The weekend before last I had 2 great days in Stratford upon Avon - the town where too much Shakespeare is not nearly enough.Early Saturday morning I caught my first ever train from Marylebone Station and thus completed my list of excursions from the Monopoly board. Of all of London’s Station Marylebone is definitely the most charming. It is small and quaint and only caters for a handful of trains from its 5 or 6 platforms. It’s a far cry from the bussle of Kings Cross or Waterloo with its colourful potted flowers and staff who are almost friendly.
About and hour and half out of Marylebone and I was arriving at Stratford (well, Warwick Parkway to be precise) to be met by my hosts for the weekend.
Richard and Jill very kindly put me up for the weekend and showed me their town. After a quick cup of coffee in their delightful back garden we were off! First stop was Anne Hathaway’s Cottage a beautiful thatched house about 15 minutes walk from town and the childhood home of William Shakespeare’s wife. We strolled back to town to visit Hall’s Croft, the Holy Trinity church to see the grave of Shakespeare, wandered along the river and, after lunch, attempted to see Shakespeare’s birthplace. Repelled by the hoards queuing to get in we decide to visit first thing in the morning and headed off to Nash’s House and the site of Shakespeare’s house ‘New Place’ next door which now forms part of the gardens of Nash’s House (the home of Shakespeare’s granddaughter and her husband).
Across the road is the charming Guild Chapel (complete with some excellent contemporary tapestries created by Stratford locals – including a kneeler cushion by Jill).Touring for the day done and feet weary we headed home for a quiet beer and some dinner before heading back to Hall’s Croft for a performance of ‘The Winter’s Tale’ by a group of local players. Staged in the courtyard at the back of the house, on a remarkably clear and barmy evening, the play was a great way to experience the work of Shakespeare amongst buildings he would have known.
Sunday morning dawned as sunny and warm as Saturday and saw us, bright and early, at Shakespeare’s birthplace to avoid the tour groups. The house was quiet as we wandered through but as we left, the tourist hordes again were massing for another busy day of tours.
The final place on the list to visit was Mary Arden’s House and Farm. The home of Shakespeare’s mother, the farm is about 10minutes drive from town and, I am told, a very pleasant walk along the canal on a nice day. Time was against me as I had a train to catch in the afternoon so it was the car for us. The farm is a working demonstration of Elizabethan farm live. Period livestock and crops are grown for use on the farm and in the farm kitchen pork was being roasted for lunch.The farm also has a working falconry and a number of falcons and owls are kept, one being fed its breakfast of rat while we were there.
After a very pleasant lunch back in town and a walk through Harvard House (which was somewhat overwhelmed by display cabinets full of pewter) it was time to get my train.
Thanks again to Richard and Jill for their wonderful hospitality. It is always lovely to be welcomed into a home… especially when they take you on spec!
