Shakespeare – a mirror of the best literature of traditional England! Rich with high-level creative talent! In the history of world literature, there are very few poets who are considered equal to Shakespeare. The plays written by him are still a source of inspiration for drama lovers and litterateurs. His plays have been translated into almost all languages.
Although I have not read any of Shakespeare’s works other than the ones we read as part of the school curriculum, yet I keep coming across his works in some form or the other, be it in a theater or a cinema hall. Or any article.
A few years ago, when I was a resident of the United Kingdom , every weekend I would visit a city. One of those weekends I reached Stratford-upon-Avon and took a walk in the city.
This was my first time taking a guided walking tour of a city. The personality of our guide had mesmerized us. I do not remember his name but the words expressed by him still echo in my ears. He took us on a tour of the unique history of Stratford-upon-Avon, including many buildings associated with Shakespeare and his family.
Not only was Shakespeare born in Stratford-upon-Avon, but he also spent the last few years of his life here in his hometown. He spent his medieval time in London where he earned immense fame in his field of work.
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Hanley Street – Shakespeare’s birthplace
Our walking tour starts from a building which is considered to be the birthplace of William Shakespeare. His parents lived in this building. Later, some descendants of his sister also resided in this building for some time. 15th. Half of this house built in the century is made of wood. 15th. Over the centuries the house has been transferred to several owners, some of whom were butchers.
18th. Many famous personalities like Charles Dickens visited this building in the century, after which the popularity of this building suddenly started increasing. Due to this popularity, an American protestor expressed his desire to purchase this building and relocate it to America. His plan led to the formation of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to protect this priceless heritage of Stratford-upon-Avon. But meaningful renovation of this building took place in the 19th century. This happened only in the middle of the century.
15th in the name of maintenance. century to 19th. By undoing all the changes that had been made to this building over the century, this building was given its original form. What a challenging and thrilling task this must have been for the architects and historians working on this project!
Standing in front of this residence of Shakespeare, I started imagining that the child Shakespeare must have stood here and observed the people who later became an integral part of his plays. While visiting his building, I was on the 19th. It bowed before the architects and historians of the century who, directing time in the opposite direction, renovated this building in such a way that this birthplace of Shakespeare became immortal forever. Just like his creations are immortal!
This building depicts the family life of John Shakespeare, father of William Shakespeare. This also includes his glove manufacturing factory. Overall effort has been made in the building to depict the childhood environment of the child Shakespeare. The flight of imagination of architects and historians went so far that they planted the same plants and flowers in the building which were planted in Shakespeare’s house at that time. There is also a mini museum within the building.
Shakespeare’s birthplace is now a national monument.
Other residences of Shakespeare’s family
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage – This is the family residence of William Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway. It is now a public museum.
Did you know that William Shakespeare married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway when he was 18?
Mary Arden’s Residence – There are two buildings one after the other called Palmer Farm and Glebe Farm. Both are believed to be the childhood homes of Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden. Both of these buildings now form part of the Shakespeare Rural Museum.
Hall Croft – This is the residence of Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna and her husband John Hall. An interesting element of this residence is an exhibition of obscure medical practices.
New Place – This is the same building where Shakespeare breathed his last in 1616. Nothing much remains of this building now but it is still called a new place.
The Nash Building on one side houses a museum displaying historical elements of the Avon Valley.
Looking at all these residences of Shakespeare’s extended family, you can guess that they are all located very close to each other. One can reach from one residence to another by walking. His mother’s residence and his wife’s mother’s residence are not far from his own residence. This brings us to 16th. One can also estimate the social situation of England at the turn of the century.
I recall the information given by my tour guide that none of Shakespeare’s original descendants are now alive. He also said that there is no information about any descendants of his living in London, if any, who are alive. There are many ambiguities regarding the period of his residence in London.
Apart from the famous Hanley Road, you can also take a walk on Sheep Street. 15-16th in this route. There are century dwellings where sheep were traded for the wool industry. These dwellings are generally called semi-timbered dwellings.
Holy Trinity Church
Stratford-upon-Avon is the city’s main cathedral, Holy Trinity Church. If seen, it is a typical church like any other church which provides regular facilities to the followers of Christianity. But in the eyes of literature lovers, this church is no less than a pilgrimage site. Their revered poet Shakespeare was baptized in this church. His tomb is also in the graveyard of this church.
According to the epitaph written on his tomb, whoever takes his remains from here to somewhere else will be cursed.
Royal Shakespeare Company
How can a theater be far from where Shakespeare is? The theater has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of the city of Stratford-upon-Avon. From time to time many theaters were built, destroyed, burnt and dismantled. Finally, in 1932, the Royal Shakespeare Theater was formally created. Later, in 1961, the Royal Shakespeare Company was established. Currently, it is the largest theater company in the United Kingdom, producing approximately 20 diverse drama projects every year.
The Royal Shakespeare Theater has facilities for an audience of 1,000. Apart from this, there are other theaters too which have their own journeys and their own stories. Be sure to visit them when you visit the city of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Be sure to enjoy at least one play performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. It will complete your travel experience in the city of Stratford-upon-Avon.
If you want to add some adventure to your travel experience, visit some local pubs. Try to communicate with the playwrights and actors present there. Try to know their life experiences. Knowing and understanding intimately his relationship with the respected poet and the 400 year old tradition started by him will prove to be a unique experience in itself. Shakespeare’s plays are not only his inspiration but also his source of income.
River Avon
The Avon River flowing through the city of Stratford-upon-Avon is still the lifeline of this city. Enjoy boating in this river and enjoy the grandeur of this ancient trading city.
15th. In the 17th century, Clapton Bridge was built across the River Avon in Stratford, which provided extensive trade opportunities to the city. Travel to the city became easier for traders. Before Clapton Bridge was built, there was an unstable wooden bridge over the river which was unreliable due to the constantly changing water levels of the River Avon.
Traders from all over the world came to Stratford via Clapton Bridge. With them came their lifestyles, their stories and their experiences. A few centuries later, perhaps these same lifestyles, these stories and these experiences proved to be the inspiration for Shakespeare’s works.
Stratford-upon-Avon is one of the few cities in the world and the name of the city also includes the name of the river flowing through it.
Boating on the River Avon is an integral part of visiting the city of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Walking on the banks of the river is also a pleasurable experience. After touring the city, I also sat down to rest on the river bank. Enjoying the happy atmosphere, I pondered and reflected on all the stories and facts related to the city of Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare, and his family.
The existence of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon beyond Shakespeare
There are several elements in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon that are tourist attractions, even if not related to the famous playwright:
- Howard House – It belongs to the famous Howard University.
- Mechanical Art & Design Museum ( MAD – Mechanical Art & Design Museum ) – an amazing source of inspiration for creative design.
- Butterfly Garden – Enjoy the world of multicolored butterflies.
- Nightly haunted tours led by trained demonstrators
- Haunted Boating on the River Avon
Do you know that the residence of the grandfather of John Howard, the founder of Harvard University, is also in the city of Stratford-upon-Avon .
Stratford-upon-Avon – a tourist destination
Stratford receives between 25 and 3 million tourists per year. The tourism industry has a major contribution in the economy of this city. The main reason for this is Shakespeare. Wherever you look in the entire city, a tourist information center is visible. Shakespeare, his works, and his place in world literature are still the main sources of income for the residents of his birthplace. Doesn’t that make him greater in the eyes of the residents of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon!
Memories of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon
Still to be told what souvenirs you should bring from Stratford-upon-Avon, the city where such a great personality as Shakespeare was born and where he breathed his last? A variety of Shakespeare-related souvenirs are available. You can also purchase his books. To know about interesting souvenirs related to Shakespeare’s birthplace, visit this website of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Some tips for visiting the town of Stratford-upon-Avon
- The nearest airport to Stratford-upon-Avon is Birmingham.
- The town of Stratford-upon-Avon is 2 hours by road from London, 30 minutes from Birmingham and 10-15 minutes from Warwick. Regular bus services are also available.
- Stratford-upon-Avon can also be reached by rail from Birmingham, Warwick or London Marylebone.
- After reaching the city of Stratford-upon-Avon, you can tour the entire city on foot or rent a two-wheeler and tour by bicycle. It is a well-built city which is full of interesting heritage. I recommend that you take at least one planned field trip. Even in the absence of a tour guide, you can walk at your own pace, explore the museums in peace, take photographs as you wish, and indulge in the ancient history of the city.
- Most planned walks start from the Swan Fountain. The place becomes very lively especially in summer with the presence of tourists and exhibitors.
- If you do not want to trek, then open-roof buses are also available which will take you around the city.
- A variety of events take place in Stratford-upon-Avon throughout the year. Be sure to get prior information about which exhibitions are organized during your travel period from this website.
- The Stratford-upon-Avon Literature Festival is an important festival. Get prior information about the festival period from this website.
- The nearest weekend from 23 April – Shakespeare’s Birthday. This is also a great time to visit Stratford.
- For more information related to Stratford-upon-Avon, you can also get information from the Britain Travel website.