Shakespeare's Stratford

This past Monday was my third trip to Stratford Upon Avon.  I had visited with my family when we lived here in 1972.  I remember we went to see "Coriolanus" at the Royal ShakespeareTheatre.  I believe the role of Volumnia (Cori's mum) was played by famed stage actress Janet Suzman.  I don't remember too much about the play except that it was long and complicated and violent.  But...I was impressed by the whole enterprise and the experience didn't sour me on wanting to see more Shakespeare.  I don't recall doing too much more than that, but we probably did walk around the town a bit.

My second trip was just a month or so ago, right after we arrived here in Worcester.  I've already written about the production of "A Midsummers Night's Dream" we saw at a small theatre across the river from the RSC Theatre.  On that occasion, we walked near the city centre and had a snack before seeing the play, but that was about it for the day.

My Duluth friends and I had thought we might want to see a play while they were visiting, but we "downsized" our expectations to tour without a play.

We rolled into town after another "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" car ride on the A422.  This road zigged and zagged with abandon.  At one point one of my friends was wishing she'd taken her dramamine before getting in the car. 

After the drives we'd taken this weekend, we'd all developed a greater sense of confidence and decided to follow signs directing us to sites of interest rather than working from the atlas or Google Maps.  As a result, our first stop was the cottage where Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway (NOT to be confused with the modern actress), had been born.

Although the day was drizzly, we were thoroughly enchanted with this place.  For starters, the site featured a lovely orchard.

There's a stuffed "monster" to the right of the human.  The orchard was rife with them.

Closer to the cottage itself was a terrific pear tree.

I was so tempted to pick that lovely little pear in the center of the photo, but I refrained.

The real prize, however, was the garden.  I don't recall another garden as fragrant as this one was. 

The house itself was another example of a home which didn't allow photos inside.  We learned some interesting facts about the house and its inhabitants.  We learned about one of the Hathaway descendents who had served as an "interpretive guide" during the 19th century.  Our guide offered stories about a bench this woman had suggested was where Shakespeare had courted Anne.  The bench was chopped up and looked horrible.  Our guide offered an amused aside that she couldn't blame the woman for making the most of her situation. It was worthwhile,but check out these willow sculptures.

Better than Jimmy Choo's.

The Bunny looks ready to pounce.

These fish look like their jumping over the garden.

I love this lovely little purse.

A Madhatter's Hat.

 

A willow gardener at work.

Beyond the sculptures, the produce was terrific.

Onions

 

Cabbages and beets.

Swiss chard.

Lettuces

 

By the end of our visit, we were getting hungry, so we drove in to the city center.  After finding a spot at the parking garage, we walked out onto a street and found a lovely little tea room, called Hathaway's Tea Rooms where we ordered afternoon tea.

Satisfied with our meal, we headed off to check out another of the five Shakespeare properties.

This is Shakespeare's birthplace.

Armed with our leftovers from our afternoon tea, we entered the interpretive center.  .

After going through a few rooms of multimedia presentations, we moved into a garden leading to the house.  I continue to be surprised by the persistence of British blooms.

This house didn't have a specific prohibition against photos in the home, but I was a bit shy of taking photos.  I feel a bit like a bad person for taking these shots, but I snuck in a few shots.

Shakespeare's father John was a glovemaker and there was a tannery in the house.

We learned that the Shakespeare family was actually rather wealthy.  Shakespeare's father was the mayor of Stratford.

The house made a big deal about the bed where Shakespeare was born.

This isn't it, but it was one of the beds in the house.  The birthing bed itself was in a room with an interpreter, so I didn't feel I could take a photo there.  The paper behind the bed illustrates the kind of "wallpaper" in the house.  I believe our interpretive guide said these wallpapers were hand painted.

We learned that the home stayed in the Shakespeare family, although William's line died out with his granddaughter.  That said, the house was converted to an inn in the 17th century.

The birthplace became a tourist attraction by the 18th century.  I end tonight with my favorite displays from the birthplace--the guestbook and the window from the birthroom.

Apparently, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams visited the birthplace in 1786.

People used to etch their names in the glass of the window.  Jeez...