Mary Arden’s Farm. Photo May 1998.
This is another place on my list of places to revisit on a future trip to England. I spent the previous day in Stratford, but only stopped briefly at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Mary Arden’s Farm and didn’t actually go in to either property. But I was happy with the few photos I got on my way up to Warwick.
[Update: As Marilyn pointed out in the comments – I totally forgot that this property was re-identified as Palmer’s Farm in 2000, even though I posted about it on the old News Page (the pre-blog blog) and changed it on my personal homepage travel section. Age is catching up to me!]
In the 1990’s the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust purchased the neighbouring Tudor farm buildings to prevent modern development on the site. It was then that researchers identified this second property as the real Mary Arden’s house, where Shakespeare’s mother was born. The house in your picture (one of my own most favourite places) has been known as Palmer’s Farm since 2000, and the tour now includes both properties.
(Lara, when you come over again do try to get to all the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust properties – all have their own character and you would love them. The Birthplace itself on Henley Street was decorated ( i.e. painted and wallpapered) a few years ago in the style it would have been in Queen Elizabeth’s day – I thought I would hate it, but actually the bright colours etc. were very attractive, even if it was a bit of a shock.)
If and when I do get back, I will definitely go back into the properties in town. I did go in on my 1998 trip, but I’d like to see the redecoration at the Birthplace!