Silicon Spa

  Royal Leamington Spa

Warwickshire

By the time the house was purchased by a charitable trust in 1847, it had fallen into great disrepair. A careful program of refurbishment and restoration was carried out, and a modern visitor centre more lately added, so that today's visitor can get a good glimpse into what Shakespeare's early life would have been like. This is part of the Shakespeare birth trust.

William Shakespeare's father, John Shakespeare, moved to Stratford with his wife Mary in 1529. We know that by 1552 they were resident in Henley Street, so it seems likely that William lived here upon his birth 12 years later. It is not known for certain that this was the house where he was born, but it seems very likely, given that the house was in the ownership of the Shakespeare family.

A modern visitor centre is attached to the house, and here you will find exhibits covering Shakespeare's work, his life, and what the times were like. The visitor centre is extremely good.

The house itself is relatively simple, but for the period of the late 16th century, it would have been considered quite a substantial dwelling.

To the rear of the house are small, peaceful gardens, planted with flowers and herbs that would have been known at Shakespeare's time. To check out another Shakespeare birth trust property, look at anne hathaway cottage.

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