There are double celebrations to be had at Chilham Castle this weekend.

Shakespeare’s Globe will premiere its production of Two Gentlemen of Verona at the castle near Canterbury, to mark the 400th anniversary of the playwright’s death this year.

And the castle will mark its own 400th anniversary with a weekend of fun, featuring the popular annual Chilham Chase.

The Chilham Chase 400 will be held at 1.30pm on Saturday, May 21. The 2.5 mile fun run brings together fancy dress, jumping horse hurdles and a sack race, and the winners receive £100. There will also be a prize for the best costume. Entries of teams of two or more cost £10.

The gates open with stalls, musicians and plenty of refreshments at 10am on Saturday, May 21, and on Sunday, May 22 there will be a service in Chilham Church, followed by a peel of bells to celebrate the castle’s first owner, Sir Dudley Digges’ birthday.

The Chilham Chase was Sir Dudley’s bequest, where “gentlemen and maidens of good character from Chilham and surrounding parishes” would take part.

The castle has connections to Shakespeare. Sir Dudley’s uncle Leonard Digges wrote a preface to the first folio of his works, and his stepfather oversaw Shakespeare’s will, in which he famously bequeathed his “second best bed” to his wife.

The weekend is also part of the Canterbury Festival. For details of the weekend, visit chilhamchase.com.

The Shakespeare's Globe touring production has sold out.