Inevitably Stratford upon Avon is linked with William Shakespeare.
The bard was born here, spent most of his adult life in London, then retired
to Stratford.
To see Stratford and follow the Shakespeare trail you are well
advised to park your car, then use a mixture of walking and bus to discover
the history of Shakespeare. A two hour walk will cover the following
Shakespeare's birthplace, an early 16th century, half timbered
building in Henley Street.
Down Bridge Street to Clopton Bridge, built in the 15th century
Shakespeare also went to school here at the Grammar School
Along the River Avon to the modern (builtt in 1932) Royal
Shakespeare Theatre. There are three theatres in the complex, one of which
runs the Shakespeare productions. Tickets, particularly for the classics like
Hamlet, can be difficult to obtain.
Along Southern Lane to the tree lined approach to Holy trinity
Church, overlooking the river, where Shakespeare is buried. His tomb is marked
by a simple engraved stone in front of the alter
Near the church is Halls Croft. This is a fine Tudor house
with a walled garden, which was the home of Shakespeare's daughter Susanna.
If you then take the open top tourist bus, you can get to
Anne Hathaway's cottage, at Shottery, one mile west of Stratford. The cottage
is a thatched house with 12 rooms, where Shakespeare is thought to have courted
his future bride.
You will find that the bus, which follows a circular route,
is a convenient way to see Stratford. The ticket enables you to get on and
off at will. You just catch the next bus when you are ready.
