Stratford upon Avon Travel Guide
Summary
The old town of Stratford is synonymous in the minds of most
travelers with the name of its most famous citizen, playwright William
Shakespeare.
Shakespeare was born in 1564
in a half-timbered house in Henley Street, and died at his house of
New Place in 1616.
In between those dates, he wrote an astonishing
range of plays and poetry which has become among the most treasured
literary collections in the English language. So prolific a writer
was Shakespeare, and so enduring his works, that later authors have
suggested that this poorly educated man from the provincial town of
Stratford upon Avon could not have written all the works attributed
to him.
The theory goes that
it would take a much better educated scholar, well versed in classical
literature, to create the volume of writing that Shakespeare produced.
The most popular theory is that Shakespeare's works were written by
Sir Francis Bacon, one of the most well educated scientists and prolific
scholars of the Elizabethan age.
Whether there is any truth to the
rumours we shall probably never know, but if you visit Stratford upon
Avon you can examine the evidence for yourself at Shakespeare's Birthplace,
and stroll the lanes and byways that the Bard of Avon himself walked,
over 400 years ago.
An upstairs room in the old medieval Guildhall was used as a school
in Shakespeare's day, and it is likely that he was educated here.
Shakespeare is buried in Holy Trinity church, and visitors can view
not only his grave, but the parish registers that recorded his birth
and his death. The church is worth viewing in its own right, containing
as it does architectural features that date back to the early 13th
century. One of its most fascinating features are the 26 misericords
in the choir stalls. These misericords, or 'mercy seats' are fancifully
decorated with carvings of mermaids and mermen, unicorns, and scenes
of daily life.
Here are a few of the major attractions in Stratford. See individual
attraction pages for more details.
The Shakespeare Properties
Several attractions in Stratford are grouped together under the administrative
umbrella of The Shakespeare Birthplace
Trust. A joint entry ticket
is thus available for all 5 properties, which comprise:
Shakespeare's Birthplace
A rambling half-timbered house on Henley Street where, it is believed,
Shakespeare was born and spent his childhood years. By the time the
house was purchased by a charitable trust in 1847 it had fallen into
great disrepair. A careful program of refurbishment and restoration
was carried out, and a modern visitor centre more lately added, so
that today's visitor can get a good glimpse into what Shakespeare's
early life would have been like.
Hall's Croft
Located close to Holy Trinity church is Hall's Croft, a 16th century
timber-framed house named after Dr John Hall, who married Shakespeare's
daughter Susanna in 1607. Susanna and her husband moved from Hall's
Croft to New Place after Shakespeare died, and today the house contains
exhibits on medical practices during the Tudor period, and furnishings
that would have been used during the Tudor and early Stuart period.
New Place
Shakespeare purchased his retirement home of New Place in 1597, though
he did not move in until 1610. At that time it was the second largest
dwelling in Stratford, and the only one built of brick. Shakespeare
died in 1616, but it is thought that his wife, Anne, lived at New
Place until her death seven years later. The site of Shakespeare's
New Place is marked by a replica of an Elizabethan Knot Garden, though
the house itself is long gone (see our article on New Place to read
the intriguing story of why!)
Nash's House
 Beside the foundations of New Place is Nash's House, a 17th century
half timbered building that is home to the local history museum.
Nash's house was owned by Thomas Nash., who married Shakespeare's
grand-daughter, Elizabeth Hall.
Anne Hathaway's Cottage
Near Stratford, and reachable on foot if you
don't mind a bit of a walk, is the village of Shottery. Here you will
find the small thatched house known as Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the
home of Shakespeare's wife before their marriage. Aside from its
connection with Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway's Cottage is notable as
an excellent example of a half-timbered Elizabethan yeoman's house,
and is well worth visiting in its own right.
Mary Arden's House
Three miles outside Stratford to the north lies Wilmcote. Here you
will find the thatched, half-timbered Mary Arden's House, where Shakespeare's
mother was born and lived. Mary Arden was the eighth daughter of
Robert Arden, a rich yeoman farmer. The house itself has been refurnished
as it would have looked in Tudor times, and the site hosts a museum
of rural life, with displays and events covering rural crafts over
the past four centuries.
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
If you enjoy theatre you don't need me to tell you about the RSC. It
is THE Shakespeare theatre, hosting performances of Shakespeare's
works with a cast of some of the finest actors and actresses available.
If you are considering attending a performance, be aware that tickets
may go quickly. However, if you don't mind standing at the back
of the theatre, you can often get standing room tickets on the day
of the performance for a considerable discount. website
Visiting
Stratford can be very crowded in the summer months. If you do come in
summer, try to arrive early in the day, before the tour buses descend
upon the town. If you arrive by car you will find paid parking near
the river. Be aware, though, that the centre of Stratford is a confusing
array of one-way streets, which can make navigation difficult if you
do not know the area. A good in-car GPS helps!
Now the good news - the
old core of Stratford is contained within a relatively small area,
so it is easy to walk from one attraction to another. And if you are
feeling energetic it is not hard to walk to Shottery to see Anne Hathaway's
Cottage, as noted above. If you are not feeling quite so chipper, there
are regular open-top bus tours of the town, leaving from the tourist
information centre, which will give you an overview of the major attractions
without any exertion.
And for a look at the major attractions, see our Stratford
upon Avon Photo Gallery.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Tourist Information Centre
Bridgefoot
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
England
CV37 6GW
Tel: 0870 160 7930
Fax: 01789 295 262
Email: stratfordtic@shakespeare-country.co.uk
Map
photos of Stratford upon Avon are © David Ross and Britain Express
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