Discover what life was like for Shakespeare in Tudor times at his childhood home.

Shakespeare’s Birthplace is the second of the five Shakespeare Houses to welcome some exciting changes, in line with the ‘Living History’ project which the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust introduced to Mary Arden’s in spring this year.

To complement the carefully reconstructed 1570s period interiors completed several years ago, visitors to Shakespeare’s Birthplace are now welcomed to the house by guides in replica period clothing.  For the first time in over 400 years, glove-making, the trade of Shakespeare’s father, John, will be carried out in the room believed to be the site of the original workshop. Demonstrations will take place periodically throughout the week.           

These changes follow the complete transformation of the visitor experience at Palmer’s Farm, Mary Arden’s where a team of Period Interpreters reconstruct life on a working Tudor farm.  Since March 2007 visitors to this site have been ‘stepping back into the 1570s’ and engaging with the ‘household’ as they out their daily tasks, from hand-milking sheep and cows, cooking over an open fire and baking bread, to threshing in the big barn, dipping tallow candles…and much more. 

Roger Pringle, Director of the Trust, commented:
‘We are confident these new ‘living history’ approaches at two of our best-known houses will give our visitors a greater sense of involvement in and understanding of the household conditions of Shakespeare’s time.  It is all part of our policy of making a visit memorable.’

Shakespeare’s Birthplace is just one of five chapters of the Shakespeare story to discover.  Complete the story with a visit to Mary Arden's where Tudor life comes alive.  Visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, where the young William wooed his wife-to-be.  Visit Hall’s Croft, home to Shakespeare’s eldest daughter and her eminent physician husband, Dr John Hall.  See where our Shakespeare story ends with a visit to Nash’s House & New Place, the latter being the site of the final home of William Shakespeare.