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Site of Shakespeare's grand Stratford home to open to the public Site of Shakespeare's grand Stratford home to open to the public
(35 minutes later)
In July a grand bronze-studded oak door will swing open on the main street of Stratford-upon-Avon, inviting visitors into a house that was demolished more than 250 years ago – the mansion which Shakespeare bought in his hometown when he had made his fortune on the London stage. In July a grand bronze-studded oak door will swing open on the main street of Stratford-upon-Avon, inviting visitors into a house that was demolished more than 250 years ago – the mansion which Shakespeare bought in his home town when he had made his fortune on the London stage.
The reopening of the site of New Place, with a new garden tracing the lines of the lost house, rediscovered in a major archaeological excavation which also found the playwright’s kitchen, complete with the foundations of the oven and cold store, will be a highlight of the celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of his death.The reopening of the site of New Place, with a new garden tracing the lines of the lost house, rediscovered in a major archaeological excavation which also found the playwright’s kitchen, complete with the foundations of the oven and cold store, will be a highlight of the celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of his death.
Project manager Julie Crawshaw said it was the most complex venture anywhere in the world marking the anniversary, and the biggest in more than half a century for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which owns the site and a string of beautiful historic buildings in and around Stratford associated with the playwright. Julie Crawshaw, project manager, said it was the most complex venture anywhere in the world marking the anniversary, and the biggest in more than half a century for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which owns the site and a string of beautiful historic buildings in and around Stratford associated with the playwright.
The excavations have allowed the most authoritative reconstruction drawings of what the house looked like in Shakespeare’s day: the only image of the tall, five-gabled front was an 18th-century sketch made from memory after the house was demolished. The archaeology proved that the imposing facade visible from the street was not the main house but what Crawshaw described as “Shakespeare’s party house”, an elaborate entertainment space with grand reception rooms, separated by a courtyard and the servants’ wing from the residential house where he reared his children with his wife Anne Hathaway, kept his library, probably wrote the late plays, and died in 1616, according to literary legend on his 52nd birthday on 23 April, St George’s Day. The excavations have allowed the most authoritative reconstruction drawings of what the house looked like in Shakespeare’s day: the only image of the tall, five-gabled front was an 18th-century sketch made from memory after the house was demolished.
The archaeology proved that the imposing facade visible from the street was not the main house but what Crawshaw described as “Shakespeare’s party house”, an elaborate entertainment space with grand reception rooms, separated by a courtyard and the servants’ wing from the residential house where he reared his children with his wife, Anne Hathaway, kept his library, probably wrote the late plays, and died in 1616, according to literary legend on his 52nd birthday on 23 April, St George’s Day.
The house was destroyed in 1759 by the irascible Rev Francis Gastrell, who was feuding with the local authorities over taxes. Three years earlier his wife had cut down the mulberry tree in whose shade Shakespeare was said to have sat reading, because she was annoyed at tourists peering into the garden. Gastrell went further and demolished the entire house – enraging the town so much he had to move to Lichfield.The house was destroyed in 1759 by the irascible Rev Francis Gastrell, who was feuding with the local authorities over taxes. Three years earlier his wife had cut down the mulberry tree in whose shade Shakespeare was said to have sat reading, because she was annoyed at tourists peering into the garden. Gastrell went further and demolished the entire house – enraging the town so much he had to move to Lichfield.
Crawshaw pointed out that Shakespeare would have walked past the mansion every morning, walking to school from the modest house where he was born – his old school room, still in use as a classroom for King Edward VI school, will also open to the public this year. Crawshaw pointed out that Shakespeare would have walked past the mansion every morning, walking to school from the modest house where he was born – his old schoolroom, still in use as a classroom for King Edward VI school, will also open to the public this year.
The neighbouring Nash’s house, which belonged to his son-in-law, has also been restored and will hold an exhibition explaining the complex history of the site, which includes a beautiful knot garden created in 1920 by public subscriptions as a war memorial, with plants donated including roses from the king and queen. The knot garden is on the national register of historically important sites in its own right, and has also been restored. The neighbouring Nash’s house, which belonged to his son-in-law, has also been restored and will hold an exhibition explaining the complex history of the site, which includes a beautiful knot garden created in 1920 by public subscriptions as a war memorial, with plants donated including roses from the king and queen. The knot garden is on the national register of historically important sites in its own right and has also been restored.
The new garden will include lines from sonnets and plays, and sculptures including a five-metre tall tempest-bent bronze tree – cast in dozens of sections from a real tree still growing at Box Hill in Surrey. A recreation in bronze of a Tudor desk and chair will invite visitors to sit and consider Shakespeare’s works and life, in quiet contemplation at least until the next coach party arrives. The new garden will include lines from sonnets and plays, and sculptures including a five-metre-tall tempest-bent bronze tree – cast in dozens of sections from a real tree still growing at Box Hill in Surrey. A recreation in bronze of a Tudor desk and chair will invite visitors to sit and consider Shakespeare’s works and life in quiet contemplation – at least until the next coach party arrives.
Finds from the excavation will also be on display for the first time, including a piece of bone with circles punched out to make buttons, and a man’s thimble – though Crawshaw, who tried it on and found it too big even for her thumb, dare not let herself believe it once belonged to the playwright’s father, a glover.Finds from the excavation will also be on display for the first time, including a piece of bone with circles punched out to make buttons, and a man’s thimble – though Crawshaw, who tried it on and found it too big even for her thumb, dare not let herself believe it once belonged to the playwright’s father, a glover.