Lecture: Shakespearean History and Local Heritage at Weston under Redcastle

There is a remarkable cultural phenomenon happening across Shropshire and its borders this summer.

William Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy, As You Like It, is being performed an exceptional number of times by different theatrical troupes.

The Dance in AS You Like It at Soulton Hall

What is driving this sudden explosion of regional interest in this specific play?

To answer that question, Tim Ashton will deliver a vital lecture on Saturday 11th July 2026 at 7:00 PM in the Weston under Redcastle Village Hall.

[Ticket Link]

All funds raised will assist Weston Church with its local fundraising, care, and community presence.

Theatre in Epidaurus Court, Soulton Hall

Event Details & Tickets

• When: Saturday, 11th July 2026 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

• Where: Weston under Redcastle Village Hall, Weston, Shropshire

• Admission: £5.00 (Includes a complimentary glass of wine and nibbles)

Booking Information: Tickets are priced at a flat £5.00 with all booking fees absorbed by the event, ensuring every penny goes directly to the cause. Space is limited inside the main hall to approximately 60 seats.

[ Link to Eventbrite Ticket Page Here ]

What to Expect

The momentum behind this summer’s theatrical explosion reached a historic milestone earlier this year: on May 8th, 2026, the Shropshire Youth Theatre (SYT) staged a landmark production of As You Like It right here at Soulton Hall.

Following years of careful research and preparation, this presentation was a momentous event: the first-ever recorded performance of the play on the actual ground that breathes life into its history.

The Signatures of Old Sir Rowland Hill and Sir Thomas Lodge on the 1500s Soulton Papers

The core of this upcoming lecture reveals a profound historical reality: the parish we inhabit—and the specific geographical corridor running from Soulton Hall to Hawkstone—is the true birthplace of As You Like It.

While traditional narratives confine the “Forest of Arden” to a small pocket of Warwickshire, archival and architectural evidence tells a much deeper story.

The famous Soulton Dancing Pavement – linked to the dance of harmony for 8 that closes the play

The Real History: Where Land and Poetry Meet

Attendees will discover how specific natural and historical features visible across the parish today are written directly into the dialogue of the play:

• The Source Material: The primary source text for the play, Rosalynde, was written by Thomas Lodge. A crucial archival document known as the Soulton Rental bears the side-by-side signatures of Sir Roland Hill and Thomas Lodge’s father, proving that the author spent his youth interacting with this exact Shropshire landscape—which he explicitly described as a “fair valley, compassed with mountains.”

• The Family Connection: Sir Roland Hill (c. 1492–1561), the Tudor polymath who held the Soulton and Hawkstone estates, was a relative by marriage to Mary Arden, Shakespeare’s mother.

• The Fictional Tribute: The moral anchor of the play is a deceased patriarch named Old Sir Rowland. This character is a direct, affectionate tribute to Sir Roland Hill, honoring his legacy as a protector of culture, literature, and social harmony during the dangerous years of the Tudor era.

• The Terrain & Dialogue: Shakespeare marks the local topography by describing an oak whose “antique root peeps out upon the brook that brawls along this wood.” The text carefully places Rosalind’s cottage as being “West of this place, down in the neighbour bottom.”

• The Pavement Patterns: The ancient, geometric paving stones at Soulton Hall record a “Dance of Eight” that mirrors the climax of the comedy, where characters celebrate a return to harmony: “Here’s eight that must take hands / To join in [wedding] bands.”

2026 Summer Performance Calendar

The exceptional volume of regional performances this summer serves as a widespread celebration of this local heritage.

The landscape that inspired the play is transforming into the very stage where it comes alive.

Supporting Weston-Under-Redcastle Church

First and foremost, this upcoming lecture is a charitable endeavor. Both the church and village hall are looking for events to bridge vital fundraising gaps this year. By gathering at the Village Hall, attendees will not only uncover the hidden history linking William Shakespeare to our immediate landscape, but will also provide meaningful support to the ongoing preservation, fabric care, and local community presence provided by the parish church.