Appeal for £500k to repair Shakespeare family home

An appeal for help in raising £500,000 has been launched towards the restoration of a historic building that once housed William Shakespeare's family.

Hall's Croft in Stratford-upon-Avon was damaged in October after a car backed into it.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the charity that looks after the Grade I-listed property, said it would cost £2.5m to fully conserve the building, but it was appealing for help in getting started on repairs.

The trust's chief executive, Rachael North, said: "Incidents like this are a stark reminder of how vulnerable our heritage is, and how vital it is to invest in its protection."

She added: "We're asking for everyone's support – whether you're a local resident or simply someone who loves Stratford's history – to help us save Hall's Croft."

The 400-year-old timber-framed house was the former home of William Shakespeare's daughter Susanna Hall and her husband Dr John Hall

It was struck by a vehicle on 17 October, when a driver reversed into the side of the building leaving several oak beams shattered and a large hole in the roadside wall.

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