Stratford upon Avon, a small market town in Warwickshire, is both the birth and resting place of the playwright and poet William Shakespeare.

Born on Henley St, in Stratford upon Avon, Shakespeare grew up in an attractive half-timbered house with his parents and siblings. When his Father John died, the property ownership passed to his eldest son William. The house remained in the bard’s family for many years passing from his daughter Susanna, to grandchild Elizabeth Barnard. On the childless Elizabeth’s death, it was transferred to Thomas Hart, Shakespeare’s great-nephew.

Shakespeare continued his adult life in Stratford-Upon-Avon, marrying local girl, Anne Hathaway.  In 1597, having gained wealth in the capital, William purchased New Place for approximately £120 and this became their family residence, although he himself spent a great deal of time in London. The timber and brick property was the second largest estate in Stratford upon Avon and was on the corner of Chapel St and Chapel Rd. It is thought that Shakespeare moved back to Stratford and New Place on a more permanent basis around 1610 and it was here that he died in 1616.

On 25 April 1616, William Shakespeare was buried at England’s most visited parish church, Holy Trinity. The church, which was built in 1210 on the banks of the River Avon, is Stratford’s oldest building. Owning to the fact that Shakespeare was both baptised and buried there, it is often simply referred to as ‘Shakespeare’s Church’ and receives in excess of 200,000 visitors each year.

Today the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, an independent charity, owns and maintains a number of properties in the Stratford upon Avon area including the Henley St property and the site of New Place, which is now preserved as a picturesque garden. Its office is based next to the Bard’s childhood home on Henley St and it also looks after the family properties of his mother, Mary Arden, wife, Anne Hathaway and the marital home of his daughter Susanna.

The Trust was set up in 1846, originally name as the Shakespeare Birthday Committee, to purchase the Henley St property, after American businessman P.T. Barnam wanted to buy the birthplace and move it “brick by brick” to the US. The following year, they had raised £3,000 and it was purchased for future generations to enjoy.

Stratford is also home to the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), a theatre company which works to ensuring that the work of Shakespeare is contemporary and relevant to today. Its patron is Her Majesty the Queen, whilst His Royal Highness and The Prince of Wales acts as the organisation’s president.