Anne Hathaway's Cottage
Anne Hathaway's Cottage is currently closed
A photo opportunity in the beautiful grounds
Our traditional cottage garden will delight your senses
Upstairs in the Cottage
Spotted in the gardens
Activities for the whole family
Explore our sculpture trail
Regrettably Anne Hathaway's Cottage will remain closed until at least spring 2021 while coronavirus restrictions remain in place. All of our sites will continue to be protected and conserved until their doors open once again. Please check our website and social media for the latest updates, or you can join our mailing list. Continue reading...
Visit Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the beautiful 500 year old cottage where Shakespeare courted his bride-to-be. See original furniture including the Hathaway bed and uncover five centuries of stories in this picturesque cottage and 13 generations of the family who lived there.
Anne
Hathaway’s Cottage was originally a farmhouse. It was built in 1463 of
cruck construction, when the building would have comprised of just three rooms. The kitchen and parlour still remain
from the original medieval construction. The first Hathaway to live in the cottage
was Anne’s grandfather John Hathaway, who was a tenant sheep farmer. Anne,
later Shakespeare’s wife, was born in the cottage in 1556.
When the site was a farm it was known as ‘Hewlands’ and the Hathaway family were very successful sheep farmers. The garden would have been a farmyard with some livestock and likely a herb garden.
After the death of Anne’s father in 1581, Anne’s brother Bartholomew inherited the tenancy of the 90-acre farm and later bought it freehold. He went on to make various improvements to the cottage including an extension. The first floor was inserted and the chimneys added at the same time. This work was completed before the death of Bartholomew in 1624.
By the late 1800s, the family’s fortunes were on the wane; some property including land and houses were mortgaged and eventually sold. In 1838, the cottage itself was sold and the remaining Hathaway family continued to live in the cottage as tenants.
One of the last Hathaways to live in the cottage was Mary Baker. When the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust purchased the cottage in 1892 from the then landlord, Mary and her family were paid the large wage of £75 per year. Their duties were to share family stories and to care for the cottage, both of which we continue to do today. Her son William Baker still occupied part of the cottage until he left in 1911.
Keep Shakespeare’s Story Alive
Now more than ever we need your help to protect all five of Shakespeare’s family homes
Shakespeare's Birthplace
Mary Arden's Farm
Anne Hathaway's Cottage
Shakespeare's New Place
Hall's Croft
Highlights
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gardens
Beautiful Cottage Gardens
Wander through nine acres of beautiful woodland, orchards & gardens
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families
Activity tent
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discover
Sculpture Trail
See works inspired by Shakespeare as you explore the grounds
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enjoy
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage Cafe
Relax and grab a bite in our cafe, with stunning views of the Cottage
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discover
Willow creations
Hear a sonnet in the arbour and look out for our giant willow sculptures
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gardens
Restoration of the gardens
Find out how we are restoring the romantic style of the gardens
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collection
Must-see Items on Display
Events
The Shakespeare Birthday Lecture
Co-presented with The Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham
- Lecture
- Booking required
John Milton's Shakespeare & the history of reading plays
Ordinary & extraordinary: John Milton's Shakespeare and the history of reading plays
- Lecture
- Booking required
Getting here
Nearby attractions
10 minutes drive to Shakespeare’s Birthplace
7 minutes drive to Mary Arden’s Farm
Warwickshire,
CV37 9HH
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Help us keep Shakespeare's story alive