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Sharing Shakespeare's Story

Hathaway Bed

Beds were one of the most expensive items in the Tudor household. This bed is known as the "Hathaway Bed", it was acquired with Anne Hathaway's Cottage. Tester beds like this were a symbol of wealth and status and were often acquired on the occasion of marriage for the couple's wedding night.  It was common for multiple people to sleep in one room in Shakespeare's time, either in the same bed, on the floor or in truckle beds which rolled out from underneath the main bed. The curtains would have been for warmth and privacy. 

7 responses
Response by

Lily

Response by

Salaihon

Response by

Johnson

Response by

Lybah



The bed was a four poster and had red curtains to scare off evil spirits.

Response by

Mandeep

You would sleep sitting up as Tudors believed that the devil would think you were dead if you lay down and would take away your soul.

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