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The Great Britain Guide

Natural landmarks · West Midlands

Stratford-upon-Avon

In or near Atherstone on Stour.

Free admission

Stratford-upon-Avon ( ... AY-vən), also known simply as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of En

Plaque to Thomas Quiney and Judith Shakespeare - geograph.org.uk - 8208407

Philip Halling — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1 h–2 h
Nearest railway station
Stratford-upon-Avon · 0.7 km
  • Free entry
  • Dog-friendly

Getting there & planning your visit

To visit Stratford-upon-Avon, you can take a train to Stratford-upon-Avon station, which is 0.7 km away. The postcode for the area is CV37 6AU. Entry to the landmark is free.

Directions on Google Maps →

About

Stratford-upon-Avon ( ... AY-vən), also known simply as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, 91 miles (146 km) north-west of London, 22 miles (35 km) south-east of Birmingham and 8 miles (13 km) south-west of Warwick. The town is the southernmost point of the Arden area at the northern extremity of the Cotswolds. At the 2021 census Stratford had a population of 30,495. Stratford was inhabited originally by Britons before Anglo-Saxons and remained a village before the lord of the manor, John of Coutances, set out plans to develop it into a town in 1196. In that same year, Stratford was granted a charter from King Richard I to hold a weekly market in the town, giving it its status as a market town. As a result, Stratford experienced an increase in trade and commerce as well as urban expansion. Stratford is a popular tourist destination, owing to being the birthplace and burial place of the playwright and poet William Shakespeare, who is widely regarded as the national poet of England. It receives approximately 2.7 million visitors a year. The Royal Shakespeare Company resides in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo gallery

See it from the streetimagery from 2020

Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0

Official information

Shakespeare Distillery offers a range of experiences centered around gin and rum production. Visitors can participate in hands-on gin and rum schools, guided tastings, and even river cruises, all designed for spirit enthusiasts.

From the Wikipedia article

Stratford-upon-Avon ( ... AY-vən), also known simply as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, 91 miles (146 km) north-west of London, 22 miles (35 km) south-east of Birmingham and 8 miles (13 km) south-west of Warwick. The town is the southernmost point of the Arden area at the northern extremity of the Cotswolds. At the 2021 census Stratford had a population of 30,495. Stratford was inhabited originally by Britons before Anglo-Saxons and remained a village before the lord of the manor, John of Coutances, set out plans to develop it into a town in 1196. In that same year, Stratford was granted a charter from King Richard I to hold a weekly market in the town, giving it its status as a market town. As a result, Stratford experienced an increase in trade and commerce as well as urban expansion. Stratford is a popular tourist destination, owing to being the birthplace and burial place of the playwright and poet William Shakespeare, who is widely regarded as the national poet of England. It receives approximately 2.7 million visitors a year. The Royal Shakespeare Company resides in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

Description

showing the embedded Swan Theatre]] The first real theatre in Stratford was a temporary wooden affair built in 1769 by the actor David Garrick for his Shakespeare Jubilee celebrations of that year to mark William Shakespeare's birthday. The theatre, built not far from the site of the present Royal Shakespeare Theatre, was almost washed away in two days of torrential rain that resulted in terrible flooding. To celebrate the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth in 1864, brewer Charles Edward Flower instigated the building of a temporary wooden theatre, known as the Tercentenary Theatre, which was built in a part of the brewer's large gardens on what is today the site of the new, and…

Visiting

The regular large influx of tourists is the major source of the town's prosperity, Stratford is a major English tourist town due to it being the birthplace of William Shakespeare, who many consider the greatest playwright of all time. In 2010, Stratford-on-Avon District Council spent £298,000 on tourism promotion, which included the launch of a re-branded official tourism website for the Stratford area called Discover Stratford and a new tourist information centre on Henley Street (though this has since returned to its original location on Bridgefoot). The council also supports an official open-top tour bus service in the town.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
52.1928, -1.7064
County
Warwickshire
Parish
Stratford-upon-Avon
Postcode
CV37 6AU
Parliamentary constituency
Stratford-on-Avon
Nearest railway station
Stratford-upon-Avon0.7 km

Sources

Other places nearby

Nearby

Christmas lights, Bridge Street, Stratford-upon-Avon - geograph.org.uk - 3266647📷 3

Distilleries · West Midlands

Shakespeare Distillery

Shakespeare Distillery — Whisky/spirit distillery.

Freeshakespearedistillery.com
10000 Shakespeares - geograph.org.uk - 4919747📷 3

Museums · West Midlands

The MAD (Mechanical Art and Design) Museum

The MAD (Mechanical Art and Design) Museum — a museum in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.

👶themadmuseum.co.uk
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Historic pubs · West Midlands

The Phoenix

The Phoenix in England West Midlands, United Kingdom.

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Historic houses · West Midlands

Harvard House

Harvard House — a other in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.

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Magic Alley

Magic Alley — a other in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.

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The Shrieve's House📷 3

Historic houses · West Midlands

The Shrieve's House

The Shrieve's House — house in Stratford-upon-Avon, Stratford-on-Avon, England, UK.

👶tudorworld.com

Where to eat & stay near Stratford-upon-Avon

Places to stay

Everyman sculpture - geograph.org.uk - 7662685📷 7

Hotels · West Midlands

The Shakespeare

The Shakespeare — a hotel in england west midlands.

all.accor.com
The White Swan - geograph.org.uk - 5663984📷 7

Hotels · West Midlands

White Swan Hotel

White Swan Hotel — a hotel in england west midlands.

Freewhite-swan-stratford.co.uk
Door to Old Town Croft - geograph.org.uk - 8085908📷 7

Hotels · West Midlands

Hotel Indigo

Hotel Indigo — a hotel in england west midlands.

ihg.com
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Hotels · West Midlands

The Arden Hotel

The Arden Hotel — a hotel in england west midlands.

theardenhotelstratford.com
The Guildhall and Shakespeare's Schoolroom - geograph.org.uk - 7454440📷 7

Hotels · West Midlands

The Townhouse

The Townhouse — a hotel in england west midlands.

Freestratfordtownhouse.co.uk
Stratford On Avon-Mansell Street - geograph.org.uk - 4404110📷 7

Hotels · West Midlands

DoubleTree by Hilton

DoubleTree by Hilton — a hotel in england west midlands. 4-star. Brand: DoubleTree.

hilton.com

Places to eat & drink

To Let - geograph.org.uk - 2265006📷 5

Historic pubs · West Midlands

The Phoenix

The Phoenix in England West Midlands, United Kingdom.

Snitterfield via Wilmcote - geograph.org.uk - 4322828📷 5

Historic pubs · West Midlands

The Encore Public House

The Encore Public House in England West Midlands, United Kingdom.

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Historic pubs · West Midlands

The Rose And Crown Public House

The Rose And Crown Public House in England West Midlands, United Kingdom.

Canal at Stratford upon Avon - geograph.org.uk - 5960247📷 7

Restaurants · West Midlands

Red Lion

Red Lion — a restaurant in england west midlands. Cuisine: british. Brand: Table Table.

Freetabletable.co.uk
The Guild Chapel - geograph.org.uk - 2549800📷 5

Historic pubs · West Midlands

The Falcon

The Falcon — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.

Free🐕
Decorated doorway of The Coach House, public house - geograph.org.uk - 8083551📷 5

Historic pubs · West Midlands

The Lamplighter Public House

The Lamplighter Public House in England West Midlands, United Kingdom.

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Natural landmarks · West Midlands

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Natural landmarks · West Midlands

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Natural landmarks · West Midlands

Aqualate Mere

Aqualate Mere is a natural landmark in the United Kingdom.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Stratford-upon-Avon?
Stratford-upon-Avon is in Warwickshire, the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode CV37 6AU), in the parish of Stratford-upon-Avon.
What is Stratford-upon-Avon?
Stratford-upon-Avon ( ... AY-vən), also known simply as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of En
How do I get to Stratford-upon-Avon?
The nearest railway station is Stratford-upon-Avon, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode CV37 6AU.
Is Stratford-upon-Avon free to visit?
Yes, Stratford-upon-Avon is free to enter.
How do I get to Stratford-upon-Avon?
The nearest railway station is Stratford-upon-Avon, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CV37 6AU.