We were delighted to partner with Macmillan Cancer Support yesterday to open Soulton Wood, the home of Shakespeare’s wonderful play As You Like It.
A volunteer for Macmillan Cancer, Ava, at the Shakespeare Bluebell Walk at Soulton Hall: I like this place.
And willingly could waste my time in it.
Upon arrival, context was provided for the Shakespeare/Old Sir Rowland/Lodge family associations of Soulton.
Volunteers from Macmillan Cancer with Quotes from the Play As You Like It shown on ‘selfie’ frames outside Soulton Hall
Quotes from the play led our guests through the landscape that inspired the source book and the play.
A sign with an AS YOU LIKE IT quotation in the Soulton landscape: Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile,
Hath not old custom made this life more sweet
Than that of painted pomp? Are not these woods
More free from peril than the envious court?
At the beginning of the walk, the atmosphere of danger and banishment from the court was conjured with the view of the courtly architecture of Soulton Hall receding behind, and the wood appearing in the distance.
The Soulton landscape looking at the Old Sir Rowland monument, quoting AS YOU LIKE IT: ‘My father loved Sir Rowland as his soul,
And all the world was of my father’s mind’
Quotes lauding Old Sir Rowland (Hill) were set out in view of the statue that memorializes him on Hawkstone Hill. Before entering the wood, the atmosphere of renewal and repair in the bohemian Forest of Arden was presented to visitors:
First, in this forest…
On returning to the manor house precincts, the dance pavement was viewable, and visitors could see the pattern of the dance of harmony’s choreography and the As You Like It wood beyond.
Shakespeare Quote on a sign in the AS YOU LIKE IT wood at Soulton: And this our life exempt from public haunt/Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,/
Sermons in stones and good in every thing.
I would not change it.
We were honoured to have several distinguished visitors holding public offices, and thrilled that so many local people were able to access our shared heritage.
The volunteers from Macmillan were selling absolutely fantastic cakes, and a wonderful time was had by all.
Quotes from the Play As You Like It shown on ‘selfie’ frames outside Soulton Hall
You can still donate here.
Details of funds raised etc will be shared by our friends at Macmillan Shrewsbury Fundraising, here.
Many thanks to Co-op Wem for thier kind support of this event.
