Mary Arden's Farm, also known as Mary Arden's House, is the farmhouse of Mary Shakespeare, the mother of Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare. Because of confusion about the actual house inhabited by Mary in the mid-sixteenth century, the term may refer to either of two houses.
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Mary Arden's Farm, also known as Mary Arden's House, is the farmhouse of Mary Shakespeare (née Arden), the mother of Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare. Because of confusion about the actual house inhabited by Mary in the mid-sixteenth century, the term may refer to either of two houses. Both are grade I listed and located in the village of Wilmcote, about three miles from Stratford-upon-Avon.
A house wrongly identified as Mary Arden's (it actually belonged to a neighbour) was bought by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1930 and refurnished in the Tudor style. This timber-framed house has been maintained in good condition over the centuries.
In 2000, it was discovered that the building preserved as Mary Arden's house had belonged to a friend and neighbour Adam Palmer and the house was renamed Palmer's Farm. The house that had belonged to the Arden family is Glebe Farm, near to Palmer's Farm. A more modest building, it had been acquired by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1968 for preservation as part of a farmyard without knowing its true provenance. The building has lost some of its original timber framing and features some Victorian brickwork, but it has been possible to date it through dendrochronology to c.1514.
The houses and farm are presented as a "working Tudor farm". The farm keeps many rare breeds of animals, including Mangalitza and Tamworth pigs, Cotswold sheep, Longhorn cattle, Bagot and Golden Guernsey goats, geese and birds of prey, including...
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What a fantastic living history place to visit. The farm is staffed by really friendly people who are dressed as the Tudor s would be at that time. They interact with you as if you were living in the Tudor period calling you Master and Mistress and chatting about how the recent hot weather was effecting their harvest and how the Master of the farm was treating them. A real immersive experience. At various time of day you are invited to see daily Tudor farm events. When the big bell was rang at lunch time, all the farm workers went to the main house to sit together around a board across two trestles. They had their dinner and talked about the farm and how it was performing. We saw the original board meeting with the Master in his personal chair. He was the chairman. Honestly, we learned so much that day. The entrance fee allows you to return as many times as you would like to in a 12 month period. We will definitely be returning with our grandson. Brilliant place where history really...
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One word: FANTASTIC. I'm not a family man but this place has everything for big people and little people.
Take a trip in time to the Tudor era. With demonstrations and story-telling by the resident Tudors who'll bring your experience alive.
Even see how Tudor farm folk have their dinner and find out how manners have changed.
The falconry 'shows' (three a day) are magnificent as too are the archery, stone-masonry, weaving, carpentry, needlework and animal husbandry.
There are also walks around the farm where you can see animal breeds kept by the Tudors. You can even learn to drive a gaggle of geese.
It's a hands-on experience and one guaranteed to delight.
There's a lovely clean and tidy restaurant with reasonable prices (no rip-offs like some places), or you can bring your own picnic.
Oh ... and exit through the gift...
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