A house on the River Avon where Shakespeare once passed out drunk is on the market at just £850k
The Old Falcon in Bidford-on-Avon isn't just steeped in history, it pretty much wrote it. It's also a large characterful family home.


I went on a stag-do to a pub once. It’s a pretty unremarkable sentence, except that we rented the entire pub on AirBnB and actually stayed there. We had the entire pub to ourselves. A good, if messy, idea for a weekend away.
I’ve always dreamed of living in a pub. If someone asks me what I would do if I wont the lottery and money was no longer an issue I had to worry about, then I would likely buy a pub and work there. It would be a nice way of keeping busy, meeting new people and I could make it just the way I like it. I know that doesn’t sound particularly extravagant for someone who has just potentially won millions of pounds, but I am a simple man of simple pleasures.
The next best thing, perhaps, would be to live in a former pub or coaching inn. Something like The Old Falcon on the High Street of Bidford-on-Avon in Warwickshire. It’s currently for sale for £850,000 with Hamptons.
Before we get through the nuts and bolts of the property, it’s important to understand that, as well as being a former coaching inn, it is also a site of serious historical importance. According to tradition, it was upon the steps of this Grade II*-listed property that King Charles II rallied his supporters on December 2, 1651, on the eve of the Battle of Worcester. It is also rumoured that Shakespeare once drank there, and had to have a nap under a tree nearby as he was a bit of a lightweight.
So a storied history indeed. And that is very much reflected in the walls of this five-bedroom semi-detached home. Oozing with character and charm, the property is now a much loved family home in the heart of Bidford-on-Avon. Wooden beams abound, and there’s even a stained-glass window of The Bard in the entrance hall.
It has everything you could possibly want from a characterful local home. Set over three floors, there’s plenty of space, and the five bedrooms are supplemented by a study, three bathrooms, a dining room, sitting room and cellar.
There’s also a garden to the rear, with a summer house, and a double-bay garage. Plust, all the various amenities of village life are on the doorstep.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
The Old Falcon is for sale with Hamptons for £850,000. For more information and pictures, click here
Credit: Galbraith
760 acres of peace and quiet in the Scottish Borders, with only eagles, ospreys and falcons for company
Get lost in the scenery at Talla Farm.
The 'best of both worlds' in a 16th century house with Georgian façade and sprawling grounds with lake and stables
All houses change a little over their lifetimes — and some end up unrecognisable as the centuries pass. Penny Churchill takes
James Fisher is the Deputy Digital Editor of Country Life. He writes about property, travel, motoring and things that upset him. He lives in London.
-
If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool
5 Wood Barton Town House is part of an exclusive 80-acre development in Devon that also comes with fishing rights on the River Avon and four bedrooms.
By James Fisher Published
-
An Italian-inspired recipe for lemon-butter pasta shells with spring greens, ricotta and pangrattato
Spring greens are just about to come into their own, so our Kitchen Garden columnist reveals exactly what to do with them.
By Melanie Johnson Published
-
If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool
5 Wood Barton Town House is part of an exclusive 80-acre development in Devon that also comes with fishing rights on the River Avon and four bedrooms.
By James Fisher Published
-
The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in Dorset
With 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
By James Fisher Published
-
An eight-bedroom wonder in East Sussex where the outdoors are an adventure
The interiors of Old Middleton are pretty good too.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
A lakeside farmhouse on the market in the beautiful heart of Pembrokeshire
A lake, streams, 15 acres and five bedrooms. Rogershook might have it all.
By James Fisher Published
-
An idyllic countryside home that's light, spacious and comes with a Grade II-listed folly
Hagg House is a gorgeous family home that just happens to have a miniature castle in the gardens. Annabel Dixon explains more.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A historic villa for sale on the Via Nomentana worthy of Rome's rich history
Three floors, lots of balconies, and a private garden in one of Rome's loveliest neighbourhoods.
By James Fisher Published
-
Eight bedrooms of unlisted Edwardian elegance with sweeping views of Somerset
Ashton House sits near the market town of Chard and comes with a wealth of amenities both inside and out.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
A waterside cottage in Devon with a private quay, idyllic views and the prettiest summerhouse we've seen in years
Right beside the picturesque Yealm Estuary, No 1 Noss Mayo is an idyllic home that feels like an escape from the world. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
By Annabel Dixon Last updated