Where
was Shakespeare Born?
The
house now known as Shakespeare's Birthplace stands on Henley Street in
Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. Documentary evidence allows us to trace who owned the
house and who lived there, from the time of William's parents John and Mary
Shakespeare, onwards.
John
Shakespeare lived and worked in this house for fifty years. When he married
Mary Arden she came to live with him and they had a total of eight children,
including their son William Shakespeare. The house doubled as a glover's shop
where John worked at the eastern end of the building, with a barn and workshops
in the backyard.
During
the 16th century the area behind Shakespeare's house would have served various
practical purposes, partly in connection with John Shakespeare's glove-making
and wool-dealing activities. Outbuildings for the storage of animal skins and
liming pits may have been sited there, together with a barn and a stable. The
family is likely to have kept livestock such as a pig and hens. They would also
have grown a range of vegetables, herbs and fruit trees for cooking and
medicine.
Around
20 years after its construction, a two-roomed cottage was added to the western
end of the house, which is now known as Joan Hart's cottage. Shakespeare's
sister Joan lived here with her husband William Hart in the early 17th century.
John
Shakespeare died in 1601 and as the eldest surviving child, William inherited
the house. He leased part of the property and it became an inn, later called
the Swan and Maidenhead, which remained in the house until 1847. When
Shakespeare died he left the house to his eldest daughter Susanna, although
Joan Hart continued to rent the property as her home. When Susanna died the
house passed to her daughter, Elizabeth.
Although
Elizabeth married twice, she had no children, so when she died the house fell
to Joan Hart's descendants. The house was owned by the Hart family until the
late 18th century, until it went up for sale and was purchased by the
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1847. We have cared for it ever since.
William
Shakespeare inherited two Henley Street properties in 1601, after the death of
his father, John Shakespeare. The total length of the land amounted to roughly
90 feet.
William
rented the two properties to tenants, one of whom was his sister, Joan Hart,
who resided in a cottage in the western part of the house. The tenant at the
eastern end of the house was Lewis Hiccox, who was granted a victualler’s
license in 1604. After William Shakespeare’s death in 1616, the ownership of
the two properties passed to his daughter, Susanna Hall, and after 1649, it
went to her daughter, Elizabeth Barnard.
The
second, larger property was re-named by new tenant John Rutter in 1647,
becoming the Swan and Maidenhead Inn. Four occupants later, the inn - now known
as the Maidenhead - was reduced in size, and the residential side of the
property became home to Shakespeare Hart, Joan’s great grandson. He lived here
until his death in 1747, after which this part of the house was inhabited by
his descendants. What was previously Joan Hart’s house became one of four
terraced cottages.
After
1793, the smaller part of the Maidenhead property was rented to a butcher,
Thomas Hornby, while the entire premises were owned by the Hart family. In the
early 1800s, the property was purchased by Thomas Court who left the ownership
and the Maidenhead licence to his daughter, Anne Court and his other surviving
children. By this point, in 1848, the property had been purchased by the
Shakespeare Birthplace trustees. The eastern part of the property was still the
Swan and Maidenhead Inn, while the central tenement was a butcher’s shop,
leaving the small cottage at the western side as a residential home.
Timeline
of owners from Shakespeare's death to the sale in 1847:
William
Shakespeare inherited two Henley Street properties in 1601, after the death of
his father, John Shakespeare. The total length of the land amounted to roughly
90 feet.
William
rented the two properties to tenants, one of whom was his sister, Joan Hart,
who resided in a cottage in the western part of the house. The tenant at the
eastern end of the house was Lewis Hiccox, who was granted a victualler’s
license in 1604. After William Shakespeare’s death in 1616, the ownership of
the two properties passed to his daughter, Susanna Hall, and after 1649, it
went to her daughter, Elizabeth Barnard.
The
second, larger property was re-named by new tenant John Rutter in 1647,
becoming the Swan and Maidenhead Inn. Four occupants later, the inn - now known
as the Maidenhead - was reduced in size, and the residential side of the
property became home to Shakespeare Hart, Joan’s great grandson. He lived here
until his death in 1747, after which this part of the house was inhabited by
his descendants. What was previously Joan Hart’s house became one of four
terraced cottages.
After
1793, the smaller part of the Maidenhead property was rented to a butcher,
Thomas Hornby, while the entire premises were owned by the Hart family. In the
early 1800s, the property was purchased by Thomas Court who left the ownership
and the Maidenhead licence to his daughter, Anne Court and his other surviving
children. By this point, in 1848, the property had been purchased by the
Shakespeare Birthplace trustees. The eastern part of the property was still the
Swan and Maidenhead Inn, while the central tenement was a butcher’s shop,
leaving the small cottage at the western side as a residential home.
Timeline
of owners from Shakespeare's death to the sale in 1847:
The
owners of the property:
?
-1601 John Shakespeare
1601-1616 William Shakespeare
1616-1649 Susanna Hall
1649-1670 Elizabeth Barnard, nee Nash
1670- ?
Thomas Hart
?
-1707 George Hart
1707-1744 Shakespeare Hart
1744-1753 Ann Hart
1753-1757 George Hart
1757-1793 Thomas Hart
1793-1796 John and Thomas Hart
1796-1800 John Hart
1800-1806 William Shakespeare Hart
1806-1818 Thomas Court
1818-1846 Ann Court
1846-1848 Surviving children of Thomas Court