Knight Frank for £2.6million.
There is a large living room as well as three bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, family room, study, utility and cloakroom
Set over four floors, the luxurious house has plenty of space. Welsh-born T.E. Lawrence moved to the property with his family when he was eight years old
As well as the large main property, there is a bungalow in the garden which built built for Lawrence because the house was not big enough to fit his whole family
‘A substantial house and annexe in this favoured side road in Walton Manor designed by HW Moore and built in the 1890s,’ the listing states.
‘From 1896 to 1921 it was the home of T.E. Lawrence, the famous archaeologist, military officer, diplomat and writer better known as Lawrence of Arabia. The house has been awarded a blue plaque to commemorate this.
‘The house has extensive accommodation over four floors comprising 3573sq.ft with well-proportioned rooms with considerable period detail including sash windows, open fireplaces and cornicing.
‘There is also a one-bedroom bungalow summer house of 453sq.ft at the rear of the walled garden.
‘The property requires general modernisation throughout but offers a rare opportunity to create an exceptional home in this sought after location.’
A WAR HERO WHO HATED PUBLICITY: ASTONISHING LIFE OF T.E. LAWRENCE
During the First World War the Turks, allied with Germany and facing the end of their old empire, were beset by an Arab revolt which Britain wanted the Arabs to win.
Gifted operator TE Lawrence would become a crucial part of the Arab’s plan to overthrow the rule of the Turks
Gifted operator TE Lawrence would become a crucial part of that plan.
Born in north Wales in 1888, he learned Arabic on an archaeological dig in Syria.
As he spent three years there in the run-up to the war he became sympathetic to the Arab people, who had lived under the rule of the Turkish Ottoman empire for centuries.
When the war broke out in 1914, Lawrence became an intelligence officer based in Cairo and two years later the hostilities spread into an Arab revolt.
The British Colonel became the adviser to the son of the revolt’s leader, Sherif Hussein of Mecca.
Renowned for his cunning tactics, Lawrence’s small band of forces hit supply routes which distracted Turkish troops from the fighting they were supposed to be doing.
His efforts were vital in helping Sherif Hussein’s forces win a victory which enabled them to establish a unified state spanning large parts of the Arabian peninsula.
The story would later be immortalised by Peter O’Toole in the epic 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia.
After the war Winston Churchill appointed Lawrence as an adviser but he quit the role as he hated the publicity it gave him.
The war hero died aged 46 in a motorcycle accident just three months after he left the RAF.