The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT) has been awarded £244,000 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support a major programme of conservation work at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, one of the most internationally recognised historic houses in the United Kingdom.
The project forms part of SBT’s wider multi-year programme of planned conservation across the Shakespeare family homes, ensuring these globally significant buildings are protected for future generations.
Work at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage will commence shortly and continue until March 2027. Importantly, the Cottage will remain open throughout the programme, allowing visitors to see conservation work taking place in real time and gain a deeper understanding of the specialist skills required to care for historic buildings.
The project will include essential repair and conservation works to the Grade I listed building, which dates largely from the fifteenth century and welcomes visitors from across the world each year. The programme will also create new opportunities for apprenticeships, training, volunteering and public engagement linked to heritage conservation.
Mark Ratcliffe, Head of Estates at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said:
“Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is one of the most important surviving historic homes associated with Shakespeare and his family. This funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will allow us to undertake essential conservation work to protect the building for generations to come, while also giving visitors a rare opportunity to experience conservation in action.
“The project forms part of our long-term commitment to caring for the Shakespeare family homes through a planned and sustainable programme of conservation. We are extremely grateful to National Lottery players for making this support possible.”
Liz Bates, Director, England, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is an internationally significant heritage site with a powerful connection to England’s literary and cultural history. We are delighted pleased[AC1] to support the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust with this important conservation project, which will help safeguard the building while also providing opportunities for people to engage with traditional conservation skills and heritage learning.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy and learn from this remarkable place for many years to come.”
The conservation programme will support the continued care of the Cottage and its surrounding estate while maintaining public access throughout the works. Visitors will be able to observe aspects of the conservation process and discover more about the techniques and expertise involved in preserving historic timber-framed buildings.
Alongside support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is also grateful to the Michael Bishop Foundation for its support of conservation work at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage as part of a wider three-year programme of funding for essential conservation works across all Shakespeare Birthplace Trust sites
The conservation programme comes at a time of renewed international interest in Anne Hathaway’s story following the success of the Oscar-winning film adaptation of Hamnet. Visitors can continue to explore the Cottage and gardens through special Hamnet-inspired tours running until the end of July.
ENDS
Thanks to National Lottery players.
