Visiting the house at Shaw's Corner

View of the Study at Shaw's Corner, Hertfordshire — View of the Study at Shaw's Corner | © National Trust Images/Geoffrey Frosh

Discover the country home of George Bernard Shaw. Today, his home remains much as he left it. Walk from room to room, taking in the beautiful Arts and Crafts interiors and finding fascinating links with the past as you go. Entry to the house is by guided experience only - please book in advance.

Guided experience at Shaw's Corner

Join a guided experience through the rooms of the house, including Shaw's study and drawing room, as volunteers tell the stories of the Shaws’ lives through the objects they left behind. There is much to discover and each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.

The Augustus John line drawing of the Shaws’ great friend T.E. Lawrence is an early hint of the fascinating story you'll discover of the relationship between the Shaws and Lawrence of Arabia.

A Bechstein piano and collection of hats in the Entrance Hall at Shaw's Corner, Hertfordshire. Sheet music is visible on the piano and the hats are hung on an upright hat stand. — George Bernard Shaw's piano and hat collection | © National Trust Images/Paul Watson

Objects from an eventful life

When George Bernard Shaw died in November 1950, he left behind a house filled with the reminders of a long and fascinating life; two long and fascinating lives in fact, as many of the objects in the house were purchased by Shaw's wife Charlotte. Here are some to look out for on your visit:

George Bernard Shaw and William Morris

Shaw was a great friend of William Morris and held a lifelong commitment to the older man's ideals. Shaw's Corner was furnished with Morris & Co textiles – and the house is still home to a few of the originals.

A well-stocked library

Bernard and Charlotte Shaw collected several thousand books in a rich and diverse collection that they both used for daily research and enjoyment. From the Bible to H.G. Wells and texts on socialism and Eastern religions, there are around 4,000 books in the collection with many on display around the house.

Suited and booted

Shaw left some of his most recognisable suits and outerwear to the National Tust, including his famous Jaeger tweed cape and his eclectic collection of hats.

The hat collection at Shaw’s Corner includes a Cornish tin miners’ helmet, an ARP Warden’s helmet from the Second World War, traditional wide-brimmed hats and soft-peak caps.

Most notably there is also one of the housekeeper’s hats on the hatstand next to the front door. Shaw had once commandeered the hat and pinned it to a net to use when tending his beehives.

View of the south front of Shaw's Corner, Hertfordshire

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Pictures, books and other objects above the mantelpiece in the study at Shaw's Corner, Hertfordshire

Article

The collection at Shaw's Corner

Discover more about the collection at Shaw’s Corner. From the bust of Shaw sculpted by Auguste Rodin to a Best Screenplay Oscar for the film adaptation of Pygmalion and the daily tools of a writer, the collection at Shaw's Corner is full of treasures. The bust by Rodin is now one of the National Trust’s 125 treasures.