Although little is truly known about William Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon offers glimpses into his life and time. Under the auspices of The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, five houses allow visitors to follow in the Bard’s footsteps, including Mary Arden’s Farm, “home of Shakespeare’s grandparents and the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother;” Shakespeare’s Birthplace, the house where he was born and grew up; Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, “the house where Shakespeare’s wife once lived;” Hall’s Croft, “the elegant house where Shakespeare’s daughter and her husband lived;” and Nash’s House and New Place, the site of the house where Shakespeare died in 1616.
For information on Shakespeare, visiting the houses, and upcoming events, including this coming weekend’s Shakespeare birthday celebration, visit The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust website.
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford in 1564, was brought up and educated there and married a woman from the nearby hamlet of Shottery. Later he bought property in and around the town, including one of the largest houses, New Place. Following his death there, in 1616, he was buried in the parish church. Throughout his life, then, he remained in close touch with his native town, even though, at the height of his career, much of his time was spent in London. The Stratford he knew was certainly very different from today's - in size, smell, noise and general atmosphere. But in one respect it was the same, for Stratford, by the standards of the time, was busy, just as it is now, an essential feature of any successful town. At the same time, it was a period of great change. The townscape was transformed during his lifetime as a result of three disastrous fires; there were near-famine conditions at the end of the century, reducing a third of the population to poverty; plague and other devastating epidemics were a constant threat; and religious differences could flare into physical violence. – from The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust WebsiteRelated Websites