William Shakespeare was born in this house in Stratford Upon Avon in April 1564. He is widely considered to be the world’s greatest writer and playwright. This film takes you on a tour around the house, including the two room cottage where he lived with his wife Anne, after they were married in 1582. Stratford Upon Avon is a beautiful place to visit, the town is very picturesque and there are a number of places to see that are connected to Shakespeare.
History
The “birthplace” house in Henley Street belonged to Shakespeare’s parents, John and Mary, which they purchased in 1556. John was a glove-maker by trade, but was also a well respected member of the local community who served on the council and was appointed bailiff (Mayor) in 1568.
John and Mary had eight children, of which William was their third child. William was educated at the local grammar school and would have left school by the age of 15. When William was 18 he married Anne Hathaway, the daughter of a local farmer and they lived together in the cottage at the west end of this property. The couple had three children but tragically their son died in 1596.
Shakespeare left Stratford Upon Avon in 1585 and became an actor and playwright for one of London's leading theatres. By 1597 Shakespeare had become a wealthy and successful playwright. Shakespeare purchased his own house in Stratford upon Avon, New Place where he retired to in 1611. He inherited the Birthplace property in 1601 after his father passed away. William let the property out and it was used as an Inn.
Shakespeare died at the age of 52 on the 23 April 1616 and is buried in the nearby Holy Trinity church. He left this property to his daughter Susanna Hall.
More historic Shakespeare Stratford upon Avon properites and places here: • William Shakespeare's ...
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
The entrance to Shakespeare’s birthplace is through the Shakespeare visitor centre next door, here you can see an exhibition celebrating the writer and his work. If you wish to visit the other Shakespearean houses in Stratford Upon Avon joint tickets can be purchased which will save you money, the tickets are valid for a year and you can revisit as many times as you like. To get to the house you pass through the tranquil garden, where live performances often take place. In Shakespeare’s day the garden would have been used for his father’s business and to grow crops and keep livestock.
You enter the house through the two room cottage at the west end of the property, where Shakespeare lived with his wife Anne, after their marriage. Helpful guides are on hand in three of the rooms to provide information about Shakespeare and his family. You make your way on a self-guided tour through the rest of the house. Much of the house is furnished as it would have appeared in 1574. The Shakespeare family lived in half of the house and the rest was used commercially for John’s various business ventures. In addition to glove-making John was also a tanner, wool and grain merchant and money-lender.
The house is run by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust who care for and run the 5 houses in Stratford Upon Avon connected to Shakespeare. I thoroughly recommend that you visit all of the properties, but especially the birthplace house and Anne Hathaway’s cottage. If you are only visiting the centre of Stratford there are many places only a short walk from the birthplace centre, including New Place and Hall’s Croft where there is a very nice restaurant. The address for the birthplace is:
The Shakespeare Centre
Henley St
Stratford-upon-Avon,
Warwickshire,
CV37 6QW
Great Writers
This film is part of a series of occasional films celebrating some of the great writers and showing the places connected to them that you can still visit today.
Music credits:
Thank you to all artists whose music I have used in this film.
Great Writers Intro
If You Close Your Eyes I Am Still With You by Late Night Feeler
courtesy of You Tube Audio Library
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
All music courtesy of Kevin MacLeod
Minstrel Guild by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Teller of the Tales by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Errigal by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
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Film © MrFord4210