The Hamnet Bramley, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, 23 April 2026, 2pm

On the afternoon of 23rd April I stood in an Orchard in Stratford upon Avon and remarked to my friends Richard and John: ‘ When shall we three meet again, in thunder, lightning or in rain ‘?

Their response: ‘We shall meet on Shakespeare’s 462nd birthday, at Ann Hathaway’s Cottage and take part in a tree planting ceremony of a very special Bramley Apple tree. We shall laugh, dance and sing’

And so we did, in the company of The Lady Mayor of Stratford upon Avon, a member of the famous Bramley family, artists, academics and tree lovers from Warwickshire to Japan. We processed through the orchard, sang a wassail, planted the tree, performed a couple of two man jigs then taught the crowd The Shepherds Hey.

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Stratford-upon-Avon, celebrating William Shakespeare’s 462nd birthday. Picture, Donald, John, Richard, The Mayor, Bramley family representative and a celebrated artist.

What else would you do for Shakespeare’s birthday? It was after all ‘much about  nothing.’

Wassail and Happy Birthday Will

Donald