There’s a problem with planning an out-of-season break in the UK. When we booked our long weekend to Stratford-upon-Avon, the forecast was pretty good; mild, the chance of a sunny spell or two and perhaps some soft spring zephyrs.
By the time we reached the snug little cottage in a nearby village, the ‘Mini-Beast from the East’ was snapping and snarling at our heels. Snow and bitter winds soon followed, turning our Shakespearean themed trip into Shakespeare in the snow.
Made it very pretty, of course, but it meant leisurely strolls around knot gardens and Tudor farmyards were completely out of the question.
We’re used to that, so “Blow winds and crack your cheeks”, undaunted we donned hats, scarves and gloves and set out to explore.
The Shakespeare Big Five
Take away all reference to The Bard and you are left with a low-rise medieval market town with a pretty river.
But the rise in Shakespeare-related tourism, spearheaded in the 18th and 19th centuries by then famous actor David Garrick and novelist Charles Dickens respectively, thrives by the coachload today.
Of course, with so little known about Will’s formative years, the ground is ripe for rumours and tall tales. Even visiting the town of his birth, you need to take some of the facts with a pinch of salt.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
The carefully restored Shakespeare family home boasts the room where William was born, and costumed guides tell tales of Tudor life.
The exploits of Shakespeare’s well-to-do father – glover, businessman and civic official – are entertaining too.
Prior to entering the house, you are given an introduction to Shakespeare’s life with artefacts and slide shows featuring his most famous works.
The add-on red brick building which houses this display is a bit of an anomaly but does mean the house can be presented as a lived-in home rather than a museum.
The almost continuous coach tours (even in March) and school trips mean there’s little chance of absorbing any historic atmosphere, but the live performances by the resident group of actors, Shakespeare Aloud, is well worth stopping for.
They take requests but if you’re shy, or you’re not that familiar with his works, don’t worry, they have plenty of his speeches, scenes and poems on tap.
It’s also good to linger after a large party has gone by; each guide has something slightly different to offer, some stories are speculation and legend, others more factual. Take time to listen to two or three presentations, you’ll get a better picture of how it might have been.
Most fascinating for me (being a wordy sort of person) was learning the origins of some well-known phrases.
I now know why we say “night night, sleep tight” and why after a bad night’s sleep we might feel “a bit ropey”.
Shakespeare’s New Place
Once he became a man of means, William splashed out a new home for his wife and daughters, and it was here he penned his most famous plays.
The house is now sadly demolished, but there is a beautiful garden with sculptures, a Tudor knot garden and a sweeping lawn.
His neighbour’s house still stands though and has been converted into a museum dedicated to the latter part of Shakespeare’s life.
Hall’s Croft
This is where Shakespeare’s eldest daughter, Susanna, lived with her physician husband John Hall.
It’s a well-kept example of a Tudor family house, complete with an apothecary’s dispensary, like the one John Hall would have used.
A fascinating exhibition on the medicines of the time is on display. You can even try your hand at diagnosing common ailments by the colour of someone’s wee (not real urine of course!)
There’s a lovely, if small, garden to stroll around with an ancient mulberry tree, but we didn’t linger because of the weather and made a beeline for the tea-room instead.
Here, as with so many of the Shakespeare-inspired refreshment rooms, we found the price of cakes to be a little steep, but the coffee was good and Pork Belly’s cream tea was good value.
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
Just a few miles out of the town, we found this by far the most evocative of Shakespearean times.
Again, it’s worth lingering to hear two or three guides, as each highlights a different aspect of the Shakespeare story.
This is the farmhouse where Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife, grew up and the place has been furnished with as much memorabilia as the Trust has been able to acquire over the years.
The kitchen is the most interesting, with original stone floors that Shakespeare would have walked on, plus added mod-cons over the years.
These include a clever system with a bell that stopped ringing if the spit stopped turning.
That’s why we still say today that the alarm has “gone off”, which actually doesn’t make much sense with our modern bleeps, but made perfect sense back then.
Shakespeare’s chair, which was once in private ownership, is back in the house and the four-poster bed may well be the “second-best bed” that William left to Anne in his will.
Not, as many suppose, as a snub but more likely a romantic gesture as this is the marital bed they would have shared. The best bed was reserved for guests in those days.
The gardens are packed with historical interest, but the biting wind cut short our wanderings, so we’ll have to go back another time.
Mary Arden’s Farm
Our favourite of the Big Five.
Mary Arden was Shakespeare’s mother, and the farm is dedicated to Tudor country life.
It lies a few miles out of the town and has plenty of interest for all ages.
The kitchens are fascinating (and the warmest in winter!). A meal prepared using traditional methods is served to the Tudor family in the farmhouse’s hall and a lively exchange between the guides and visitors takes place about good manners, etiquette and food.
Around the rest of the site there are geese, pigs, cattle and horses while trades-folk demonstrate their skills in farming, bow making and animal husbandry. Weather permitting, there are displays of falconry and archery.
The costumed guides are entertaining and stay in character at all times, adding a real charm to the visit.
Other Shakespeare locations in Stratford-upon-Avon
Shakespeare’s schoolroom is still in use today by King Edward VI School and you can visit it for a fee. You’ll see where he studied between the ages of 7 and 14, watch a short film about the kind of lessons he had and maybe take part in a Tudor class under the watchful eye of a ‘master’.
The beautiful old Guildhall is right next to the schoolroom. A 13th century building that was once the heart of Stratford’s commercial, civic and social life.
Holy Trinity Church is the final resting place of William, his wife and other family members. The inscription urges people not to disturb his bones and may be the reason why he has not been re-interred in Westminster Abbey’s Poets Corner.
For a small donation you can see the graves and replicas of the baptism and burial registers with Shakespeare’s entries clearly visible.
The eagle eyed may well spot another name marked just above Shakespeare’s in the burial record. This is one William Hart, a hatter, who was William Shakespeare’s brother-in-law, who was married to his “favourite” sister Joan.
The Royal Shakespeare Company
The RSC on the banks of the River Avon is home to some of the greatest plays in the world. If you can afford tickets, you can see famous actors exploring and re-inventing some of the best theatre ever written.
You can also take a tour of the auditorium and learn the theatre’s history, climb the tower for a view over the town and, when productions allow, even explore backstage.
And finally, why not have a drink at The Garrick pub, an Elizabethan half-timbered building, thought to be the oldest pub in the town. It’s dedicated to the memory of Garrick, the actor who did so much to preserve Shakespeare’s heritage.
Non-Shakespeare activities in Stratford-upon-Avon
To be honest, you can’t really get away from the Swan of Avon, and most attractions have more than a hint of Shakespeare about them.
You could try to escape him at the following attractions:
- Tudor World museum, where you can learn about the lives of the Tudors in a genuine period building.
- The MAD Museum, which houses modern mechanical art and interactive exhibits.
- The Butterfly Farm, a tropical space where you can witness butterflies, reptiles, and insects in their natural environment.
Getting the best out of a short trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon
Here are our top tips for making the most of your visit:
- If you have time to see more than one Shakespeare building, buy The Full Story ticket option from The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Valid for a year, it gets you into the Big Five mentioned above and works out at less than £5 a visit if you have time to do them all. Still good value even if you only manage two.
- Most of the Shakespeare places of note are within easy walking distance.
- The Hop On Hop Off bus tour has informative commentary and links all of the above places, even the two a little way out of town. We didn’t need it on this visit as we had our own transport.
- Parking is reasonable (coming from Brighton, it actually seemed cheap to us) if you use the council run multi-storeys and open parking just outside the main pedestrianised area.
- Best Shakespeare-related house for families is Mary Arden’s Farm. Plenty of hands-on activities, animals and play areas.
- Best Shakespeare house for photographs is Anne Hathaway’s Cottage by a mile, whatever the weather.
More information about Stratford Upon Avon
• Visit Stratford official website
• Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
• Royal Shakespeare Company
Where to next?
• Poppylands, Horsey, Norfolk
• 11 of the best winter beaches in the UK
• RHS Wisley gardens