Shakesphere in this part of the world is a branch of religion. Pubs, clubs, inns, restaurants, malls and even the local plumber and electrician proudly bear his name! And why wouldn't you?! Heaven knows they owe it to him!!
A tour of Stratford with the ever so British and ever so delightful Barbara was just what we needed to get us enthused and orientated to the main sights of town as the rain fell down. A favourite of ours (be it a little morbid) was William Shakespeare and his extended families 'grave' in the church; being too worried about having his bones dug up and burnt (a bone fire ----> bonfire) which was common in his time, he purchased a spot within the church to assure security at quite a cost. Did the trick as his still there, untouched! The plaque he wrote, more of a curse than poetic verse, warning against opening was quite funny!
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| Birthplace of Shakespear |
Cheap under 25 tickets (£5 - ie a donation more than anything) to The Merchant of Venice at the Royal Shakesphere Company's (RSC) Swan theatre (reopened in 2010) was another real highlight of the trip and certainly something many people hope to do but simply can't - only 10 under 25s tickets available each day on the day (must prebook months in advance otherwise) and we got tickets 9 and 10! Lucky indeed! Normal price £50 and up; the theatre holds 1000+. The show was a sellout, as they are every night, and the quality of the performance absolutely second to none! Sir Patrick Stewart from Star Trek (this came as news to me?!?) and most recently X-Men as Professor Charles Xavier played a lead role; we felt honored to see someone as highly renowned and decorated perform for us. Brilliant! Am I converted to a Shakespeare lover? Quite possibly!
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| Royal Shakespear Company |
The Black Swan or Dirty Duck as the locals affectionately call it, was a terrific place for a meal. Within stone throw of the RSC Swan Theatre and offering 2 tasty British main meals with mushy peas for £10 it was always going to be hard to pass up! Sadly however they didn't pour Flowers Beers which we were keen to try; Mr Flower, a very successful brewer many years ago gave a substantial grant and large allotment of land along the Avon River in Stratford to the RSC which is still owned in it's entirety by them today...
Other than develop an appreciation for Shakespeare and people who can perform it I also learnt some other interesting things here in Stratford. The Tudor style homes, of which there are many here, were originally built mainly of straw, cows blood and runny cow manure all mixed together and poured over sticks to create a hard concrete like product which was put between the black wooden frame. They certainly were thrifty back in the old days!
Also, the closer the frame together, ie the more vertical wooden beams a wall was composed of the wealthier the inhabitant!
Cotswolds were quiet, quaint and beautiful. Tall pitched thatched roofs, neat stone walls, small pained windows with chaotic yet seemingly ordered flowering gardens completed the Cotswolds unique look.
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| Anne Hathawaits House |
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| Shakespears birthplace again |
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| Cool window |
Manda and I tried a sleep in the car one afternoon as we were both totally pooped out so we stopped on the roadside just outside one of the villages, lay the seats back and shut the eyes. About half an hour later we were awoken with a startling banging on the roof! A very gruff English looking chap dressed in his best pheasant or quail hunting attire (little green woolen cap on) had woken us to move us on. Clearly they don't have the rest, revive, survive campaigns here!?!
We stayed in Upper Quinton, at a little B&B named Winton House; a Georgian period home which was more than sufficient. School holidays meant the owners children were home which was fine as it also meant there was a new rabbit and 13 new hens for Manda to ogle! Given it was only 10 miles to Stratford we ended up there a time or two for meals etc. We did do a bit of a day trip through some of the other little Cotswold villages which were close by like Chipping Camdon, each cuter than the previous. The lack of Maccas and other chain shops/hotels/restaurants really contributed to the olden day feel of these brilliant little villages.
Certainly a place to come back to for more of a look in the future!
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