After Shakespeare’s death, the house remained in his family until 1670, which was converted into an inn called “Maidenhead.” Subsequent owners altered and divided the building; for a time, it even housed a butcher. In 1847, the building became the nation’s property, and the adjacent houses had to be demolished to reduce the fire risk. Very early on, tourists came here and put their signatures on the bedroom windows where Shakespeare was born - the earliest signature dates to 1806. Walter Scott, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain also left their signatures there.
