“Step back in time for all the sights, smells and sounds of a real Tudor farm and explore the house where Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden, grew up.” Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Website
In 1930 the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust purchased a property in the village of Wilmcote near Stratford-upon-Avon, made some improvements to it, added some authentic Tudor furniture and other contemporary everyday items and declared it to be the birthplace and home of William Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden.
Click on an image to scroll through the Gallery…
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As it turned out (in 2000 to be precise) this turned out not to be Mary Arden’s house at all and the Shakespeare Birthday Trust had a bit of explaining to do.
Have Bag, Will Travel 
The full story is fascinating
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Makes you wonder how many other places might be fake?
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🙂
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Well, well
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Yes, even the well was a fake!
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Hahaha!
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As a teenager, Stratford-Upon-Avon was the only place in England I knew to visit, aside from Stonehenge, and I wanted very much to see them both. Thirty some years later, I still haven’t made it. I was worried when I saw your tease in this post, that there would be no Mary Arden home, and so relieved to read the whole interesting story. Someday, someday, I’ll make it to England, and now I know of more places to see, and maybe blogger friends to visit. I won’t be told a lie at this place, but as you suggested to Derrick…who knows what other secrets lurk? 😉
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You will be most welcome here in England of course!
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I do love the Wisteria.
What a surprise that someone might pull off a scam like that?
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To be fair to the Birthplace Trust I think it was a genuine mistake.
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