Favourite Places – Stratford-upon-Avon

Published on by Margaret

On Sundays Margot at Joyfully Retired writes about one of her favourite places. Here’s one of mine – it’s Stratford-upon-Avon.  

We went there last August to see Julius Caesar at the Courtyard Theatre. I wrote about that here. We stayed at this hotel  

Alveston Manor

 in the room on the first floor next to the entrance (in shadow in the photo). This is the view through the window  

Bedroom window

The hotel is not far from the River Avon

River Avon

Whilst there we visited various houses connected with Shakespeare. We’ve been to Stratford many times but had never been in Shakespeare’s birthplace, so that is where we started.  

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

There is a display at the entrance which I found to be claustrophobic because the doors were locked behind us as we went in, but I enjoyed the tour of the house.  

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

We then went to Nash’s House and New Place. New Place was Shakespeare’s home for the last 18 years of his life. It was pulled down in the 18th century. Nash’s House, next to New Place belonged to Thomas Nash who married Elizabeth, Shakespeare’s granddaughter. 

Shakespeare Nash’s House & New Place
The Site of New Place

New Place Trellis-work Tunnel
New Place Knot Garden seen through the Tunnel

On after that to visit Hall’s Croft. John Hall, a physician, married Susanna, Shakespeare’s oldest daughter. The house has a small room furnished as John Hall’s consulting-room would have been and the garden contains many of the herbs mentioned in Hall’s medical notebook.   

Hall’s Croft

There is so much to see in Stratford – these are just a few of my photos! There are more on Flickr

8 thoughts on “Favourite Places – Stratford-upon-Avon”

  1. I have dreamed of visiting Stratford-upon-Avon for a long time. I feel as if I’ve been there with all your pictures. It’s even more beautiful than I imagined. Thanks so much for playing along with Favorite Places today.

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  2. What lovely pictures of Stratford upon Avon! I visited many, many years ago as a visitor just out of college, traveling on a shoe string budget. I stood in line for hours and hours to get a standing room only ticket for King Lear, then stayed in a tiny cupboard of a room in an inn that was full. But the memory lives on – it was exhilerating to watch a play in Shakespeare’s birthplace. i can see how it would be your favorite place. Would love to visit again.

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  5. I just recently went to Stratford upon Avon! I saw many of the same things, too. I was quite disappointed by the beginning of Shakespeare’s birthplace, too. I felt like it was an annoying device to control summer crowds, and since we went in winter, it just delayed us with pointless videos showing films I’d seen and very few artifacts/mannequins. The house itself was very good though.

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  6. I got to relive me trip to Stratford through your post and photos–thanks! It is a magical place, despite the tourists and the commercialism. I loved walking along the river, in particular, and I loved the garden at the back of New Place. We just sat there for awhile, enjoying the sun.

    I liked the tour at the birthplace too, but the door closing behind me took me by surprise.

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