Hollywood legend Sir Patrick Stewart got his hands on a piece of history during a visit to Skipton yesterday.

The Shakespearian actor and Star Trek and X-Men star spent an hour at the Craven Museum, where a rare copy of William Shakespeare’s First Folio of plays is currently on display.

Sir Patrick, 71, provided the audio commentary that accompanies the First Folio display and wanted to see the volume for himself.

He told the T&A: “I was unaware that this part-volume of the Folio existed, and I didn’t know that it existed not far away from where I’ve been living for 20 years, here in Skipton, and I was excited to hear that.

“So when the museum approached me about wanting to put on a special display and they wanted a narrator, I was delighted to be asked, because Shakespeare, of course, has played a huge part in my life. Without him I’d have been unemployed for a large part of my career.

“As a local person, a Yorkshireman, it just seemed absolutely the right thing to do.”

In his commentary, Sir Patrick, who has a home in the Dales, tells the story behind the 1623 publication.

Museum curator Amy Ball said: “Sir Patrick has been a massive help to the museum – really supportive. For him to be able to come to Skipton to see the Folio and the exhibition is amazing.”