The Merry Wives of Windsor

The Merry Wives of Windsor in a Jacobean Ruin

Old Campden House was one of the grandest houses in England when Sir Baptist Hicks built it in the early 1600s. The Royalists burned it down in 1645 rather than let Parliament take it. What remains is one of the most atmospheric settings in the Cotswolds — and Sudden Impulse Theatre are back for their annual summer Shakespeare.

The Merry Wives of Windsor is the right play for it — the hilarious exploits of Sir John Falstaff, broad and comic and full of plot, and forgiving of the distractions that come with a warm June evening in extraordinary surroundings. Lawn seating, so bring camping chairs and a picnic. Gates open at 6pm ahead of the 7pm start. The Landmark Trust also opens Old Campden House to visitors the same weekend (11am–5pm, free) alongside Chipping Campden Open Gardens — worth making a full day of it.

Two performances: Friday and Saturday evening. £16 / £14 concessions.

Friday 19th & Saturday 20th June 2026 · Old Campden House, Chipping Campden GL55 · Gates 6:00pm, Starts 7:00pm