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Stratford-upon-Avon is situated in the heart of the English midlands. A
market town dating back to medieval times, Stratford is today most famous
as the birthplace of William Shakespeare. It’s a picturesque town
beautifully situated on the Avon River and with a wealth of black and
white half-timber buildings. Enjoy a stroll around the town center with
its nice shops, restaurants and tearooms, or relax on a river cruise, hire
your own boat or enjoy a double-decker bus tour. There are only 2
direct trains to and from Stratford per day, from London Paddington
Station. All other trains require changes.
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Stratford Chemist |
School Children |
Stratford Park
Fountain |
Stratford Cross
Clock |
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River Avon Locks |
River Avon |
River Avon |
Stratford Area
Countryside |
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Shakespeare's
Birthplace
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This is
the house where it is thought that Shakespeare was born and spent his
formative years. It originally belonged to his father John, who became a
successful businessman after moving to Stratford with his wife
Mary in 1529. The Birthplace remained in the hands of Shakespeare's
descendants until the 19th century, after which it had a somewhat
checkered past.
The Shakespeare Committee obtained the house in 1847 and restored the
birthplace to it's former glory. Much of the original stone, oak beams and
fireplaces are still in place and care has been taken to furnish the house
with contemporary Elizabethan furniture. The beautiful gardens are
planted as they would have been in Shakespeare’s time.
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Birthplace |
Birthplace |
Birthplace |
Back Garden |
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Back Garden |
Back Garden |
Sundial |
Birth Room |
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Anne Hathaway
Cottage
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Anne
Hathaway's Cottage is the most picturesque of the Birthplace Trust
properties. It is located
a mile west of Stratford in an idyllic setting. The cottage belonged to
the prosperous Hathaway family and was the pre-marital home of William
Shakespeare's wife, Anne. This "cottage" is actually a twelve-roomed,
Elizabethan farmhouse and it has changed very little since Anne
Hathaway's time. Parts of the building structure date back further than
the 15th century, using some of the earliest English house-building
techniques.
Internally the structure of the house has also remained vertually the
same. There are many 16th century fireplaces still in place and the
remains of the original Great Hall are still clearly visible. The
bedroom upstairs contains an Elizabethan wooden bedstead, with a
mattress of rush cords threaded onto the wooden frame. It is said that
this is the bed that Anne Hathaway was born upon.
The
cottage belonged to the Hathaway family until 1892, when it was bought,
along with furnishings, by The Birthplace Trust. The Trust restored
the cottage it to it's original character and it has retained it's own
beautiful English garden, with an orchard adjoining.
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Nash House - New
House
Nash House is
predominantly a 16th century structure. The half-timbered front is a
replica of the original replaced by a facade of brick and stucco in the
1700s. Inside, much of the timberwork is original. The building is now home
to Stratford's local history museum. At the rear of Nash House are the
remains of Shakespeare’s "New Place" in an enclosed garden. It is likely
that Shakespeare spent many hours relaxing here in his twilight years. The
garden is laid out in a formal Elizabethan manner, typical of
Shakespeare's day. In the center of the lawn is a sprawling mulberry tree,
rumored to be a cutting from the original Shakespearian mulberry tree.
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Nash House |
Nash House |
New House
Garden |
New House
Garden |
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Mary Arden House
Situated 3 miles north west
of Stratford, this magnificent, thatched and timber-framed Tudor farmstead
was identified in the 18th century as childhood home of Mary Arden, mother
of William Skakespeare. The Arden family had a notable family
pedigree with links to ancestors stretching as far back as Saxon times.
Until recently the half-timbered structure was hidden under stucco, which
inadvertently kept it in remarkably good condition. In 1930 the house was
bought by the Birthplace Trust and the interior has been painstakingly
furnished in keeping with a wealthy Tudor farming family. Today it has an
fairytale atmosphere with uneven walls, irregular handmade tiles and tiny
dormer windows.
The
fascinating outbuildings remain largely intact, including cowsheds,
stables, and barns. These buildings and nearby Glebe Farm now house an
extensive museum illustrating rural life over the last 400 years. There
are daily demonstrations by the Heart of England Falconry, field walks,
gypsy caravans and a resident blacksmith.
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English
Garden |
Arden House |
Arden House |
Stables |
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Falcon |
Falconer |
Cider Press |
Covered Wagon |
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The Guild Chapel
The Guild Chapel, with the
adjacent half-timbered King Edward VI School and the Alms Houses date back
to the fifteenth century. Since 1553 the school has occupied the first
floor of the Guild Hall. It is thought that Shakespeare, in his youth,
was educated there. While at the Guildhall, he would have seen plays
performed by traveling actors of the day.
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Chapel Interior |
Guild Chapel |
Gargoyle |
Guild School |
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Holy Trinity
Church
William Shakespeare and
Anne Hathaway are buried here. This ancient church provides a moment of
calm away from the bustle of the town. Both the courtyard and the
churchyard itself are breathtakingly beautiful. It is said that
Shakespeare's body is buried 20 feet deep to prevent its theft.
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Holy Trinity
Church |
Cemetery |
Cemetery |
Shakespeare's
Tomb |
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