The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT) has secured £244,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support a major conservation programme at Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the iconic thatched cottage where a young William Shakespeare courted his future bride. The initiative is part of the Trust's broader multi-year planned conservation strategy across the Shakespeare family homes in Stratford-upon-Avon, safeguarding these globally important buildings for future generations.
Conservation Work and Visitor Access
Works at Anne Hathaway's Cottage will begin imminently and run through to March 2027. Crucially, the Cottage will remain open during the programme, allowing visitors to witness conservation activities as they happen and develop a greater appreciation of the specialist expertise required to maintain historic structures. The scheme will encompass vital repair and conservation measures to the Grade I listed property, which dates predominantly from the fifteenth century and attracts visitors from around the globe annually.
Opportunities for Training and Community Engagement
The programme will also create fresh opportunities for apprenticeships, training, volunteering, and community engagement related to heritage conservation. Mark Ratcliffe, Head of Estates at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said: "Anne Hathaway's Cottage is one of the most important surviving historic homes associated with Shakespeare and his family. This funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will allow us to undertake essential conservation work to protect the building for generations to come, while also giving visitors a rare opportunity to experience conservation in action."
Support from National Lottery Heritage Fund
Liz Bates, Director, England, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "Anne Hathaway's Cottage is an internationally significant heritage site with a powerful connection to England's literary and cultural history. We are pleased to support the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust with this important conservation project, which will help safeguard the building while also providing opportunities for people to engage with traditional conservation skills and heritage learning." Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy and learn from this remarkable place for many years to come.
Additional Funding and Hamnet-Inspired Tours
In addition to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is also grateful to the Michael Bishop Foundation for its support of conservation efforts at Anne Hathaway's Cottage as part of a broader three-year programme of investment for vital preservation works across all Trust properties. The conservation initiative arrives at a moment of heightened global interest in Anne Hathaway's life following the success of the Oscar-winning film adaptation of Hamnet. Guests can continue to experience the Cottage and gardens through special Hamnet-inspired tours running until the end of July 2026.
