The most famous bed in the world? | The Great Bed of Ware | V&A

Join Furniture curator Nick Humphrey as we pull back the sheets on The Great Bed of Ware. Hear about its racy reputation as we explore the bed’s history, showcase its intricate woodwork, and examine the graffiti carved by those who slept in it. Thought to have been made as a tourist attraction for an inn, The Great Bed of Ware is considered by some to be the most famous piece of surviving English furniture. The bed has not only appeared in literature from Shakespeare, Ben Johnson, Lord Byron and Charles Dickens, but it also featured in exaggerated bawdy rumours surrounding how many people had slept in it at one time! 01:39 Layers of replica Elizabethan bedding 03:29 Intricate woodwork: 04:34 Graffiti 05:25 Literary references Find out more about The Great Bed of Ware: See our Furniture Collection: