Heritage Open Day Event - Scents of Shakespeare

Free, drop-in lunchtime workshop in our small medieval herb garden.

"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies, that's for thoughts. . . "

There is a Shakespeare First Folio on the Durham World Heritage Site currently undergoing meticulous conservation. For many scholars, the First Folio is the closest they can get to the words William Shakespeare composed, even though at the time of publication – 1623 – he had been dead seven years. The First Folio was the outcome of a long-running project by his friends and admirers to establish a fitting memorial to him.

Without the First Folio, we would have lost 18 of the 36 plays contained within it. For example, that means we would not have the text for The Tempest or Macbeth. Shakespeare has had a lasting impact on the English language as well. We use phrases from these plays perhaps on a daily basis.

The Folio has also become a cultural icon and is symbolic of the impact and adoration of his work.