A TYPE of motorcycle favoured by war hero and writer T.E Lawrence is wheeling its way to his former home this weekend.

The National Trust says there will be a small gathering of vintage Brough Superior motorcycles at Clouds Hill, Lawrence’s humble cottage near Bovington on the afternoon of Saturday, May 19 – the 83rd anniversary of his death.

Lawrence had a passion for this particular brand of bike, and the high speeds it could reach – he owned several of them while at Clouds Hill in the 1920s and 1930s.

Tragically, he was fatally injured in an accident on his Brough Superior SS100 motorcycle, close to Clouds Hill, in May 1935. He died six days later.

The National Trust, which owns Clouds Hill, says at around 1.30pm on Saturday, the Dorset Brough Group will be bringing up to six Brough Superiors to the cottage and will park them just in front of it.

Trust spokesman Jo Atkins said: “Visitors to the cottage will be able to view the motorcycles and imagine T.E Lawrence riding around the Dorset countryside.”

She added: “Mr Brough advertised his products in the 1920s as ‘the Rolls-Royce’ of motorcyles and they have lived up to this reputation ever since.

“Clouds Hill, a tiny woodsman’s cottage was where Lawrence retreated to, away from the hurly burly of life as a private soldier in the nearby Royal Tank Regiment. The Brough Superiors were one of the few luxuries he allowed himself in his otherwise austere lifestyle.”

Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia due to his exploits involved with the Arab Revolt during the First World War, is buried in the churchyard at St Nicholas Church, Moreton.

Clouds Hill is open seven days a week, 11am to 5pm, until October 31.