16 July Stratford Upon Avon

Stratford upon Avon is about an hour’s drive from Cheltenham. John and Marion picked us up and took us on a scenic tour of the Coltswolds where lots of gorgeous villages are dotted amongst the countryside. It is becoming very fashionable to live in these villages and any old dairy buildings and barns are having major makeovers into homes. They are horrendously expensive to anybody wishing to purchase them. After a pleasant meander we reach Stratford upon Avon and of course the great claim to fame is William Shakespeare. Stratford of course is considered a heritage area with numerous historical cottages to visit. The best way to do this is to purchase a pass to view 5 of the most famous.
Anne Hathaway’s cottage is the most picturesque on the outskirts of town. Her claim to fame was she was the wife of William Shakespeare. She was 8 years older than him with William being 18 when he married Anne. She was already expecting their first child, which was very frowned upon in those days. I guess it was the first shotgun wedding as a bit of money passed hands with the nuptials. Another notable visit was Mary Arden’s farm nearby. She was the mother of Shakespeare and this is a proper working Elizabethan farm and self-sustaining. Murray and Heather would be impressed. After this tour we drive into Stratford itself and had lunch at an old Elizabethan Pub. By this time we are starting to exhaust yet another of our hosts. Shakespeare’s birthplace is right in the centre of town. Tourist Trap Central. The tour came with a commentary along with the house tour about all his many works and the big name actors who were made famous as a result. At the conclusion we watched some street theatre with exerpts from the Taming of the Shrew. Buzz decided to name drop and became the ultimate charmer with the actors. We realise that the pressure of the day is starting to show on our hosts so we promise them a coffee fix if they kept up. Nash’s home was our next stop, which was Shakespeare’s home for the last 18 years of his life. This was set in lovely gardens. The last visit was Hall’s Croft, the home of John Hall, a physician who married Shakespeare’s eldest daughter Susanna. All his medical instruments were on display as well as the usual memorabilia. After the much needed coffee fix it was back to base to be taken out to dinner at Marion’s favourite restaurant, The Storyteller.Yet another late night. The weather is packing in so have decided to stay an extra day.Will forego Alton Towers because of the weather. Plan to have a quiet drive on our own to Bristol.