John Gerarde, The Herball, 1597 - holly, p. 1155,detail.
Holly and its uses in Shakespeare's time.
There were twenty-seven holy days, or ‘holidays’ spread through the Elizabethan year, but the twelve days of Christmas, at the time of the winter ...
John Gerarde, The Herball, 1597 - portrait, on back of title-page, p.B6v.
John Gerarde, herbalist: a contemporary of Shakespeare.
The large linen ruff was a fashion imported from the Netherlands, but adopted by all who could afford the starches needed to create such an accessory. ...
John Gerarde, The Herball, 1597 - roses, p.1079.
Roses feature more than once in Shakespeare’s plays.
Gerarde's Herbal gave Elizabethans the chance to see the plants that Shakespeare had in mind as he wrote certain scenes in his plays. In the ...
John Gerarde, The Herball, 1597 - title-page
An owner of a volume contemporary with Shakespeare has replaced a missing title-page.
The decorative title-pages of books have occasionally been damaged, or removed by their owners. This copy of ...
John Gerarde, The Herball, 1597 - violets, p.699, detail.
A Shakespearian plant reference.
The plant and flower references in Shakespeare’s works are numerous. John Gerarde’s Herball lists and describes all the plants known in contemporary England, ...
John Gerarde, The Herball, 1597 - Wall Flowers, p.371.
Wallflowers in a Shakespeare source.
Wallflowers in John Gerarde’s History of plantes are clearly illustrated and named ‘gilloflower’. This popular name persists as ‘gillys’ ...
Leamington Spa Courier
A copy of the Leamington Spa Courier newspaper, town edition, Saturday 18th December 1897.
Leamington Spa Courier Supplement
A newspaper supplement from the Leamington Courier, to commemorate the great pageant at Warwick in 1930.
Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, 1634 - shipwreck illustration , pl. XLI, p. 341
Shipwrecks and storms at sea were often in the news in Shakespeare's London.
The storms of the Mediterranean sea were notorious. Shakespeare included them in his plays of The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth ...
Moncrieff's Guide to Leamington Spa
Fourth edition of Moncrieff's Guide to Leamington Spa, published by J Merridew in 1829. The book contains 'The Ancient and Modern History of Leamington and the Adjacent Villages with an Analysis and Dissertation ...
Morning News Newspaper Cutting
A newspaper cutting from the Morning News, 14th July 1951. It describes Randolph Turpin's return to Leamington Spa as World Middle-Weight boxing champion. Randolph Turpin was born in Leamington Spa in ...
Natural History of English Insects
A hard backed book called A Natural History of English Insects which contains illustrations and descriptions of English insects. The illustrations are engravings hand-coloured by the author, 1749.
New Designs in Art Leatherwork
A paperback book, from Southport, with a grey cover and green printing, 1903. The book contains examples of leatherwork.
News Chronicle Newspaper Cutting
A newspaper cutting from the News Chronicle, 13 July 1951. It describes Randolph Turpin's return to Leamington Spa as World Middle-Weight boxing champion. Randolph Turpin was born in Leamington Spa in ...
Plutarch, The lives of the noble Grecians and Romaines, 1603 - binding view
A notable binding contemporary with Shakespeare.
A royal coat-of-arms was stamped in gold on this volume in the seventeenth century. The same gilded ownership coat-of-arms adorns the back as the front ...
Plutarch, The lives of the noble Grecians and Romaines, 1603 - binding, front board
The front board of a Shakespearian sourcebook.
The original owner of this book probably purchased it from the printer, a friend of William Shakespeare, Richard Field, or from his publisher Thomas Wight. ...
Plutarch, The lives of the noble Grecians and Romaines, 1603 - Caius Martius Coriolanus, p.221.
The story of Coriolanus in Shakespeare's source.
The central facts for the play of Coriolanus were taken by from North’s translation of Plutarch's Lives. The fable of the belly and its rebellion ...
Plutarch, The lives of the noble Grecians and Romaines, 1603 - detail, p. A4r.
The translator's notes 'To the Reader' of a Shakespeare sourcebook.
Sir Thomas North, writing in January 1579, attached a ‘Foreword’ to the readers of his translation of Plutarch’s ...