Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is a stunningly beautiful home which belonged to the family of Shakespeare’s bride. It’s located just outside Stratford upon Avon in the UK and Shakespeare visited regularly when he was ‘courting’ her. Once the couple were married though, they moved into Stratford to Shakespeare’s family home, which is now known as the ‘birthplace‘. As such, he never actually lived here. The house is laid out as it would have been in Shakespeare’s time complete with beds upstairs and cooking implements downstairs.
The cottage remained in the Hathaway family for several generations and was eventually bought by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1892. One of the most fascinating things inside the house is the Hathaway bed which dates back to Anne’s time and is well worth seeing. The straw mattress is held up by a network of ropes stretching from one side of the bed to the other. These ropes had to be tightened, hence the saying “night, night, sleep tight”. Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is one of 5 buildings with Shakespeare connections in and around Stratford. For the best value, we’d recommend buying a combined ‘Shakespeare’s Story’ ticket to visit all five and buying in advance. You can use this form to check latest prices and availability…
The other buildings nearby with Shakespeare connections are…
Shakespeare’s Birthplace – Where Shakespeare grew up
Mary Arden’s Farm – The childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother
Nash’s House & New Place – The location of Shakespeare’s last house
Hall’s Croft – Where Shakespeare’s daughter lived with the town doctor
The gardens here are superb and on top of that you can spend time in the orchard or in the new woodland walk which we really enjoyed. We love this building partly because of its beauty, but also because of its character with the retention of so many original features. Adult admission to all 5 Shakespeare properties is £27 (2025 prices). Also, tickets are valid for 12 months from the date of issue to allow you to return for free.
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is open every day from 9am to 5pm (April to October) and from 10am to 4pm (November to March).
LOCATION & CONTACT
Address: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Cottage Lane, Shottery, Stratford-Upon-Avon CV37 9HH
Tel: +44 (0) 1789 292100 (Hathaway Cottage)
Tel: +44 (0)1789 204016 (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust)
Email: info@shakespeare.org.uk
Anne Hathaway’s cottage is located in the picturesque hamlet of Shottery, a short drive from Stratford Upon Avon. If you don’t have a car, you can use the Stratford Upon Avon Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour to get there. Walking takes around 30 minutes and the cottage is well signed.
MORE ON ANNE HATHAWAY’S COTTAGE
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust – Official website
Stratford Walking Tour – Stops at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
Stay near Anne Hathaway’s Cottage – Best prices from Booking.com
Shakespeare’s England – Official website
Stratford Upon Avon Guide Books – We Are An Amazon Associate