Arundells In 1985, at the age of 69, the former British Prime Minister, Sir Edward Heath, bought Arundells, partly because of its proximity to the Solent, where he sailed. He engaged the renowned interior designer, Derek Frost, whose brief was to modernise the house in a contemporary fashion while paying respect to the Queen Anne original. Frost designed display cabinets to house Sir Edward's many trophies and awards. He also designed a number of custom pieces of furniture for the house that remain there to this day. It was the first time in his life that Sir Edward had owned a
Arundells acquiring its current name. Arundells housed Godolphin Girls' School and a boys' boarding school at different times in the 19th century, with Godolphin's, which is still located in Salisbury, moving from Arundells after an outbreak of cholera in the city. During the Second World War, Arundells was used as a book and wool store by the Red Cross. It fell into serious disrepair after the war and the Cathedral Chapter, responsible for the Close, considered demolishing it, before the leasehold was purchased for a token amount by Mr and Mrs Robert Hawkings in 1964, and the property was subsequently renovated.