Shakespeare Birthplace Trust receives £1m donation

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has been gifted £1m from American playwright Ken Ludwig, the largest private donation in the trust’s 177-year history.

The trust has described the donation as “transformative”, adding it will go towards conservation works at Grade-I listed building Hall’s Croft, once home to Shakespeare’s daughter.

An audit of the conservation requirements of the 17th Century property is currently ongoing, with University of Staffordshire archaeologists mapping the building’s exterior to create a 3D model of the building.

“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,” said Tim Cooke, CEO of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

“Shakespeare is the great foundation for all of us who work in the theatre, and it's an honour to support the preservation of Shakespeare's legacy in Stratford-upon-Avon,” Ludwig added. “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.”