Dr Janet Plamer

Heritage Open Day 2024: 1 High Street

Stratford Society: StratFire Project

Friday 6 September, 11-2 pm - 1 High Street
No. 1 High Street, Stratford, now occupied by the Shakespeare Distillery, is one of the buildings being investigated as part of the StratFire Project, which is looking at buildings along the Historic Spine, on High Street and Chapel Street, in the context of the fires of 1594, 1595 and 1614. This was a Heritage Open Day event run by the Stratford Society. 


We had access to the top two floors of the building where we saw samples of timbers, including one from c1441. Tree-ring dating (dendrochronology) was undertaken there recently and is helping to date some of the buildings as part of the project. This building seems not to have been seriously damaged by the fires and dates from c1441. As well as being able to view timbers, there were videos (see below), a PowerPoint and an exhibition explaining what has been learnt so far in a number of buildings including 36 High Street and the Garrick Inn.

No. 1 was the home of Shakespeare’s daughter Judith and her husband Thomas Quiney, a wine merchant, for about 20 years from 1616. It has had a number of occupants since, including WH Smith. 

Watch the videos about the StratFire Project:

The Building (19-20 High Street, formerly Hathaway Tea Rooms) - with Dr Nat Alcock

Building Archaeology - with Rick Tyler

Dendrochronology - with Martin Bridge

Report by Helen Elliott and Ellie Stevenson.
Photos by Lindsay MacDonald, Ellie Stevenson and John Freeland.