Nash's House and New Place

At the end of Chapel Street, you will find the beautiful old building from the sixteenth century, known as Nash's House. This house belonged to Thomas Nash, who in 1626 married Elizabeth Hall, Shakespeare's grand daughter and was her first husband.

The house is one of the five Shakespearean properties, and is now in use as a local history museum. The cool quiet interior offers a haven of tranquillity, where you will admire the many beautiful pieces of antique furniture, contemporary to the period of the building. You can see the fascinating story of Stratford's past and enjoy the displays portraying domestic life, as it would have been lived during Shakespeare's lifetime. From the kitchen window of the house you can see the foundations, all that remains, of New Place.

In 1597 William Shakespeare bought New Place, one of the finest properties in Stratford. After his many triumphs at The Globe Theatre in London he returned to live here in 1610 six years before his death. Although little is known about the house, it was considered to be an imposing building, as the only remaining picture bears out. This is a sketch, drawn from memory in 1737 by the engraver George Vertue. In 1756, the owner of New Place became so upset by the frequent visitors who came to look at the house, and the old mulberry tree in the garden, thought to have been planted by the Bard himself, that he had the tree cut down. Three years later, when he was involved in an argument with the town authorities over taxes, the house itself became his next victim, when he had it demolished leaving only the foundations. The site of the foundations of New Place is preserved in the garden at the side of Nash's House.

When you leave the museum don't miss visiting the Elizabethan style Knott Garden. Divided by stone paths into four knotts or beds, each one is planted with box and interlaced with flowers and herbs, such as thyme, savory, cotton lavender and hyssop; all well known and loved by Shakespeare. Adjoining the knott garden is the Great Garden of New Place, with the original orchard and kitchen garden. Beautifully laid out, with beds full of colourful flowers and hedges of box and yew, all surrounding the velvet like lawn. Here you will find a mulberry tree, said to have been grown from a cutting of the original. This is a peaceful garden, with many seats in sun or shade, inviting you to sit a while and take pleasure in your beautiful surroundings.