shakespeares birthplace exhibition and house information · shakespeare's birthplace...

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Shakespeare's BirthplaceExhibition and HouseInformationFull Symbol Version

We hope everyone can enjoy their visit.

Welcome to Shakespeare's Birthplace.

www.shakespeare.org

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Learn about Shakespeare's work and life.

His plays are performed in theatres, schools, prisons and parks.

Shakespeare's work has influenced lots of people's work.

For example films, musicals, books, poems, paintings and TV.

Can you find the Shakespeare Action Figure in the room?

Famous Beyond Words Exhibition Room 1

See Shakespeare's plays being performed on the screen.

The film is on a loop and is about 15 minutes long.

Film


The First Folio is the first collection of Shakespeare's works.

It was published in 1623.

It was hand printed and each one is unique.

In 1623 a new copy would have cost £1.

You can see bronze medallions on display.

You can see characters from Shakespeare's plays on the medallions.

They were designed in 1964 for the opening of the centre.

The First Folio


William Shakespeare's father was called John Shakespeare.

John Shakespeare was a glove maker.

William Shakespeare's mother was called Mary Arden.

He was baptised on 26th April, 1564 in Holy Trinity Church.

In 1582 Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway.

Mary was 26 years old, Shakespeare was 18 years old.

Shakespeare in Stratford


Cottage Entrance

Shakespeare and his wife, Anne lived in this part of the house.

He inherited the house after his father's death in 1601.

Joan Hart was Shakespeare's younger sister.

Joan rented this part of the house until her death in 1646.

Shakespeare's Birthplace: Downstairs


Parlour

The grandest room in Shakespeare's home.

You can see brightly coloured painted cloths on the walls.

These are the same as designs from the 1500s.

The Parlour contained the family's best bed.

Beds were very expensive and the best bed was for guests.

The stone floor in the Parlour is about 500 years old.

Shakespeare would have walked across this floor.


Hall

The family ate their meals in this room.

Because John was the master of the house he sat on a chair.

Everyone else sat on wooden benches.

Younger children may have stood up for meals.


Glover's Workshop

Shakespeare's father was a glove maker.

He also made other leather goods.

John's workshop would have smelt of animal dung and urine.

Dung and urine were used during the making of leather.

The gloves and leather goods were sold through the window.


Exhibition Room

This could have been the bedroom for Shakespeare's younger sisters.

Above the doorway is an attic.

John's apprentices would have slept in the attic.

The big window used to be in the Birthroom.

Visitors have signed their names in the glass.

Shakespeare's Birthplace: Upstairs


Boys' Bedroom

Shakespeare would have slept in this room from five years old.

He would have shared the bed with his brothers.

People dressed boys in dresses to look like girls.

People thought that boys were more valuable than girls.

They feared that fairies would steal boys.

They thought girls wouldn't be stolen.


Birthroom

We think that William Shakespeare was born in this room.

We think he was born on 23rd April 1564.

Shakespeare would have slept in a cradle for nine months.

He would have slept on a truckle bed next to his parents.

He would have slept on a truckle bed until aged 5 years old.


Later Extension

Shakespeare built this part of the house in 1603.

This part became the Maidenhead Inn.

Shakespeare built thirteen lodging rooms upstairs.

Downstairs was a drinking parlour.

The Inn later became known as The Swan.


Drinking Parlour and Exit

Downstairs used to be a drinking parlour.

Beneath this room is a cellar for ale, mead and wine.

The room next door is the Inn's buttery.

Drinks and hot and cold food were prepared in the buttery.


The Birthplace Garden

In 1862 a mulberry tree was planted next to the Birthplace House.

You can see pear trees that grew during Shakespeare's time.

There are herbs growing near the house.

You can see basil, camomile, rosemary and lavender growing.

Roses, delphiniums and geraniums are growing in the flower beds.

Shakespeare would have known these plants.


There are two sculptures in the garden.

One is of an Indian poet born in Calcutta called Rabindranath Tagour.

The other is of a Chinese dramatist called Tang Xianzu.

In spring you can see colourful flowering bulbs.

In spring there are tulips, daffodils and snowdrops.


Find more information about our properties on our website:

Tell us if you enjoyed this leaflet and thank you for visiting.

www.shakespeare.org.uk

shakespeares birthplace exhibition and house information · shakespeare's birthplace...

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