Stratford upon Avon, England, ~Shakespeare Country!

Stratford Upon Avon, the town that has made Shakespeare its own, is full of surprises.

A short day trip from our home stay near Worcester, we left the motorways and took to the country 'A' roads, passing through the A4104, A44 and the A46.They are all good roads,well signposted, flat and easy and the delights along the way made it a great route.

A delight was the village of Evesham with rowing lessons in progress on the river Avon as we passed by.If you have time stop a while and find the Almonry, a listed building dating back to 1400 in the centre.

Another such delight was Oak Cottage, a fully thatched house beside the Oak Inn.
It was newly thatched and the intricate workmanship had us staring
for quite some time.

The first indication that you have arrived is the large brown heritage road sign directing you to Ann Hathaway's cottage in Shottery, on the outskirts of the

town. Parking is free in the car park, empty when we were there as it was late December. A short walk later you are in the grounds. Entrance fee is £4.50. You walk to the cottage through the cottage garden with herbs, flower beds and the orchard. Ann Hathaway was from a farming family and the cottage was actually her parent's farm. William Shakespeare courted her here before their marriage. The 2 storied dwelling is very old with crooked walls and beams, and a tiny staircase. It is an interesting insight into a farmhouse of that time, and the tour guides are as talkative as you want them to be. We learnt that the expression "upper crust" meaning "the wealthy" came from the gentry eating the crust off the top of the bread and the farm workers eating the burnt bottom.
Mind your head as the doorways aren't built for tall people!

As you leave the cottage you walk out through the souvenir shop, with memorabilia we saw nowhere else in England. Before you leave ask for a tourist map of Stratford Upon Avon From the cottage it is a short car ride into the centre of Stratford. Free parking is available at Chestnut Walk,(thats why you need the map!) a couple of blocks from all the action. It is worth parking here as further in you will encounter narrow streets, no parking and cars everywhere, not the easiest scenario if you aren't sure where to go.

Walk down Church Road and you will be back in the time of Shakespeare. Along one side are the almshouses, given to the old to live in and still used for that purpose today. You can see from the picture on the right of the almshouses that the traffic is impossible if you are not a local!The houses are right on the footpath with the second story overhanging where you walk. Between them and the Guild Chapel is sandwiched the King Edward V1 school. where Shakespeare is thought to have gone to school and church.The school is closed to visitors but the chapel is open, and well worth a look inside.It was just after Christmas when we looked in and it was still resplendent in it's floral arrangements for the festivities. The plaques on the walls give a history of the church right from the time of the Reformation when all the decorated walls were whitewashed over.
Cross the road for the Garrick Inn, the oldest pub in Startford, dating from the 1500's and still open for business.

The main attraction of Stratford is Shakespeare's Birthplace. You will find this on Henley Street with a £6.50 entrance fee to see an exhibition of his life and works, and the cottage he was born in. We were there as a day tour from London descended on the place, and couldn't believe how fast they were moved through the complex, missing the exhibition entirely. The gardens, the old house, the reproductions of the linen wallpaper of that era, and a kitchen complete with game birds and cheeses make this an interesting way to learn more about Shakespeare. You'll even see a window where famous people of the past have scratched their signatures to record their visit, perhaps the first graffiti?

The Butterfly farm is a short walk over the Avon, from the centre of Stratford with lots of parking. Entrance fee now (2008) is £5.50 for one adult, £5.00 for a senior.

By this time we were "Shakespeared out" and spotted a sign for the Butterfly farm. What! In England in mid winter! This must be how you warm up on a cold day.
It specialisies in butterflies with spiders and insects in a different section and it was hot inside! It was a tropical oasis with a pool in the middle of the covered area, full of koi and wandering iguanas in the tropical greenery.

You are able to sit and watch the butterflies feeding on the fruit and nectar on the feeders. As long as your camera doesn't mist in the high humidity you can also play the game with the butterflies, "I can take a photo before you shut your wings and hide your colours!"

font>

Teacherstravelweb.com
founder Mike Legg feeding the koi at the Butterfly farm in Stratford Upon Avon
December 2001

Stratford Upon Avon also has lots of local shops, all very tiny and picturesque. Spend some time wandering through the ones that take your fancy, and pop into a pub for typical English refreshments.

The Royal Shakespeare Company also has productions of Shakespeare's works and there are two other theatre companies as well. By the time you leave you will have found your own special places that make this town such a treat. Of course the great news is, it is an easy day trip from many of our teacherstravelweb English members' homes.

Daytrips London : 55 1 Day Adventures by Rail or Car, in and Around London and Southern England
More...

Warwickshire
More...

Shakespeare's England : Life in Elizabethan and Jacobean Times
More...

Eyewitness: Shakespeare
More...