Stratford-upon-Avon is a quiet English market town famous as the birthplace of William Shakespeare. It is one of the oldest towns in England. It lies in the green valley of the River Avon. High-peaked Old English-style houses line its narrow streets. It is the largest town in the district of Stratford-on-Avon.
The house where Shakespeare probably was born has been kept as a memorial. It is always open to visitors. At Shottery, 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) west of Stratford, is the thatch-roofed cottage that was the home of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife. The Guild Hall and grammar school are kept as they were in Shakespeare’s day. Visitors also go to Wilmcote, 21/2 miles (4 kilometers) northwest of Stratford, to see the cottage of Mary Arden, Shakespeare’s mother. Shakespeare and his wife are buried in Stratford’s Holy Trinity Church.
In 1879, a Shakespeare Memorial was completed on the riverbank above the church. It includes a theater, a museum, and a library that contains valuable books and manuscripts having to do with Shakespeare and his life. The theater burned in 1926, but people immediately donated funds to rebuild it. The new theater, designed by Elisabeth Scott, opened in 1932. It is called the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The Royal Shakespeare Company performs Shakespeare’s plays there. This permanent company includes many of the United Kingdom’s finest actors, actresses, and directors. A Shakespeare Center was opened in 1964 to house the Shakespeare collections and provide a meeting place for scholars.
