- Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust announces Community Open Days this summer at Mary Arden’s Farm, Sat 18 July and Sat 15 August.
- Visit the farm and historic property and participate in Tudor games, Crafts, Object Handling, Quill Writing and ‘Have a Go Archery’
- Tickets cost £5 for adults and £1 for children, available here.
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is celebrating summer at Mary Arden’s Farm with two Community Open Days on Saturday 18 July and Saturday 15 August, 10am – 4pm. The Community Open Days offer an opportunity to visit the farm and historic property as well as participate in Tudor games and have fun in the playground. Tickets cost £5 for adults and £1 for children.
These Community Open Days have this year been supported by NFU Mutual, helping the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust ensure these affordable family events remain accessible to local communities.
Mary Arden's Farm is currently a hugely popular and successful learning centre run by the Trust, a leading education charity, ensuring thousands of Primary School children from across the UK have meaningful first encounters with Shakespeare. Over 6,000 early years, primary and Home Educator families experienced the writer's work and life at this historic and protected site in 2025.
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is however keen to ensure continued community access to the Farm, building on the success of the Community Days offered in 2025 which saw more than 4000 people visit, the Trust have confirmed the two dates this summer, Saturday 18 July and Saturday 15 August.
On each of the Community Days, visitors will be able to enjoy hands-on craft activities, take a tour of Palmer’s Farmhouse, try Tudor games, have a go at archery, meet Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s rare-breed farm animals throughout the day.
Rachael North, Chief Executive of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said: “The Summer Community Open Days offer a wonderful opportunity to welcome our local community to Mary Arden’s Farm, our dedicated primary education setting. Alongside this, we are committed to delivering a vibrant year-round community programme across all our sites - from Walking and Talking groups to monthly craft sessions and knit-and-natter meet-ups. Together, these activities help ensure our local communities remain connected to the historic houses that share the story of the Shakespeare family.”
Teresa Gillam, Charitable Donations Coordinator at NFU Mutual, said: "Supporting thriving rural communities is central to NFU Mutual's values. We are delighted to support the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust's Community Open Days at Mary Arden's Farm in 2026, helping more people enjoy this remarkable historic place and the shared experiences it offers for families and local communities alike."
Mary Arden’s Farm is the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother. Today the property is home to Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s learning centre for primary school children bringing Shakespeare to life through award-winning programmes across the school year.
Built by Mary’s father, Robert Arden around 1514, Mary Arden’s House has been significantly altered over time. Today, visitors to Mary Arden’s Farm can peek inside the chimney and the walls, discover how the house was built and imagine what life must have been like for Mary when she lived here with her seven sisters.
To find out more about Community Open Days at Mary Arden’s Farm and to book your place visit: https://tickets.shakespeare.org.uk/events/4d3ad42d-586f-ef32-9847-656b02b5394e?tg=cae219c0-6890-12e8-b958-debb2f6a637a
Tickets cost £5 for adults and £1 for children.
ENDS
For further information please contact [email protected].
About the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is a charity empowered by an Act of Parliament which cares for a remarkable range of places, objects and archives – from the five Shakespeare family homes to over one million items in our world class collections. Celebrating Shakespeare is at the heart of everything we do.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust generates its income through the support of visitors, donors and volunteers. In April 2018 it was granted National Portfolio funding from Arts Council England, enabling new creative and outreach programmes with a particular focus on communities which are currently less engaged in arts, culture and heritage.
For more information, visit www.shakespeare.org.uk.
About NFU Mutual
NFU Mutual offers a wide range of products, including general insurance, life, pensions, and investments. These products and services are delivered through our network of NFU Mutual agencies, as well as through our direct sales and service centres. With 280 local agency offices located in rural towns and villages throughout the UK, NFU Mutual has become part of the fabric of rural life and remains committed to serving the needs of our members nationwide.
For further information, visit the NFU Mutual Media Centre or NFU Mutual About Us.
