Address

Shakespeare Birthplace, The Shakespeare Centre
Henley Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6QW

Contact

Tel : 01789 204 016

This timber framed town house, where William Shakespeare was born, contains both original and replica artefacts depicting the house as Shakespeare would have known it. Period Guides, dressed in replica Tudor clothing, welcome you to explore what life was like here in Tudor times. Stroll round the traditional English garden which features many plants and herbs mentioned in Shakespeare's plays and visit the gift shop where every purchase supports and preserves the Shakespeare Houses and Gardens for future generations.

Allow at least 45 minutes to visit the house and exhibition.

SHAKESPEARE ALOUD!

Visitors to the Shakespeare Houses can see and hear his most intriguing characters come alive in the very surroundings which may have inspired them. There are performances throughout the day at Shakespeare's Birthplace.

LIFE, LOVE & LEGACY EXHIBITION

Visit the unmissable exhibition at the Birthplace telling the fascinating story of the dramatist. This enthralling experience interweaves theatre with Shakespearian magic and you will see real treasures and artefacts, associated with the man himself, including Shakespeare's First Folio, literally brought to life!

* Follow Shakespeare's life from Stratford to London

* Witness the important legacy that Shakespeare left behind

* Join in the debate in the Hall of Fame, featuring David Tennant, Judi Dench and more...

Summer Holiday Family Events

21 July – 2 September

Event: Do What Shakespeare Did

Venue: Shakespeare’s Birthplace, daily

Description: Hands-on Tudor activities including preparing a quill, sonnet-writing, designing your coat of arms, pomander-making and more.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply.

Date: From 21 June

Event: The Enchanted Wood

Venue: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, daily

Description: Find the fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream hiding in our enchanted woodland.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply.



Date: 3, 10, 17 & 24 August, 3pm

Event: Puppet Shows

Venue: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Description: Friday puppet shows and stories based on scenes from Shakespeare with the chance to have a go with the puppets. Suitable for ages six and over.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply

Event: Summer Madness

Venue: Mary Arden’s Farm, daily

Description: Learn traditional crafts like baking bread and book-binding during a fun-packed summer at the farm. PLUS...Falconry displays, ‘have a go’ archery and our new mini-farm featuring Shetland ponies and other small friends.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply

Date: 18-27 August

Event: Summer Theatre

Venue: Hall’s Croft

Description: The glorious gardens play host to a family-friendly programme of outdoor theatre in August.

18 & 19 August, 7pm– Richard III

18, 22 & 25 August, 9am– Shakespeare for Breakfast (in the new cafe and includes breakfast).

25 August, 7pm – Romeo and Juliet

26 August, 7pm – Shakespeare’s Queens – She Wolves and Serpents

27 August, 4pm – The Tempest

Cost: For prices and booking visit www.shakespeare.org.uk



Event: Summer at Hall’s Croft

Venue: Hall’s Croft

Description: Brain-busting children’s quizzes and games, and for adults we have The Arter, a delightful designer and craft shopping space.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply



Event: Get your hands dirty and get digging

Venue: Nash’s House & New Place, daily

Description: Discover hidden artefacts from New Place. Unearth a skeleton, find out who it might have been and learn how to log your findings using real archaeology tools and techniques.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply





Summer & Autumn Events



Date: 23 June

Event: Volunteering Opening Day, 10.30am-3pm

Venue: The Shakespeare Houses

Description: Discover more about volunteering at the Shakespeare Houses and how you can get involved. Speak to staff between 10.30am-3pm at the houses. Visit the website www.shakespeare.org.uk for more information.

Date: Until Mid-August

Event: Sweet Pea Festival

Venue: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Description: Enjoy hundreds of blooms of both old and new varieties. Plus...Every Wednesday in July, 2pm - Talks on the history and growing of Sweet Peas.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply

Date: 21 & 22 July

Event: Crafty Beasts

Venue: Mary Arden’s Farm

Description: A celebration of animals and Tudor rural skills including the Goat Grand National, Pony Parade, falconry displays, candle-making, wood-working plus music, dancing and a craft and local produce market.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply



Date: 23 July & 30 October

Event: Artists’ Open Day

Venue: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Description: Painters are invited to portray the Cottage as the seasons change. Artists bringing their own materials get free entre if they lend their artwork for display. Children welcome. Otherwise normal admission and opening times apply.



Date: 25 July, 7.30pm Hall’s Croft

27 & 28 July, 7.30pm Mary Arden’s Farm

Event: Julius Caesar

Description: A comical ‘toga-tastic’ take on the famous Shakespeare play. Outdoor theatre at its most energetic. Bring a picnic, suitable for all ages.

Cost: Tickets £10-£16. To book tel. 01332 258328.



Date: Every day throughout the summer

Event: Anne Hathaway’s Garden

Venue: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Description: Follow a fascinating trail of giant willow sculptures in

the gardens from the Chelsea Flower Show award-

winning team at Birmingham City Council.

24 July – 5 September, every Tuesday & Wednesday 2pm.

Join our award-winning gardening team for regular talks and tours on aspects of the Cottage gardens, ranging from walks and talks to tips and practical demonstrations. Visit www.shakespeare.org.uk for full details.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply



Date: 23, 26 & 27 August

Event: Tudor Hiring Fair

Venue: Mary Arden’s Farm

Description: Experience the noise and bustle of a Tudor market and watch as maids and labourers demonstrate their crafts as they compete for employment.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply



Date: 8 & 9 September

Event: Garden Allotment Festival

Venue: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Description: Celebrate autumn with garden and Shakespeare-themed entertainment, craft demonstrations, food stalls and horticultural experts on hand to give advice.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply



Date: 29 & 30 September

Event: Apple Days

Venue: Mary Arden’s Farm

Description: Celebrate the Tudor apple harvest and learn about the English apple with tasting, juicing, the longest peel competition and apple-themed games and activities.

Cost: Normal admission and opening times apply

Date: 6-21 October

Event: Shakespeare Film Festival

Venue: Stratford-upon-Avon Picturehouse

Description: A two-week programme of iconic films and adaptations of Shakespeare’s works with guest speakers talking about the dramatist’s impact on cinema across the ages. In association with Stratford Picturehouse.

Cost: Box Office 0871 902 5741



The 2012 Stratford-upon-Avon Poetry Festival

4 July – 6 August

A great line-up of headlining artists, outdoor performances, public participation and sparking entertainment makes up an exciting programme of events that will leave Stratford saturated in verse and the spoken word!

There promises to be something for everyone.

• 4 July, 6.00pm. Young People's Poetry. Actors David and Ali Troughton read selected poems written by local school students

• 5 July, 7.30pm. Poetry Parnassus a meeting of poetic minds from many Olympic nations, with international writers T.J. Dema and Kosal Khiev

• 8 July, 7.30pm. What the Dickens! A light hearted celebration of Charles Dickens

• 14 July, 2.00pm. Dickens on Film. David Lean's 1946 Great Expectations

• 15 July, all day. Poetry Sunday. Enjoy recitals in the streets, on the river, up trees and more! Join in a mass rendition of Shakespeare's Sonnnet 18. Free event

• 15 July, 7.30pm. Play Up! and Play the Game! Fun with sports themed poetry

• 17 July, 1.00pm Poetry Workshop with writer-in-residence Kapka Kassabova

• 18 July, 6.00pm. Poetry Antipasti. Join Wendy Freeman to read poetry

• 21 July, 7.30pm. The True Legend of St Helena. Writer Marina Warner unveils the destiny of the Essex-born Empress of the East

• 22 July, 7.30pm. Poetry Mass. A thanksgiving for our world and human creativity

• 29 July, 7.00pm. Poetry for Amnesty. Recitals from Jack Mapanje and Jane Lapotaire and a performance by Bilimankhwe Arts theatre

• 6 August, 7.30pm. Shakespeare as Poetic Muse. With major British poets Wendy Cope, Lachlan McKinnon, Michael Symmons Roberts and Don Paterson

See our What's On listings for full details of all events www.shakespeare.org.uk

Literary Events

Date: 11 July, 1pm

Event: Sweet William with Michael Pennington

Venue: The Shakespeare Centre

Description: Michael Pennington talks about the book of his hugely successful one man show.

Cost: £4, Concessions £3.50, Friends of SBT £3 and Students £1.

Pre-booked tickets are available via the Shakespeare Bookshop. Email: bookshop@shakespeare.org.uk of tel. 01789 201820.



Date: 24-27 July

Event: Living Shakespeare

Venue: The Shakespeare Centre

Description: A four-day course at The Shakespeare Centre in Stratford exploring Richard III, The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night and Much Ado About Nothing through lectures, performance and discussion., To book telephone 01789 207131 or email gennet.rich@shakespeare.org.uk



Date: From 19 September, 7-9pm

Event: Inspired by Shakespeare

Venue: Stratford Business Services (Stratford-upon-Avon), North Warwickshire and Hinckley College (Hinckley) and Warwickshire college (Leamington Spa.

Description: A series of weekly classes taught by expert practitioners covering creative writing, calligraphy and film-making. Learn about those who have been inspired by Shakespeare and have a go yourself.

Cost: £110 for ten weeks. To book tel 01789 207131 to reserve a place.

Date: 25-28 September

Event: Living Shakespeare

Venue: The Shakespeare Centre

Description: A four-day course at The Shakespeare Centre in Stratford exploring The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night and The Tempest through lectures, performance and discussion.

Cost: £300 per person (inclusive of theatre tickets and three evening meals).*

£240 per person (inclusive of theatre ticket only)*

*Overnight accommodation not included.

To book telephone 01789 207131 or email

gennet.rich@shakespeare.org.uk



Date: 26 September, 1pm

Event: Rene Weis on Arden Romeo & Juliet

Venue: The Shakespeare Centre

Description: Professor Weis talks about his edition of Romeo & Juliet for the Arden Shakespeare third series.

Cost: £4, Concessions £3.50, Friends of SBT £3 and Students £1. Available on the door.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is an independent charity that cares for Shakespeare's heritage. It owns five Shakespeare Houses in and around Stratford-upon-Avon:



Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6QW



Nash’s House & New Place, Chapel Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6EP



Hall’s Croft, Old Town, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6BG



Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Cottage Lane, Shottery, Stratford-upon-Avon. CV37 9HH



Mary Arden’s Farm, Station Road, Wilmcote, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 9UN



For further information about The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust events please visit www.shakespeare.org.uk

Directions

By Road

Stratford-upon-Avon is geographically located in the historic heart of England. It is easy to reach from London, the Midlands and the North and is close to the M40, M42 and M6 motorway networks.



The town is a short drive from Junction 15 of the M40 and is well sign posted on all major routes from Coventry, Birmingham, Oxford, Banbury, Worcester and Evesham. Car parking within the town centre is plentiful.

By Public Transport

Nearest train station: Stratford-upon-Avon