Four miles north-west of Stratford, in the village of Wilmcote, is the farm where Shakespeare's mother grew up. Mary Arden came from prosperous farming stock, and the Tudor farmhouse where she spent her childhood — along with the neighbouring Palmer's Farm, once mistaken for it — is run today as a working Tudor farm rather than a museum.
That distinction matters. Rare-breed pigs, geese and longhorn cattle live in the yards, bread is baked at an open hearth, falconers fly hawks and owls twice a day, and costumed farmhands do the actual jobs a Tudor household required. It is comfortably the best of the Shakespeare properties for children, and the only one where you smell woodsmoke rather than furniture polish.
Top things to do at Mary Arden's Farm
Watch the falconry display
Twice-daily flying displays with hawks, owls and falcons in the paddock behind the farmhouse — the highlight of the day for most visitors, and included in the ticket.
Meet the rare-breed animals
Tamworth pigs, longhorn cattle, geese, goats and heritage poultry live across the two farmyards, and the staff are happy to talk about Tudor animal husbandry for as long as you like.
See open-hearth cooking
Bread, pottage and roasted meats are cooked over the fire in the farmhouse kitchen most days, and you can usually taste what comes out of it.
Explore the Tudor farm buildings
The dovecote, barns and cider mill fill in the working half of Tudor life that the town houses leave out entirely.
How to get to Mary Arden's Farm
- By train: Wilmcote station is one stop (4 minutes) from Stratford-upon-Avon, then a 10-minute walk.
- By bus: the City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off route serves the farm from the town centre.
- By car: 10 minutes north-west on the A3400 and Aston Cantlow Road, with free parking on site.
Insider tips
- Check the falconry display times before you set out and plan your visit around them.
- This is the most weather-dependent property — save it for a dry, bright day.
- Allow two to three hours; it is far bigger than any of the town-centre houses.
- Opening is seasonal and narrower than the other properties, so confirm dates before travelling out.
