Shaw's Corner - National Trust

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Home of world-famous playwright George Bernard Shaw, this lovely Edwardian villa and garden is now a

If you stepped through the green front door of Shaw's Corner 70 years ago, you would have been coming to visit one of the most famous men in the world. Today the house is a treasure trove of fascinating objects and stories, all linked to one of our greatest playwrights and thinkers: George Bernard Shaw.

03/10/2026

A peek around a quiet Shaw's Corner 👀

The house is now closed for the winter, so we wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who visited Shaw's Corner in 2026! We hope you enjoyed your time here, and we look forward to welcoming you back in Spring 2027.

Our last events of the year are celebrating Apple Day on October 18th & 21st. To learn more about this, visit our events page here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/essex-bedfordshire-hertfordshire/shaws-corner/events

Image credit: Stephen Hewitt / National Trust

30/09/2026

Ever wanted to work here at Shaw's Corner? We're hiring a Collections Assistant to join our team.

This role is about looking after a historic house and its collections, and presenting it to visitors in a friendly and memorable way. So we're looking for someone with a love of history and an eye for detail, who's friendly and open with people.

The successful applicant will be helping with the day-to-day cleaning and care of the property collections, keeping an eye on the environmental conditions of the rooms and looking out for signs of wear and tear.

This is a permanent role with part-time hours (22.5 hours a week, over 3 days). From October to March, you'll work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. From April to September, you'll work Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Applications close on October 11th. For more details and to apply, visit the National Trust jobs website here: https://www.nationaltrustjobs.org.uk/jobs/

Image credit: Arnhel De Serra / National Trust Images

18/09/2026

1 month to go!

🍎 Apple Day | Sun 18 Oct 🍏

Whether you’re an apple enthusiast or simply looking for a delightful family day out, Apple Day is not to be missed!

Visitors can enjoy tastings of over 20 heritage apple varieties grown in Shaw’s historic orchard, play family-friendly games, and chat with our Senior Gardener and volunteers to learn more about apples and the connection to Bernard Shaw.

The booking link on our website is only for reserving a car parking space; if you do, you book per vehicle, not per guest. If you don't need to reserve a parking space, you're welcome to turn up at any time between 10am - 3pm and pay for your entry with us.

For more details and to book parking, click here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/essex-bedfordshire-hertfordshire/shaws-corner/events/637b8b2b-7a04-490b-af9d-827611a7b6e9

Image credit: David Levenson / National Trust Images

13/09/2026

Apple Day 2026 falls on Wednesday 21st October, so to celebrate, our Senior Gardener is hosting another exclusive tour!

You can expect to find out about the history of Shaw’s orchard, along with how we look after it today, and take a deep dive into all things apple-related 🍎

📆 Wed 21 Oct | 2pm - 4pm

Book your spot here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/essex-bedfordshire-hertfordshire/shaws-corner/events/8aa29e3f-f896-4440-a66b-813ae0e0eea4

Image credit: James Dobson / National Trust

05/09/2026

Enjoy these snapshots from the garden here at Shaw's Corner 🐝

The gardens extend to 3.5 acres and are in a conservation area, so we've maintained them to look similar to how Shaw liked them. In fact, there are photos inside the house showing him in the garden, looking much as it does today!

Amongst other things, the gardens are home to a variety of wildflowers, which make the perfect spot to view a variety of wildlife 🦋

📸 Images of a bee flying away from a flower facing towards the camera, and a butterfly and a bee flying around some purple and yellow flowers (Image copyright Steve Hewitt / National Trust)

02/09/2026

A new season is here 🍂

Autumn may have arrived, but that doesn't mean that the fun stops here at Shaw's Corner!

Whether you're interested in exclusive house tours, learning more about our garden, or getting involved in the return of a beloved yearly event, there's something for you to look forward to.

🏠 Shaw's Circle House Tour: Wed 9 Sep, 5:30pm - 7pm
🌱 Day in the Life of a National Trust Gardener Tour: Wed 16 Sep, 2pm - 4pm
🍏 Apple Day: Sun 18 Oct, 10am - 3:30pm
🍎 Specialist Apple Tour: Wed 21 Oct, 2pm - 4pm

Learn more about these events and book your tickets here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/essex-bedfordshire-hertfordshire/shaws-corner/events

31/08/2026

Still deciding what to do this Bank Holiday Monday? Why not visit Shaw's Corner?

Explore the house, enjoy a coffee in the garden and you may also get to hear some of the playwright's own words performed our enthusiastic volunteers. Excerpts from Shaw's greatest work Pygmalion along with a fun little excerpt from Androcles and the Lion later on this afternoon.

No booking required, just turn up and enjoy the sunshine.

Photos: ©National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra, Mike Selby

28/08/2026

80 years ago today, Shaw was presented with the freedom of the city of Dublin.

This historic moment was captured on camera, and the certificate marking this is still in the dining room here at Shaw's Corner today.

If you're interested in visiting the house to see this, along with countless other snapshots of Shaw's life, you can book a visit. Entry to the house is by bookable guided experiences at 10.30am and 11.30am, with non-bookable free-flow entry from 12.30pm.

To learn more about this, click the following link: https://bit.ly/4wuEy8N

20/08/2026

Information for all attendees of Outdoor Theatre at Shaw's Corner:

For the performances of Lady Windermere's Fan on Sat 22nd August, doors will open at 6pm, the performance will begin at 7pm, and the performance is due to finish at 9pm.

Attendees will need to bring their own seating. We recommend a folding camping chair without a high back so you don't block the view of the people seated behind you. People are welcome to bring a picnic to eat before the performance or during the interval.

This ticket is non-refundable unless the show is cancelled due to dangerous weather. The performance will continue in the rain; please bring hooded raincoats and avoid using umbrellas as they block others' views.

Parking for this event will be in the village field, outlined in red on the picture attached, along with the WhatThreeWords designation of the entrance. The field is located roughly 300 yards down the lane from Shaw's Corner. Blue badge holders will be able to use the main car park at Shaw's Corner; please call our office at 01438820307 if you have any questions about access.

Finally, if you’re planning on visiting the house or gardens before the performance, please note that the site (including parking) will close at 5pm. Any visitors will need to leave the site and move their cars to the field mentioned above, and we’ll be able to welcome you back on-site from 6pm onwards.

Address

Shaws Corner
Ayot Saint Lawrence
AL69BX

Telephone

+441438820307

Website

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/shaws-corner/

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