After nearly 130 different beds in the past two and a half years you would think that we had slept everywhere and in everything. Well you would be wrong, we’ve slept in beds of all shapes and sizes in all sorts of strange places but we have never slept in a famous bed. Not until now that is.

Chapter 1: The Back Story

We are currently staying in a lovely little town in Suffolk with the equally lovely Tom and Barbara helping them to renovate their 400 year old house. Every inch of the property is cram-packed full of history from the original bread oven to the creaky floorboards above the main hall. Stacks of leather-bound classics weigh down the bookshelves and antique furniture adds to the character of this fascinating building.

Our first week here was spent in the bunk beds of the east wing before our hosts left us looking after the house and invited us to move into their main guest bedroom. Typically uneven floorboards and lime-washed walls gave the room the same old-world feel as the rest of the house but it was the main item of furniture that really stood out. Tom told us the story of how a friend of a friend wanted to buy a particular item but needed somewhere to store it and he very kindly offered to help. However when the sale fell through he couldn’t resist buying the piece himself.

Chapter 2: The Bed

What Tom purchased was the bed that was built for the film Shakespeare in Love in 1998. It is a fibreglass copy based on William Shakespeares bed in Stratford made specifically for the film and used by the two main stars Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes. It looks like a heavy dark wood four poster though and the detail is amazing.

Chapter 3: Sleeping in Gwyneth Paltrows Bed

So what’s it like? Well it is extremely creaky just like a real 500 year old bed and every movement we make sounds like it’s about to break. Plus it has a very soft mattress which isn’t our favourite. But it’s Gwyneth Paltrows bed isn’t it? So forget the noise issues and bad backs and just enjoy the history.

Chapter 4: Epilogue

Jo does keep going on about how it’s a shame that I don’t look like Joseph Fiennes and that she can’t wear some of Gwyneths posh old frocks but unfortunately that just wouldn’t fit in with our JWalking lifestyle.

Oh, and guess what’s a little ironic? Neither of us have seen ‘Shakespeare in Love’.

Chapter 5: Nothing to do with the Bed

So it’s time to leave Eye and head off for our next adventure overseas but the past couple of days have been lovely here and we are seriously going to miss this lovely house and even lovelier town. Thanks to Tom and Barbara and especially Nahun the Mexican who we have loved getting to know.

30/08 – 05/09/2017