Charlecote Hall, near Stratford-on-Avon before 1864

Ernest Edwards captured this image of Charlecote Hall, near Stratford-on-Avon in a book of Shakespearean photography. The photograph is a study in the power of place, entwining the legacy of the landed gentry with the burgeoning cult of Shakespeare. Edwards’ image invites us to consider the role of country estates like Charlecote Hall in shaping English identity. These estates were not just homes; they were symbols of power, class, and cultural heritage, embodying centuries of tradition and privilege. The artist draws our attention to the history embedded in the landscape, referencing Shakespeare's plays and the social hierarchies they often portrayed. Edwards attempts to capture what it means to be English, linking the land, literature, and the lives of those who inhabit these spaces, which prompts us to ask: Whose stories are being told and whose are being left out of this romantic vision of the past?