Elsewhere in Stratford and Beyond
Stratford is Shakespeare’s hometown. To see or not to see? Stratford is a must for every big bus tour in England and one of the most popular side-trips from London. English majors and actors are in seventh heaven here. Sure, it’s touristy, and nonliterary types might think it’s much ado about nothing. But nobody back home would understand if you skipped Shakespeare’s house.
Shakespeare connection aside, the town’s riverside and half-timbered charm, coupled with its hardworking tourist industry, make Stratford a fun stop. But the play’s the thing to bring the Bard to life—and you can see the Royal Shakespeare Company making the most of their state-of-the-art theater complex. Even people who flunked English lit can enjoy a Shakespeare performance here.
Stratford is easy to reach by car—it’s made to order for drivers connecting the Cotswolds with points north (Warwick Castle, Liverpool, or the Lake District). Stratford is also well-connected by train or bus to London, Oxford, Warwick, Moreton-in-Marsh, and more.
Stroll the charming core, and take the 11:00 daily walking tour; you can use the ticket stub to get discounts on attractions (including the combo-ticket for Shakespeare sights) and more.
Visit your choice of Shakespeare sights—Shakespeare’s Birthplace is best and easiest. If you want to see all the five main Shakespeare sights, take the hop-on, hop-off bus for the narration and transportation to the outlying sights. (The bus-tour ticket is good for 24 hours; if you start the tour at 14:00 one day, it’s good until 14:00 the next day, allowing you to spread out your sightseeing over two days, if you like.)
Walk along the riverfront and feed the swans. You can also rent a boat or a punt, or take a cruise.
Have an early-bird dinner and see a play at night. If you arrive in Stratford one night, spend the day and then stay over a second night, you could see a play both nights.
With more time: On your way to or from Stratford, whether you’re traveling by car or public transit, Warwick Castle makes an easy and rewarding stop (see here).
Most sights are in Stratford, but Mary Arden’s Farm and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage are outside of town.
▲▲Shakespeare’s Birthplace Multimedia presentation on the life of the Bard, including a visit to his family home. Hours: Daily April-Oct 9:00-17:00, July-Aug until 18:00, Nov-March 10:00-16:00. See here.
▲▲Mary Arden’s Farm Childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother, now an open-air museum on 16th-century farm life, with an enjoyable falconry demonstration. Hours: Daily mid-March-Oct 10:00-17:00, visitors must leave by 17:30, closed Nov-mid-March. See here.
▲Anne Hathaway’s Cottage Childhood home of Shakespeare’s wife, with a cute cottage and interesting gardens. Hours: Daily mid-March-Oct 9:00-17:00, Nov-mid-March 10:00-16:00. See here.
New Place & Nash’s House Garden and foundations of Shakespeare’s last home, next door to Nash’s House, which hosts exhibits on the Bard. Hours: Daily April-Oct 10:00-17:00, Nov-March 11:00-16:00. See here.
Hall’s Croft Upscale home of Shakespeare’s eldest daughter, who married a doctor, with displays on 17th-century medicine. Hours: Daily April-Oct 10:00-17:00, Nov-March 11:00-16:00. See here.
Shakespeare’s Grave The playwright’s tomb, inside a church. Hours: April-Sept Mon-Sat 8:30-17:40, Sun 12:30-16:40; Oct-March until 16:40 or 15:40. See here.
▲▲The Royal Shakespeare Theatre Fascinating venue for seeing Shakespeare’s plays (a ▲▲▲ experience), with public areas, theater-history exhibits, backstage tours, eateries, and a tower view. Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00-23:00, Sun 10:00-17:00. See here.
▲MAD Museum Mechanical design museum with interactive machines and displays. Hours: Daily 10:30-17:30, off-season until 17:00. See here.
Avon Riverfront People-friendly setting, with a park, swans, trails, chain ferry, canal boats, cruises, and rentable punts and rowboats. See here.
Stratford, with around 30,000 people, has a compact old town, with the TI and theater along the riverbank, and Shakespeare’s Birthplace a few blocks inland; you can easily walk to everything except Mary Arden’s Farm and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. The core of the town is lined with half-timbered houses. The River Avon has an idyllic yet playful feel, with a park along both banks, paddleboats, hungry swans, and an old crank-powered ferry.
The TI is in a small brick building on Bridgefoot, where the main street hits the river (Mon-Sat 9:00-17:30, Sun 10:00-16:00, tel. 01789/264-293, www.discover-stratford.com).
Combo-Tickets: The TI sells a discounted “Town, Cottage, and Farm Pass,” covering all five Shakespeare Birthplace Trust sights, as well as a special any-three combo-ticket, which gives you entry into your pick of three of the five sights: Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Hall’s Croft, New Place & Nash’s House, Mary Arden’s Farm, and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage.
These entertaining, award-winning two-hour walks introduce you to the town and its famous playwright. Tours run daily year-round, rain or shine. Just show up at the Swan fountain (on the waterfront, opposite Sheep Street) in front of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and pay the guide (£6, kids-£3, ticket stub offers discounts on combo-tickets for Shakespeare sights and more, daily at 11:00, Sat-Sun also at 14:00, mobile 07855/760-377, www.stratfordtownwalk.co.uk). The same company offers an evening ghost walk, led by a professional magician (£6, kids-£4, Mon and Thu-Sat at 19:30, 1.5 hours, must book in advance).
Open-top buses constantly make the rounds, allowing visitors to hop on and hop off at all the Shakespeare sights. Given the far-flung nature of two of the Shakespeare sights (Mary Arden’s Farm and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage) and the fun and informative commentary, this tour makes the town more manageable. The full 11-stop circuit takes about an hour. Buses alternate between recorded commentary and live guides—for the best tour, wait for a live guide (£13.50, discount with town walk ticket stub, buy tickets on bus or as you board, ticket good for 24 hours, buses leave from the TI every 20 minutes in high season from about 9:30-17:00, every 30 minutes and shorter hours off-season; tel. 01789/412-680, www.citysightseeing-stratford.com).
Stratford-upon-Avon is notable for its half-timbered architecture.
To many, William Shakespeare is the greatest author, in any language, period. In one fell swoop, he expanded and helped define modern English—the unrefined tongue of everyday people—and granted it a beauty and legitimacy that put it on par with Latin. In the process, he gave us phrases like “one fell swoop,” which we quote without knowing that no one ever said it before Shakespeare wrote it.
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. Though his parents were probably illiterate, Shakespeare is thought to have attended Stratford’s grammar school, finishing his education at age 14. When he was 18, he married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway (who was three months pregnant with their daughter Susanna).
The beginning of Shakespeare’s writing career is shrouded in mystery. We only know that seven years after his marriage, Shakespeare was living in London as a budding poet, playwright, and actor. He hit the big time, writing and performing for royalty, founding the Globe Theatre (a functioning replica now stands along the Thames’ South Bank in London), and raking in enough dough to buy New Place, a mansion back in his hometown. Around 1611, he retired from the theater, moving back to Stratford, where he died at the age of 52.
Using borrowed plots, outrageous puns, and poetic language, Shakespeare wrote comedies (c. 1590—Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It), tragedies (c. 1600—Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, King Lear), and fanciful combinations (c. 1610—The Tempest), exploring the full range of human emotions and reinventing the English language. Think of his stock of great characters and great lines: Hamlet (“To be or not to be, that is the question”), Othello and his jealousy (“It is the green-eyed monster”), ambitious Mark Antony (“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears”), rowdy Falstaff (“The better part of valor is discretion”), and the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet (“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks”). Even today, his characters strike a familiar chord.
His brilliant work, his humble beginnings, and the fact that no original Shakespeare manuscripts survive raise a few scholarly eyebrows. How could a journeyman actor with little education have written so many masterpieces? Perhaps he had help. He was surrounded by other great writers, such as his friend Ben Jonson. Most modern scholars, though, agree that Shakespeare did indeed write the plays and sonnets attributed to him.
His contemporaries had no doubts about Shakespeare—or his legacy. As Jonson wrote in the preface to the First Folio, “He was not of an age, but for all time!”
Market Days: A crafts and food market runs along the park between the Royal Shakespeare Theater and Bridge Street on Sundays (9:00-16:00).
Baggage Storage: Mailboxes Etc., a 5-minute walk from the train station, can store luggage for day-trippers (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:30, Sat 9:00-16:00, closed Sun, 12a Greenhill Street, tel. 01789/294-968).
Taxis: Try 007 Taxis (tel. 01789/414-007) or the taxi stand on Woodbridge, near the intersection with High Street. To arrange for a private car and driver, contact Platinum Cars (£40/hour, tel. 01789/264-626, www.platinum-cars.co.uk).
▲▲THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE
TOP (FORMER COURTYARD THEATRE)
Stratford’s five biggest sights are run by the same organization, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (www.shakespeare.org.uk). While they are designed to be crowd-pleasers rather than to tickle academics, they’re well-run and genuinely interesting. Shakespeare’s Birthplace, New Place & Nash’s House, and Hall’s Croft are in town; Mary Arden’s Farm and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage are just outside Stratford. Each has a tranquil garden and helpful, eager docents who love to tell a story; and yet, each is quite different, so visiting all five gives you a well-rounded look at the Bard.
If you’re here for Shakespeare sightseeing—and have time to venture to the countryside sights—buy the Town, Cottage, and Farm Pass combo-ticket and drop into them all. If your time is more limited, visit only Shakespeare’s Birthplace, which is the most convenient (right in the town center) and offers the best historical introduction to the playwright.
Combo-Tickets: Admission to the three Shakespeare Birthplace Trust sights in town—Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Hall’s Croft, and New Place & Nash’s House—requires a combo-ticket; no individual tickets are sold. To visit only these three sights, get the £17.50 Town Houses Pass, which is sold at the participating sights. To add Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Mary Arden’s Farm, you can buy the £26.25 Town, Cottage, and Farm Pass (sold at participating sights, good for one year; also available at a discount at the TI); this ticket also includes Holy Trinity Church, with Shakespeare’s grave, which usually requests a £3 donation. You can buy individual tickets for Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Mary Arden’s Farm (see “Just Outside Stratford,” later).
Another option is the £15.50 any-three combo-ticket, sold only at the TI. This ticket lets you choose which trio of sights you want to see—for instance, the birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, and Mary Arden’s Farm (buy at TI; you’ll get a receipt, then show it at the first sight you visit to receive your three-sight card).
Discounts: If you’ve taken a Stratford town walk (described under “Tours,” earlier), show your ticket stub to receive a 30 percent discount off any combo-ticket you buy at the sights. Also, ask your B&B owner if they have any discount vouchers—they often do.
Closing Times: What the Shakespeare sights list as their “closing time” is actually their last-entry time. If you show up at the closing time I’ve noted below, you’ll still be able to get in, but with limited time to enjoy the sight.
Touring this sight, you’ll experience a modern exhibit before seeing Shakespeare’s actual place of birth. While the birthplace itself is underwhelming, the exhibit, helpful docents, and sense that Shakespeare’s ghost still haunts these halls make it a good introduction to the Bard.
Cost and Hours: Covered by combo-tickets, daily April-Oct 9:00-17:00, July-Aug until 18:00, Nov-March 10:00-16:00, café, in town center on Henley Street, tel. 01789/204-016.
Visiting Shakespeare’s Birthplace: Begin by touring an exhibit that provides an entertaining and easily digestible overview of what made the Bard so great. The exhibit includes a timeline of his plays, movie clips of his works, and information about his upbringing in Stratford, his family life, and his career in London. Historical artifacts, including an original 1623 First Folio of Shakespeare’s work, are also on display.
Exit the exhibit into the garden, where you can follow signs to the birthplace, a half-timbered Elizabethan building where young William grew up. I find the old house disappointing, as if millions of visitors have rubbed it clean of anything authentic. It was restored in the 1800s, and, while the furnishings seem tacky and modern, they’re supposed to be true to 1575, when William was 11. Chat up the well-versed, often-costumed attendants posted in many of the rooms; they are eager to answer questions. You’ll be greeted by a guide who offers an introductory talk, then set free to explore on your own. Look for the window etched with the names of decades of important visitors, from Walter Scott to actor Henry Irving.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Shakespeare’s father, John—who came from humble beginnings, but bettered himself by pursuing a career in glove-making (you’ll see the window where he sold them to customers on the street)—provided his family with a comfortable, upper-middle-class existence. The guest bed in the parlor was a major status symbol: They must have been rich to afford such a nice bed that wasn’t even used every day. This is also the house where Shakespeare and his bride, Anne Hathaway, began their married life together. Upstairs are the rooms where young Will, his siblings, and his parents slept (along with their servants). After Shakespeare’s father died and William inherited the building, the thrifty playwright converted it into a pub to make a little money.
Exit into the fine garden where Shakespearean actors often perform brief scenes (they may even take requests). Pull up a bench and listen, imagining the playwright as a young boy stretching his imagination in this very place.
Rick’s Tip: Every year on the weekend nearest to Shakespeare’s birthday (traditionally considered to be April 23—also the day he died), Stratford celebrates. The town hosts free events, including activities for children.
New Place & Nash’s House provide an atmospheric stop on a tour of the Bard’s life. About 400 years after his death, visitors can stroll the former foundation and gardens of the mansion Shakespeare called home after he made it big. While nothing remains of the house purchased in 1597 (it was demolished in the 18th century), the grounds still manage to seduce many visitors. At the least, they have nostalgic value—especially for fans who can picture him writing The Tempest on this very spot. Next door, Nash’s House (Nash was the first husband of Shakespeare’s granddaughter...not exactly a close connection) features items related to its recent excavation and Shakespeare’s 19 years living in New Place before he died there in 1616.
Cost and Hours: Covered by combo-tickets; daily April-Oct 10:00-17:00, Nov-March 11:00-16:00; Chapel Street, tel. 01789/292-325.
This former home of Shakespeare’s eldest daughter, Susanna, is in Stratford town center. A fine old Jacobean house, it’s the fanciest of the group. Since she married a doctor, the exhibits here are focused on 17th-century medicine. If you have time to spare and one of the combo-tickets, it’s worth a quick pop-in. To make the exhibits interesting, ask the docent for the 15- to 20-minute introduction, or follow one of the large laminated self-guides, both of which help bring the plague—and some of the bizarre remedies of the time—to life.
Cost and Hours: Covered by combo-tickets, same hours as New Place & Nash’s House, on-site tearoom, between Church Street and the river on Old Town Street, tel. 01789/338-533.
To see his final resting place, head to the riverside Holy Trinity Church. Shakespeare was a rector for this church when he died. While the church is surrounded by an evocative graveyard, the Bard is entombed in a place of honor, right in front of the altar inside. The church marks the ninth-century birthplace of the town, which was once a religious settlement.
Cost and Hours: £3 suggested donation; covered by Town, Cottage, and Farm Pass; April-Sept Mon-Sat 8:30-17:40, Sun 12:30-16:40; Oct-March until 16:40 or 15:40, 10-minute walk past the theater—see its graceful spire as you gaze down the river, tel. 01789/266-316, www.stratford-upon-avon.org.
To reach Mary Arden’s Farm or Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, either drive or take the hop-on, hop-off bus (see “Tours,” earlier)—unless you’re staying at one of the Grove Road B&Bs, an easy 20-minute walk from Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Both sights are well-signposted (with brown signs) from major streets and ring roads around Stratford. If driving between the sights, ask for directions at the sight you’re leaving.
Along with Shakespeare’s Birthplace, this is my favorite of the Shakespearean sights. Famous as the girlhood home of William’s mom, this homestead is in Wilmcote (about three miles from Stratford). Built around two historic farmhouses, it’s an open-air folk museum depicting 16th-century farm life...which happens to have ties to Shakespeare. The Bard is basically an afterthought here.
Cost and Hours: £13.25, covered by combo-ticket, daily mid-March-Oct 10:00-17:00, visitors must leave by 17:30, closed Nov-mid-March, tel. 01789/293-455.
Visiting Mary Arden’s Farm: The museum hosts many special events, including the falconry show described below. The day’s events are listed on a chalkboard by the entry, or you can call ahead to find out what’s on. There are always plenty of activities to engage kids: It’s an active, hands-on place.
Pick up a map at the entrance and wander from building to building, through farmhouses with good displays about farm life. Throughout the complex, you’ll see period interpreters in Tudor costumes. They’ll likely be going through the day’s chores as people back then would have done—activities such as milking the sheep and cutting wood to do repairs on the house. They’re happy to answer questions and provide fun, gossipy insight into what life was like at the time.
The first building, Palmer’s farm (mistaken for Mary Arden’s home for hundreds of years, and correctly identified in 2000), is furnished as it would have been in Shakespeare’s day. Step into the kitchen to see food being prepared over an open fire—at 13:00 each day the “servants” (employees) sit down in the adjacent dining room for a traditional dinner.
Mary Arden actually lived in the neighboring farmhouse, covered in brick facade and seemingly less impressive. The house is filled with kid-oriented activities, including period dress-up clothes, board games from Shakespeare’s day, and a Tudor alphabet so kids can write their names in fancy lettering.
Of the many events here, the most enjoyable is the falconry demonstration, with lots of mean-footed birds (daily, usually at 11:15, 12:15, 13:00 and 16:00). Chat with the falconers about their methods for earning the birds’ trust. The birds’ hunger sets them to flight (a round-trip earns the bird a bit of food; the birds fly when hungry—but don’t have the energy if they’re too hungry). If things are slow, ask if you can feed one.
Located 1.5 miles out of Stratford (in Shottery), this home is a 12-room farmhouse where the Bard’s wife grew up. William courted Anne here—she was 26, he was only 18—and his tactics proved successful. (Maybe a little too much, as she was several months pregnant at their wedding.) Their 34-year marriage produced two more children, and lasted until his death in 1616 at age 52. The Hathaway family lived here for 400 years, until 1911, and much of the family’s 92-acre farm remains part of the sight.
Cost and Hours: £10.25, covered by combo-ticket, daily mid-March-Oct 9:00-17:00, Nov-mid-March 10:00-16:00, tel. 01789/338-532.
Getting There: It’s a 30-minute walk from central Stratford (20 minutes from the Grove Road B&Bs), a stop on the hop-on, hop-off tour bus, or a quick taxi ride from downtown Stratford (around £5). Drivers will find it well-signposted entering Stratford from any direction, with easy £1 parking.
Visiting Anne Hathaway’s Cottage: After buying your ticket, turn right and head down through the garden to the thatch-roofed cottage, which looks cute enough to eat. The house offers an intimate peek at life in Shakespeare’s day. In some ways, it feels even more authentic than his birthplace, and it’s fun to imagine the writer of some of the world’s greatest romances wooing his favorite girl right here during his formative years. Docents are posted in the first and last rooms to provide meaning and answer questions; while most tourists just stampede through, you’ll have a more informative visit if you pause to listen to their introduction in the parlor and commentary throughout the house. (If the place shakes, a tourist has thunked his or her head on the low beams.)
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
Maybe even more interesting than the cottage are the gardens, which have several parts (including a prizewinning “traditional cottage garden”). Follow the signs to the “Woodland Walk” (look for the Singing Tree on your way), along with a fun sculpture garden littered with modern interpretations of Shakespearean characters (such as Falstaff’s mead gut, and a great photo-op statue of the British Isles sliced out of steel). From April through June, the gardens are at their best, with birds chirping, bulbs in bloom, and a large sweet-pea display. You’ll also find a music trail, a butterfly trail, and—likely—rotating exhibits, generally on a gardening theme.
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), undoubtedly the best Shakespeare company on earth, performs year-round in Stratford and in London. Seeing a play here in the Bard’s birthplace is a must for Shakespeare fans, and a memorable experience for anybody. Between its excellent acting and remarkable staging, the RSC makes Shakespeare as accessible and enjoyable as it gets.
The RSC makes it easy to take in a play, thanks to their very user-friendly website, painless ticket-booking system, and chock-a-block schedule that fills the summer with mostly big-name Shakespeare plays (plus a few more obscure titles to please the die-hard aficionados). Except in January and February, there’s almost always something playing.
The RSC is enjoying renewed popularity this decade after the 2011 opening of its cutting-edge Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Even if you’re not seeing a play, exploring this cleverly designed theater building is well worth your time. The smaller attached Swan Theatre hosts plays on a more intimate scale, with only about 400 seats.
Performances take place most days (Mon-Sat generally at 19:15 at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre or 19:30 at the Swan, matinees around 13:15 at the RST or 13:30 at the Swan, sporadic Sun shows). Shows generally last three hours or more, with one intermission; for an evening show, don’t count on getting back to your B&B much before 23:00. There’s no strict dress code—and people dress casually (nice jeans and short-sleeve shirts are fine)—but shorts are discouraged. You can buy a program for £4. If you’re feeling bold, buy a £5 standing ticket and then slip into an open seat as the lights dim—if nothing is available during the play’s first half, something might open up after intermission.
Getting Tickets: Tickets range from £5 (standing) to £60, with most around £40. Saturday evening shows—the most popular—are most expensive. You can book tickets as you like it: online (www.rsc.org.uk), by phone (tel. 01789/403-493), or in person at the box office (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-17:00). Pay by credit card, get a confirmation number, then pick up your tickets at the theater 30 minutes before “curtain up.” Because it’s so easy to get tickets online or by phone, it makes absolutely no sense to pay extra to book tickets through any other source.
Tickets go on sale months in advance. Saturdays and very famous plays (such as Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet)—or any play with a well-known actor—sell out the fastest; the earlier in the week the performance is, the longer it takes to sell out (Thursdays sell out faster than Mondays, for example). Before your trip, check the schedule on their website, and consider buying tickets if something strikes your fancy. But demand is difficult to predict, and some tickets do go unsold. On a past visit, on a sunny Friday in June, the riverbank was crawling with tourists. I stepped into the RSC on a lark to see if they had any tickets. An hour later, I was watching King Lear lose his marbles.
Even if there aren’t any seats available, you may be able to buy a returned ticket on the same day of an otherwise sold-out show. Also, the few standing-room tickets in the main theater are sold only on the day of the show. While you can check at the box office anytime during the day, it’s best to go either when it opens at 10:00 (daily) or between 17:30 and 18:00 (Mon-Sat). Be prepared to wait.
The RSC’s main venue reopened in 2011 after it was updated head to toe, with both a respect for tradition and a sensitivity to the needs of contemporary theatergoers. You need to take a guided tour (explained later) to see the backstage areas, but you’re welcome to wander the theater’s public areas anytime the building is open. Interesting tidbits of theater history and easy-to-miss special exhibits make this one of Stratford’s most fascinating sights. If you’re seeing a play here, come early to poke around the building. Even if you’re not, step inside and explore.
Cost and Hours: Free entry, Mon-Sat 10:00-23:00, Sun 10:00-17:00.
Guided Tours: Well-informed RSC volunteers lead entertaining, one-hour building tours. Some cover the main theater while others take you into behind-the-scenes spaces, such as the space-age control room (try for a £8.50 behind-the-scenes tour, but if those aren’t running, consider a £6.50 front-of-the-house tour—which skips the backstage areas; tour schedule varies by day, depending on performances, but there’s often one at 9:15—call, check online, or go to box office to confirm schedule; best to book ahead, tel. 01789/403-493, www.rsc.org.uk).
Background: The flagship theater of the RSC has an interesting past. The original Victorian-style theater was built in 1879 to honor the Bard, but it burned down in 1926. The big Art Deco-style building you see today was erected in 1932 and outfitted with a stodgy Edwardian “picture frame”-style stage, even though a more dynamic “thrust”-style stage—better for engaging the audience—was the actors’ choice. (It would also have been closer in design to Shakespeare’s original Globe stage, which jutted into the crowd.)
The latest renovation addressed this ill-conceived design, adding an updated thrust-style stage. They’ve left the shell of the 1930s theater, but given it an unconventional deconstructed-industrial style, with the seats stacked at an extreme vertical pitch. Though smaller, the redesigned theater can seat about the same size audience as before (1,048 seats), and now there’s not a bad seat in the house—no matter what, you’re no more than 50 feet from the stage (the cheapest “gallery” seats look down right onto Othello’s bald spot). Productions are staged to play to all the seats throughout the show. Those sitting up high appreciate different details from those at stage level, and vice versa.
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Visiting the Theater: From the main lobby and box office/gift shop area, there’s plenty to see. First head left. In the circular atrium between the brick wall of the modern theater and fragments of the previous theater, notice the ratty old floorboards. These were pried up from the 1932 stage and laid down here—so as you wait for your play, you’re treading on theater history. Upstairs on level 2, find the Paccar Room, with generally excellent temporary exhibits assembled from the RSC’s substantial collection of historic costumes, props, manuscripts, and other theater memorabilia. Continue upstairs to level 3 to the Rooftop Restaurant (described later). High on the partition that runs through the restaurant, facing the brick theater wall, notice the four chairs affixed to the wall. These are original seats from the earlier theater, situated where the back row used to be (90 feet from the stage)—illustrating how much more audience-friendly the new design is.
Back downstairs, pass through the box office/gift shop area to find the Swan Gallery—an old, Gothic-style Victorian space that survives from the original 1879 Memorial Theatre and hosts rotating exhibitions.
Back outside, across the street from the theater, notice the building with the steep gable and huge door (marked CFE 1887). This was built as a workshop for building sets, which could be moved in large pieces to the main theater. To this day, all the sets, costumes, and props are made here in Stratford. The row of cottages to the right is housing for actors. The RSC’s reputation exerts enough pull to attract serious actors from all over the UK and beyond, who live here for the entire season. The RSC uses a repertory company approach, where the same actors appear in multiple shows concurrently. Today’s Lady Macbeth may be tomorrow’s Rosalind.
Tower View: For a God’s-eye view of all of Shakespeare’s houses, ride the elevator to the top of the RSC’s tower (£2.50, buy ticket at box office, closes 30 minutes before the theater). Aside from a few sparse exhibits, the main attraction here is the 360-degree view over the theater building, the Avon, and the lanes of Stratford.
The Food’s the Thing: The main theater has a casual café with a terrace overlooking the river (£3-5 sandwiches, daily 10:00-21:00), as well as the fancier Rooftop Restaurant, which counts the Queen as a patron (£5-15 lunch menu; dinner-£20 two-course meal, £24 three-course meal; Mon-Sat 11:30 until late, Sun 12:00-18:00, dinner reservations smart, tel. 01789/403-449, www.rsc-rooftop-restaurant.co.uk).
Adjacent to the RSC Theatre is the smaller (about 400 seats), Elizabethan-style Swan Theatre, named not for the birds that fill the park out front, but for the Bard’s nickname—the “sweet swan of Avon.” This galleried playhouse opened in 1986, thanks to an extremely generous donation from an American theater lover. It has a vertical layout and a thrust stage similar to the RSC Theatre, but its wood trim and railings give it a cozier, more traditional feel. The Swan is used for lesser-known Shakespeare plays and alternative works. Occasionally, the lowest level of seats is removed to accommodate “groundling” (standing-only) tickets, much like Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
A two-minute walk down Southern Lane from the original Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Courtyard Theatre (affectionately called the “rusty shed” by locals) was built as a replacement venue while the RSC was being renovated. It was used as a prototype for the main theater—a testing ground for the lights, seats, and structure of its big brother. Now it’s being converted into an alternative, studio theater-type venue called The Other Place (TOP), which will showcase new writing and experimental works. Part of the building is also used for rehearsal space and a costume shop. The theater should be open by the time you visit, with plays, tours, and yet another opportunity to appreciate the legacy of Stratford’s most famous native son.
The River Avon is a playground of swans and canal boats. The swans have been the mascots of Stratford since 1623, when, seven years after the Bard’s death, Ben Jonson’s poem in the First Folio dubbed him “the sweet swan of Avon.” Join in the bird-scene fun and buy swan food to feed swans and ducks (sold at the TI for £1, and possibly by other vendors—ask around). Don’t feed the Canada geese, which locals disdain (they say the geese are vicious and have been messing up the eco-balance since they were imported by a king in 1665).
For a nice riverfront walk, consider crossing over the Tramway Footbridge and following the trail to the right (west) along the south bank of the Avon. From here, you’ll get a great view of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre across the river. Continuing down the path, you’ll pass the lawn bowling club (guest players welcome, £3, Tue and Thu 14:00-16:00) and Lucy’s Mill Weir, an area popular with fishers and kayakers, where you can turn around. On the way back, cross the river by chain ferry (£0.50) and return to the town center via the north bank for a full loop.
In the water you’ll see colorful canal boats. These boats saw their workhorse days during the short window of time between the start of the Industrial Revolution and the establishment of the railways. Today, they’re mostly pleasure boats. The boats are long and narrow, so two can pass in the slim canals. There are 2,000 miles of canals in England’s Midlands, built to connect centers of industry with seaports and provide vital transportation during the early days of the Industrial Revolution. Stratford was as far inland as you could sail on natural rivers from Bristol; it was the terminus of the man-made Birmingham Canal, built in 1816. Even today you can motor your canal boat all the way to London from here. Along the embankment, look for the signs indicating how many hours it’ll take—and how many locks you’ll traverse—to go by boat to various English cities.
Swans and canal boats populate the River Avon.
For a little bit of mellow river action, rent a rowboat (£5/hour per person) or, for more of a challenge, pole yourself around on a Cambridge-style punt (canal is poleable—only 4 or 5 feet deep; same price as the rowboat and more memorable/embarrassing if you do the punting—don’t pay £10/30 minutes per person for a waterman to do the punting for you). You can rent these boats at the Swan’s Nest Boathouse across the Tramway Footbridge; another rental station, along the river, next to the theater, has higher prices but is more conveniently located.
You can also try a sleepy 40-minute river cruise (£5.50, includes commentary, Avon Boating, board boat in Bancroft Gardens near the RSC theater, tel. 01789/267-073, www.avon-boating.co.uk), or jump on the oldest surviving chain ferry (c. 1937) in Britain, which shuttles people across the river just beyond the theater (£0.50).
The old Cox’s Yard, a riverside timber yard until the 1990s, is a rare physical remnant of the days when Stratford was an industrial port. Today, Cox’s has been taken over by a pricey, sprawling restaurant complex, with a steakhouse, a burger stand, a milkshake shop, lots of outdoor seating, and occasional live music. Upstairs is the Attic Theatre, which puts on fringe theater acts (www.treadtheboardstheatre.co.uk).
In the riverfront park, roughly between Cox’s Yard and the TI, the Gower Memorial honors the Bard and his creations. Named for Lord Ronald Gower, the man who paid for and sculpted the memorial, this 1888 work shows Shakespeare up top ringed by four of his most indelible creations, each representing a human pursuit: Hamlet (philosophy), Lady Macbeth (tragedy), Falstaff (comedy), and Prince Hal (history). Originally located next to the theater, it was moved here after the 1932 fire.
A refreshing change of pace in Bard-bonkers Stratford, this museum’s name stands for “Mechanical Art and Design.” It celebrates machines as art, showcasing a changing collection of skillfully constructed robots, gizmos, and Rube-Goldberg machines that spring to entertaining life with the push of a button. Engaging for kids, riveting for engineers, and enjoyable to anybody, it’s pricey but conveniently located near Shakespeare’s Birthplace.
Cost and Hours: £6.80, daily 10:30-17:30, off-season until 17:00, last entry 45 minutes before closing, 45 Hanley Street, tel. 01789/269-356, www.themadmuseum.co.uk.
Stratford’s numerous restaurants vie for your pre-theater business, with special hours and meal deals. Most offer light two- and three-course menus before 19:00. You’ll find many hardworking places on Sheep Street and Waterside.
Le Bistro Pierre, across the river near the boating station, is an impressive French eatery with indoor or outdoor seating and slow service (£11 two-course lunches; £15 two-course meals before 18:45, otherwise £13-17 main courses; Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-22:30, Sat 12:00-16:00 & 17:00-23:00, Sun 12:30-16:30 & 18:00-22:00, Swan’s Nest, Bridgefoot, tel. 01789/264-804). The pub next door, Bear Free House, shares the same kitchen, but offers a different menu.
Edward Moon is an upscale English brasserie serving signature dishes like steak-and-ale pies and roasted lamb shank in a setting reminiscent of Casablanca (£6-7 starters, £12-18 main courses, Mon-Thu 12:00-14:30 & 17:00-21:30, Fri 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-20:00, Sun 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-21:00, closed Sat, 9 Chapel Street, tel. 01789/267-069, www.moonsrestaurants.com).
The next three places, part of the same chain, line up along Sheep Street, offering trendy ambience and modern English cuisine at relatively high prices (all three have pre-theater menus before 19:00—£14 two-course meal, £18 for three courses). Lambs is intimate and serves meat, fish, and veggie dishes with panache. The upstairs feels dressy, under low half-timbered beams (£13-20 main courses, Mon-Fri 17:00-21:00, Sat 16:30-21:30, Sun 18:00-21:00, lunch served Tue-Sun, 12 Sheep Street, tel. 01789/292-554). The Opposition, next door, has a less formal bistro ambience (£9-11 light meals, £14-20 main courses; Mon-Sat 12:00-14:00 & 17:00-21:00, Fri-Sat until 22:30, closed Sun; book in advance if you want to have a post-theater dinner here on Fri or Sat, tel. 01789/269-980). The Vintner, just up the street, has the best reputation and feels even trendier than its siblings. It’s known for its £12 burgers (£9-11 light meals, £12-18 main courses, daily 9:30-22:00, until 21:30 Sun, 4 Sheep Street, tel. 01789/297-259).
Avon Spice has a good reputation for Indian food at good prices (£7-10 main courses, daily 17:00-23:30, until later Fri-Sat, 7 Greenhill Street, tel. 01789/267-067).
The Old Thatch Tavern serves up London-based Fuller’s brews. The atmosphere is cozy, and the food is a cut above what you’ll get in the other pubs; enjoy it either in the bar, in the tight, candlelit restaurant, or on the quiet patio (£10-12 main courses, food served Mon-Sat 12:00-21:00, Sun 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-21:00, on Greenhill Street overlooking the market square, tel. 01789/295-216).
The Windmill Inn serves decent, modestly-priced fare in a 17th-century inn. It’s a few steps beyond the heart of the tourist zone, so it attracts locals as well. Order drinks and food at the bar, settle into a comfy chair, or head to the half-timbered courtyard (£8-10 pub grub, food served daily 11:00-22:00, Church Street, tel. 01789/297-687).
A picnic at Stratford’s inviting riverfront park is a fine way to spend a midsummer night’s eve. For groceries or prepared foods, find Marks & Spencer on Bridge Street (Mon-Sat 8:00-18:00, Sun 10:30-16:30, small coffee-and-sandwiches café upstairs, tel. 01789/292-430). Across the street, Sainsbury’s Local stays open later than other supermarkets in town (daily 7:00-22:00).
Barnaby’s is a greasy fast-food joint near the waterfront—but it’s convenient if you want to get takeout for the riverside park just across the street (£5-8 fish-and-chips, daily 11:00-19:30, at Sheep Street and Waterside). For better food (but a less convenient location closer to my recommended B&Bs than to the park), queue up with the locals at Kingfisher for the freshly battered haddock (£6-7 fish-and-chips, Mon-Sat 11:30-13:45 & 17:00-22:00, closed Sun, a long block up at 13 Ely Street, tel. 01789/292-513).
Henley Street Tea Rooms, across the street from Shakespeare’s Birthplace, has indoor seating, outdoor tables, and friendly service (£4.50 cream tea, £13 afternoon tea, teas available all day, daily 9:00-17:30, Sept-March until 17:00, 40 Henley Street, tel. 01789/415-572). The same people run Bensons House of Tea & Gift Shop, just down the street (at #33).
Ye olde timbered hotels are scattered throughout the city center. Most B&Bs are a short walk away on the fringes of town, on the busy ring roads that route traffic away from the center. (The recommended places below generally have double-paned windows for rooms in the front, but still get some traffic noise.)
Fridays and Saturdays are busy throughout the season, but the weekend on or near Shakespeare’s birthday (April 23) is particularly tight.
At the edge of town on busy Grove Road, across from a grassy square, these accommodations come with free parking when booked in advance. From here, it’s about a 10-minute walk either to the town center or to the train station (opposite directions).
$$$ Adelphi Guest House provides a warm welcome, homemade gingerbread, and original art in every room (Db-£85-100, family rooms, 2 percent surcharge on credit cards, 10 percent discount if you stay at least 2 nights—mention this book when you reserve, 39 Grove Road, tel. 01789/204-469, www.adelphi-guesthouse.com, info@adelphi-guesthouse.com).
$$ Ambleside Guest House is run with quiet efficiency and attentiveness. Each of the seven rooms has been completely renovated, including the small but tidy bathrooms (Db-£60-80, family rooms, ground-floor rooms, 41 Grove Road, tel. 01789/297-239, www.amblesideguesthouse.com, peter@amblesideguesthouse.com—include your phone number in your request, since they like to call you back to confirm).
$$ Woodstock Guest House is a friendly, frilly, family-run, place with five comfortable rooms (Db-£60-85, family rooms, ground-floor room, get Rick Steves discount if you stay 2 or more nights—mention this book when you reserve, 5 percent surcharge on credit cards, 30 Grove Road, tel. 01789/299-881, www.woodstock-house.co.uk, jackie@woodstock-house.co.uk).
$ Salamander Guest House rents eight simple rooms a bit cheaper than their neighbors (Db-£50-65, family rooms, suite, 40 Grove Road, tel. 01789/205-728, www.salamanderguesthouse.co.uk, p.delin@btinternet.com).
$$$ Mercure Shakespeare Hotel, centrally located in a black-and-white building just up the street from New Place & Nash’s House, has 78 business-class rooms, each named for a Shakespearean play or character. Some of the rooms are old-style Elizabethan with modern finishes, while others are contemporary (standard Db-£110-140, deluxe Db-£140-170, prices soft depending on demand, breakfast extra, pay parking, Chapel Street, tel. 01789/294-997, www.mercure.com, h6630-re@accor.com).
$$ The Emsley Guest House holds five bright modern rooms in a homey and inviting atmosphere (Db-£70-90, family rooms, no kids under 5, free off-street parking, 5 minutes from station at 4 Arden Street, tel. 01789/299-557, www.theemsley.co.uk, mel@theemsley.co.uk).
$ Hemmingford House, a hostel with 134 beds and some double rooms, is a 10-minute bus ride from town (dorm bed-£17-28, breakfast extra; take bus #15, #18, or #18A two miles to Alveston; tel. 01789/297-093, www.yha.org.uk/hostel/stratford-upon-avon, stratford@yha.org.uk).
Get off at the Stratford-upon-Avon station (not the Stratford Parkway station). Exit straight ahead from the train station, bear right up the stairs, then turn left and follow the main drag straight to the river. (For the Grove Road B&Bs, turn right at the first big intersection.) Train info: tel. 0345-748-4950, www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Rick’s Tip: If you’re coming by train or bus, be sure to request a ticket for “Stratford-upon-Avon,” not just “Stratford” (to avoid a mix-up with Stratford Langthorne, near London, which hosted the 2012 Olympics and now boasts a huge park where the games were held).
Train Connections to: London (3/day direct, more with transfers, 2-2.5 hours, to Marylebone Station), Liverpool (2/hour, 3 hours), Warwick (8/day, 30 minutes, more with transfer in Birmingham), Oxford (every 2 hours, 1.5 hours, change in Leamington Spa or Banbury), Moreton-in-Marsh (hourly, 1.5-3 hours, complicated with 3 transfers and expensive; better by bus).
Most intercity buses stop on Stratford’s Bridge Street (a block up from the TI). For bus info that covers all the region’s companies, call Traveline at tel. 0871-200-2233 (www.travelinemidlands.co.uk).
Bus Connections to: Cotswolds towns (bus #21 or #22, Mon-Sat 8/day, none on Sun, 35 minutes to Chipping Campden, 1-1.5 hours to Moreton-in-Marsh; Johnsons Coaches, tel. 01564/797-070, www.johnsonscoaches.co.uk), Warwick (#X16 is fastest, hourly, 30 minutes, also slower #X15/#X18, tel. 01788/535-555, www.stagecoachbus.com).
If you’re sleeping in Stratford, ask your B&B about parking (many have a few free parking spaces, but it’s best to reserve ahead). If you’re just here for the day, you’ll find plenty of lots scattered around town, such as the Bridgefoot garage—big, easy, cheap, and a block from the TI.
Before or after seeing Stratford, Warwick makes a fine stop; it’s only eight miles away (the castle is just south of town).
To head north to Liverpool or Keswick (the Lake District), you’ll end up on the M-6. The highway divides into the free M-6 and an “M-6 Toll” road, designed to help drivers cut through the Birmingham traffic chaos. Take the toll road—it’s a small price to pay to avoid the traffic (www.m6toll.co.uk). Stay relentlessly on the M-6 (direction: North West); exits for Liverpool and Keswick are clearly signed.
Just north of Stratford, you’ll find England’s single most spectacular medieval castle: Warwick (WAR-ick). This masterpiece, which has been turned into a virtual theme park, is extremely touristy—but it’s also historic and fun, and may well be Britain’s most kid-friendly experience. With a lush, grassy moat and fairy-tale fortifications, Warwick Castle will entertain you from dungeon to lookout.
The town of Warwick, huddled protectively against the castle walls, is a half-timbered delight. Warwick is an ideal on-the-way destination—lash it onto your itinerary as you head north from Stratford.
Warwick is small and manageable. The castle and old town center sit side by side, with the train station about a mile to the north. From the castle’s main gate, a lane leads into the old town center a block away, where you’ll find the TI and plenty of eateries.
Day Plan: Warwick Castle deserves at least three hours, but it can be an all-day outing for families. You can tour the sumptuous staterooms, climb the towers and ramparts for the views, stroll through themed exhibits populated by aristocratic wax figures, explore the sprawling grounds and gardens, and—best of all—interact with costumed docents who explain the place and perform fantastic demonstrations of medieval weapons and other skills.
Getting There: Warwick is easy for drivers—the main Stratford-Coventry road cuts right through Warwick. If you’re coming from Stratford (8 miles to the south), you’ll hit the castle parking lots first (£6-10, buy token from machines at the castle entrance). Plenty of other less-expensive lots are scattered throughout Warwick.
From Stratford-upon-Avon, choose between hourly buses (30 minutes, bus #X16, www.stagecoachbus.com) or frequent trains (8/day, 30 minutes). Direct trains from London’s Marylebone Station take 1.5 hours (1-2/hour direct).
Warwick has two train stations—you want the one called “Warwick” (Warwick Parkway Station is farther from the castle). To reach the castle or town center from the station, take a taxi (£5) or walk (1 mile).
Cost: £24.60 entry fee, £21.60 for kids under 12, £17.40 for seniors, includes gardens and most castle attractions except for the gory, skippable Castle Dungeon (£9 as an add-on); dry audioguide-£1.
Warwick Castle is a great family destination.
Rick’s Tip: Warwick’s TI sells discounted same-day Fast Track ticket vouchers to the castle (daily in season but closed Sun Jan-March, The Court House, Jury Street, www.visitwarwick.co.uk). Or book in advance online for a similar discount and line-skipping privileges.
Hours: Open daily July-Sept 10:00-18:00, Oct-June until 17:00.
Information: Recorded info tel. 0871-265-2000, www.warwick-castle.com.
Rick’s Tip: When you buy your castle ticket, pick up the daily events flier. Plan your visit around these worthwhile events, which may include jousting competitions, archery demos, sword fights, jester acts, and falconry shows.
Self-Guided TourBuy your ticket and head through the turnstile into the moat area, where you’ll get your first view of the dramatic castle. In good weather, this lawn-like zone is filled with tents populated by costumed docents demonstrating everyday medieval lifestyles.
From the moat, two different entrance gateways lead to the castle’s inner courtyard. The bulge of land at the far right end of the courtyard, called The Mound, is where the original Norman castle of 1068 stood. Under this “motte,” the wooden stockade (the “bailey”) defined the courtyard in the way the castle walls do today. You can climb up to the top for a view down into the castle courtyard.
The main attractions are in the largest buildings along the side of the courtyard: the Great Hall, five lavish staterooms, and the chapel. Progressing through these rooms, you’ll see how the castle complex evolved over the centuries, from a formidable defensive fortress to a genteel manor home.
Enter through the cavernous Great Hall, decorated with suits of equestrian armor. Adjoining the Great Hall is the state dining room, with portraits of English kings and princes. Then follow the one-way route through the staterooms, keeping ever more esteemed company as you go—the rooms closest to the center of the complex were the most exclusive, reserved only for those especially close to the Earl of Warwick.
You’ll pass through three drawing rooms: first, one decorated in a deep burgundy; then the cedar drawing room, with intricately carved wood paneling, a Waterford crystal chandelier, and a Carrara marble fireplace; and finally the green drawing room, with a beautiful painted coffered ceiling and wax figures of Henry VIII and his six wives. The sumptuous Queen Anne Room was decorated in preparation for a planned 1704 visit by the monarch. Finally comes the blue boudoir, an oversized closet decorated in blue silk wallpaper. The portrait of Henry VIII over the fireplace faces a clock once owned by Marie-Antoinette.
A Warwick state room
On your way out, you’ll pass the earl’s private chapel. The earl’s family worshipped in the pews in front of the stone screen, while the servants would stand behind it.
Back out in the courtyard are the entrances to other, less impressive exhibits. The Kingmaker exhibit (set in 1471) uses mannequins, sound effects, and smells to show how medieval townsfolk prepared for battle.
The Secrets and Scandals of the Royal Weekend Party exhibit lets you explore staterooms staged as they appeared in 1898, but with an added narrative: The philandering Daisy Maynard Greville, Countess of Warwick—considered the most beautiful woman in Victorian England—is throwing a party, and gossipy “servants” clue you in on who’s flirting with whom.
The Castle Dungeon, a tacky knockoff of the tacky London Dungeon, is a pricey add-on attraction that features a series of costumed hosts who entertain and spook visitors on a 45-minute tour.
A young knight
You can climb up onto the ramparts and the tallest tower, leaving you at a fun perch from which to fire your imaginary longbow. The halls and stairs can be very crowded with young kids, and—as the signs warn—it takes 530 steep steps (both up and down) to follow the whole route.
The Princess Tower offers children (ages 3-8) the chance to dress up as princesses and princes for a photo op (included in castle ticket, but sign up at the information tent in the courtyard).
Surrounding everything is a lush, peacock-patrolled, picnic-perfect park, complete with a Victorian rose garden. The castle grounds are often enlivened by a knight in shining armor on a horse or a merry band of musical jesters. The grassy moat area is typically filled with costumed characters and demonstrations, including archery and falconry. Near the entrance to the complex is the Pageant Playground, with medieval-themed slides and climbing areas for kids. Down by the river is a bridge across to River Island and the jousting area.
Consider bringing a picnic to enjoy on the gorgeous grounds (otherwise you’ll be left with the overpriced food stands). It’s worth the 100-yard walk from the castle turnstiles to Warwick town’s Market Place, with several lunch options on or near the square: The Pot & Fin (excellent fish-and-chips, closed Sun-Mon), Saffron Gold (tasty Indian food), or The Rose and Crown (pub classics).
If you want to overnight in Warwick, try the charming $$$ Warwick Arms Hotel (17 High Street, www.warwickarmshotel.com) or half-timbered $$ Park Cottage (113 West Street/A-429, www.parkcottagewarwick.co.uk).
