As every schoolchild knows, William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. His birthplace was a half-timbered house on Henley Street, which, though modest by today’s standards, would have been considered fairly substantial in the 16th century. The ground floor comprised a parlour, an adjoining hall and a third room believed to have been John Shakespeare’s workshop. Upstairs there were three chambers.

Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway spent the first five years of their married life in the Henley Street house. In 1597 he bought New Place, the 'second biggest' house in Stratford, installing his family while he remained in London. He finally moved back to Stratford around 1611, dying at New Place just a few years later, in 1616.

Though Shakespeare does not appear to have been greatly interested in architecture per se, England at that time was gripped by a building boom, with everyone extending or modifying their existing Tudor homes or constructing new ones from scratch, depending on their means. Even Shakespeare’s own family was not immune to the property development bug, with the records showing that Anne Hathaway’s brother, Bartholomew, extended the family farmhouse – now known as Anne Hathaway’s Cottage – in the early 17th century.

New Place was demolished in the18th century and is currently being restored by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. But if you like the idea of living in a property dating from the Bard’s day, or earlier, there are still plenty to choose from. Many have been extensively restored and extended over the years, and most are now Listed buildings.

Here is a selection of the finest Tudor/Elizabethan properties currently on the market – one of them even boasts an original 16th-century overmantle depicting Midsummer Night's Dream.