Shakespeare family home on heritage at-risk list

A Grade-I listed building which once housed William Shakespeare's family has been placed on Historic England's heritage at risk register.

Hall's Croft in Stratford-upon-Avon is the former home of the Bard's daughter Susanna and her husband John Hall.

The timber-framed property, which is already undergoing a significant conservation project in a bid to preserve it, was damaged in October when a car reversed into it.

Rachael North, chief executive of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT) charity, said the building was of "exceptional historical importance" and inclusion on the at-risk register was an "important and necessary step".

"It allows us to be transparent about the challenges we face and to begin building the partnerships required to secure the building's future," she added.

"We take seriously our responsibility to care for this inheritance, so that it can continue to inspire curiosity, connection and understanding for generations to come."

Historic England updates the heritage at risk register for buildings across the country each year, with the process identifying buildings and sites in danger of being lost as a result of neglect, decay or development.

Deborah Williams, the public body's regional director for the Midlands, said Hall's Croft was an "internationally significant building" and adding it to the register was the first step in helping to bring it back into use.

"I know that Shakespeare Birthplace Trust take their role as custodians of this shared history very seriously and they understand that being added to the at-risk register is the first step on the journey to be removed from it," she said.

The SBT said it was currently undertaking an initial programme of conservation work to stabilise the 400-year-old Jacobean building and remove temporary steel supports installed in 2012.

The work, due for completion in October, was largely funded by a £1m donation from playwright Ken Ludwig in 2024, though a funding shortfall remains.

A fundraising scheme was also launched in December in a bid to raise £500,000 to complete the second phase of the building's conservation project.

The trust said once stabilisation was complete, the next phase included major works to the building's facades, roof and interior, with the full programme expected to cost between £8m and £10m.

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