Trip to Stratford-upon-Avon
莎翁的故鄉
Stratford-upon-Avon offers a magical blend of heritage and drama in and around Shakespeare’s home town. Explore five houses with Shakespeare connections including Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Shakespeare’s Birthplace for a fascinating insight into his life and times. Visit one of England’s most beautiful parish churches at Holy Trinity to see Shakespeare’s grave. Enjoy some of his great works which are performed throughout the year by the world’s largest classical theatre company, the Royal Shakespeare Company, which has two Stratford theatres.
As well as its literary connections, there is much to see and do in and around Stratford. Take a boat out on the River Avon, explore the area by hop-on, hop-off sightseeing buses, discover hundreds of teddy bears in a house once owned by Henry VIII or discover some of Britain’s finest historic houses and glorious gardens! Shopping in Stratford is a pure delight. With a choice ranging from gift shops to cheesemongers, jewellers to antique shops, boutiques to bookshops, you won’t go home empty handed! There is a weekly market on Fridays, as well as a regular farmers’ market, a craft market in the summer and a Christmas market.
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 and died here in 1616. There are five houses in and around the town which are linked to Shakespeare and his family, giving you an idea of what life was like in Shakespeare’s time. In the centre of Stratford, visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Exhibition and see Shakespeare’s home as it would have been when he was a boy. A short walk from the Birthplace, is Nash’s House, which belonged to Shakespeare’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall and her prosperous husband Thomas Nash. Next to this house is the delightful garden of New Place, site of the house that Shakespeare bought and where he later retired and died. A short walk from here is Hall’s Croft, the family home of Shakespeare’s eldest daughter Susanna and her physician husband, John Hall.
Just out of town, in nearby Shottery is Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, a perfect English country cottage and garden which was the home of Shakespeare’s wife. In Wilmcote, 3 miles from Stratford, you can visit Mary Arden’s House and The Countryside Museum. Mary Arden was Shakespeare’s mother and you can visit her farmhouse home and learn about rural life in Shakespeare’s time. You can buy tickets for the 3 in-town houses or for all 5 houses at special rates
*MUST SEE*
1. Shakespeare’s birthplace ~ Shakespear’s birth place and grew up.
Address: Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6QW
Price：adult £7，concession £6
Email: info@shakespeare.org.uk
Web: http://www.shakespeare.org.uk
Discover the exciting story of Shakespeare’s childhood and see where he spent the first years with his new wife.
＊Discover what life was like for Shakespeare in the house where he was born and grew up.
＊Watch a glover recreate the ancient craft of Shakespeare’s father, John Shakespeare, in the workshop.
A beautifully presented timber framed Town House home to the Shakespeare family and where William Shakespeare was born in 1564. The house contains both original and repica artefacts depicting the house as Shakespeare would have known it as a child. To the rear is a traditional English garden featuring many plants and herbs mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays. Explore the adjacent exhibition and learn about Shakespeare’s life, work and times and see the first folio of 1623.
2. Hall’s Croft ~ home of Shakespeare’s daughter and her husband
Visit the luxurious home of Shakespeare’s daughter and her husband, John Hall, an eminent physician. Explore the lavish and elegant rooms with exquisite furnishings and paintings.
＊Discover John Hall’s Consulting Room with interesting medical artefacts, notes and tools.
＊Enjoy the tranquil garden, filled with the beautiful roses, herbs and berbaceous borders.
Price：adult £3.75，concession £3
3. Nash’House and New Place~ Home of shakespeare’s granddaughter and husband
See where the shakespeare story ended in 1616. Wander through the picturesque garden and enjoy the Complete Works of Shakespeare Exhibition.
＊Learn about the story of one of the most influential books in the English laguage.
＊FanFan best recommends this place, you can learn and know all the item and thing about Shakespeare’s work. Such as :
1. Helmet is a prince of which country? Denmark
2. Which is Shakespeare’s shortest play? The Comedy of errors
3. Which is Shakespeare’s longest play? Helmet
4. Learn how to say “ to be, or not to be, is the question” in
16 languages. Surprisingly, u can hear how to say it in
Taiwanese. Ireally don’t how to say it before., but now I can
say it, really interesting!
＊Enjoy the peaceful gardens and sculptures
＊Find the ancient Mulberry tree,, claimed to be a cutting from a tree planted by Shakespeare.
＊聽解說員說莎翁的孫女Elizabeth Hall (莎翁第一個女兒Susanna和John Hall的女兒), 和兩任丈夫都沒有留下子嗣 , 第一任是Thomas Nash, 第二任 John Barnard
Price：adult £3.75，concession £3
4. Anne Hathaway’s Cottage ~ home of Shakespeare’s wife
Explore the beautiful house where the young William wooed his future wife at her childhood home.
＊Enjoy the romantic setting of this quintessential thatched country cottage.
＊Wander through the stunning grounds overflowing with beautiful blooms, shrubs and traditional vegetables.
＊Have fun in the Tree Garden and Elizabethan style Yew maze.
Address: Cottage Lane, Shottery, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 9HH
Price：adult £5.50, concession £4.5
Bookings & enquiries: +44 01789 292100
Email: info@shakespeare.org.uk
Web: http://www.shakepeare.org.uk
5. Mary Ardens ~ hoem of Shakespeare’s mother
Experience the sights, sounds and smells of a Tudor farm and marvel as the farmer, maid and labourer bring the farm to life.
＊Watch and help the family with their daily chores of baking bread, lighting fires, making candles, washing clothes and more.
＊Take a walk on the nature trail and track down Longhorn cattle, Costwold sheep and other rare breeds.
Price：adult £6, concession £5
6. Royal Shakespeare Theatre (Swan Theatre)
Address: Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6BB
Time： Sunday 12:00. 13:00, 14:00 15:00 tour guild
Price： £4
Tel: +44 0870 609 1110
Tel: +44 01789 403413
Email: info@rsc.org.uk
Web: http://www.rsc.org.uk
Take an backstage tour or see a matinée.
Stratford-upon-Avon is the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Throughout the year, we perform the great works of Shakespeare, his contemporaries and leading modern writers in the riverside theatres. Combine a performance with a meal in our refurbished restaurants which enjoy spectacular views across the River Avon, or a theatre tour which gives you an actor’s eye view of our Company. Unique RSC gifts are available from our shops to complete your visit. RSC short breaks, which include theatre tickets and hotel accommodation are available on (020) 8758 4799.
7. Harvard House and the Museum British Pewter
See the story of pewter brought alive with stunning examples and an exciting children’s interactive learning zone.
＊Once home to the mother of John Harvard, founder of Harvard University.
＊Explore pewter including Roman chargers, 16th Century Pilgrim badges and contemporary designs.
＊Children can try their hand at repousse, take a virtual realitytour and become an interview pewter detective.
Open May to October
Fee：Adult £2.75, or FREE to multiple ticket holders.
8. Holy Trinity ~ the grave of Shakespeare
the Collegiate Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, one of England’s most beautiful parish churches. Holy Trinity is the church where William Shakespeare was baptized, where he worshipped and where he was buried.
9. Butterfly Farm
The UK’s largest tropical butterfly paradise, a truly spectacular day out for all the family.
Address：Tramway Walk, Swan’s Nest Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon,
Warwickshire, CV37 7LS.
www.butterflyfarm.co.uk
open hours：10am-18pm
@Reminder before u go：
You can buy tickets for 3 in Town Houses ( Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Hall’s Croft, and Nash’s House and New Place) 莧dult £11, concession£9.
or all 5 house at special rate (Adult £14, concession £12)
◎Good bargain：
Multiple house ticket holders also receive FREE admission to Harvard House. And if u r unable to see all five or three in one day, hold onto ur ticket and come back another day.
想練習用英文寫遊記看看，大家若想略過中文部分可以看看以下的中文介紹囉!
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
莎士比亞地區包括莎翁的故鄉埃文河畔斯特拉特福德及其周邊，歷史與戲劇在此奇妙融合。與莎士比亞有關的五座宅第值得遊客造訪，其中有莎士比亞出生地和安妮•哈瑟韋茅屋（Anne Hathaway’s Cottage）。美麗的聖三一教區教堂中有他簡樸的墳墓。遊客可以乘坐隨意上下的觀光巴士前往這些景點及其他地方。
在斯特拉特福德不可不看世界一流的古典劇團——皇家莎士比亞劇團（RSC）的演出。RSC在皇家莎士比亞劇院和天鵝劇院上演古典和現代戲劇，劇目常換常新。
Warwick castle離斯特拉特福德不遠，是英國最宏偉的中世紀城堡。從陰暗的地牢到塔樓和防禦牆，從準備戰鬥的場面到夏季中世紀節，Warwick castle帶來非同一般的體驗！附近有浪漫的凱尼爾沃思城堡遺跡，娓娓道來一段關於榮辱、皇室和浪漫的歷史。
遊客在這婺拑o現一些英國最美麗的花園和豪華宅第。皇家利明頓水療中心擁有皇家揼泉房和傑夫森花園（Jephson Gardens），歷史遺產和景觀令人目不暇給。凱尼爾沃思的輝煌歷史和沃裡克全年不斷的活動節日都吸引著遊客絡繹不絕前來。
◎大發現之一：女大男少配
莎翁和老婆相差8歲，結婚時，Shakespeare 18歲（1564-1616），老婆Anne Hathaway 26歲（1555-1623）。
◎大發現之二：先上車後補票
莎翁也很趕流行喔！結婚時老婆已經懷孕三個月了！ 就是他們的第一個女兒SUSANNA (1583-1649)。
◎大發現之三：唯一的兒子早夭
莎翁和Anne結婚後，很努力增產報國，生完Susanna後，後相繼生了兩個兒子但都不到一歲就上天堂了。好不容易又生了Hamnet（1585-1596），但是11歲時也上天堂了...所以只有兩個女兒延續香火，Susanna和醫師John Hall結婚生了一個女兒Elizabeth Hall，但和兩個丈夫都沒有留下子嗣；第二個女兒是Judith (1585-1662) 和 Thomas Quiney結婚生了三個小孩，Shakespeare Quiney、Richard Quiney、Thomas Quiney。
◎大發現之四：莎翁是個大富翁
莎翁死後留下一堆不動產(就是房子和一些值錢的東東囉) 和 一堆金財給後人，不僅給女兒150磅，還給窮苦鄰居和流浪漢每人一袋金幣，但給唯一的老婆是他最愛的第二張床，真是個浪漫的人ㄋㄟ！150磅或許對現在來說可能沒有多少錢，在倫敦生活可能繳一個禮拜的房租都不夠吧! 但是在當時17世紀可是很多很多錢！到底有多少錢呢？請看以下例子：
An agricultural labourer earned approximately 6d a day.
A skilled worked earned approximately 5s a wee.
A vicar earned approximately £12, 5s a year.
12 pennies (d) ＝ 1 shilling
20 shillings (s) ＝ £1
莎翁留下的金錢可能差過300磅吧！？等於當時17世紀多少錢呢？請自己算一下！不要問我這個數學白癡，算好請好心告訴我多少錢呀！CC…
◎大發現之五：Good budget的文化之旅
如果你也和我一樣是個住在倫敦的窮鬼，也是可以玩的很經濟實惠，提早半個月至一個月到National express （http://www.nationalexpress.com/）訂1磅車票，來回也才2磅，你可以選擇直接搭車到Stratford-upon-avon，也可以坐到Birmingham，再轉火車到Stratford-upon-avon（40mins），用young person card買是來回3.58磅，沒有的話是5.7磅，買multiple house ticket 9磅，全部步行都可以到五家house，其實不用搭city sightseeing bus，買個紀念品或喝個下午茶，20磅解決，說不定還有剩！
◎大發現之六：Stratford-upon-avon是一個很適合緩慢腳步的城市
我很喜歡AVON河畔的風景，星期天很多全家人一起出來在草地上曬曬太陽野餐，也沒有做啥大事，就是看看書、讀讀報、發呆或是看看路人美景，都會覺得時間在這個17世紀的古城，好像失去意義了！請看照片，我很喜歡這一家人的怯意…
Information:
http://www.visitbritain.ca/destinations/England/heart-of-england/Stratford-upon-Avon.aspx
@ Photo by mindmap at Stratford-upon-avon
