Major Donation by American Playwright Ken Ludwig Funds Historic Home of Shakespeare’s Daughter
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Chair Lady Cobham welcomes Ken Ludwig to Hall's Croft
The charity that cares for the world’s greatest Shakespeare heritage sites in Stratford-upon-Avon has today announced it has received a substantial donation by playwright Ken Ludwig to help fund important conservation works at Hall’s Croft.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust described the £1m donation as "transformative". It marks the largest private donation in the Trust’s 177 year history and will significantly support the ongoing conservation of Hall's Croft, once home to William Shakespeare’s daughter, Susanna.
"Shakespeare is the great foundation for all of us who work in the theatre," said Ludwig, currently in the UK for the launch of a new touring production of his adaptation of Murder on The Orient Express, opening at the Lowry in Salford on 6 September. "It's an honour to support the preservation of Shakespeare's legacy in Stratford-upon-Avon. As a playwright, restoring Hall's Croft is a way of giving back for the lifetime of joy and inspiration I've derived from the British theatre."
Hall's Croft, a Grade I listed building, is one of the last complete examples of Jacobean architecture, dating back to 1613. The house has played a significant role in the history of Stratford-upon-Avon and in the life of Shakespeare's family. The donation will further support and strengthen the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s conservation programme at the property, ensuring that it continues to be preserved and shared with future generations to explore and enjoy.
“This is a fabulous act of generosity on Ken Ludwig’s part which secures the future of a key element of genuine Shakespearian history and Shakespeare’s own family story for both the UK and for visitors from across the globe," said Tim Cooke, CEO of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. "Our conservation work is a central part of our work as a charity and it enables our visitors and audiences to place Shakespeare in time and space as they explore his life story and his work, which continues to speak with profound meaning and relevance today.”
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has an ongoing programme of conservation at Hall’s Croft, including most recently a comprehensive audit of the conservation requirements of the 17th century property. As part of this work, the Trust has worked with archaeologists from the University of Staffordshire to map the exterior of Hall’s Croft using photogrammetry, creating a 3D model of the property that will be a valuable resource for research.
