Harvard House, Stratford Upon Avon Walking Tour
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Explore the Best of Stratford upon Avon: Walking Tour Review

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For a while now, I have wanted to visit Stratford upon Avon, the hometown of William Shakespeare. So, taking a guided Stratford upon Avon walking tour with the one day I had was a great idea! There are a few walking tours in Stratford upon Avon, but I decided on the Stratford Town Walk. On the tour, you walk in Shakespeare’s footsteps and get to see a glimpse back in history.

I wouldn’t call myself a Shakespeare expert by any means, but being from the creative world of TV and film, I’ve always had an interest in his work. My favorite performance was The Tempest at  Shakespeare’s Globe Theater in London.

Is Stratford upon Avon Worth Visiting?

The first question you should ask is, is Stratford upon Avon worth visiting? Well, in the following post, I’ll give you many reasons why it is! This walking tour is one of them; the other is the Birthplace of Shakespeare.

And I believe the answer is still yes, whether you’re a fan of the bard or not, though that certainly helps!

How to Get to Stratford upon Avon

Stratford upon Avon was a short ride from Stow-on-the-Wold, where I had been for my friend’s wedding. I traveled by car as taking the three trains required to get there on a Sunday would have cost time and more money.

After dropping my bags at the local YHA hostel, I hurried over to the starting point of this walking tour of Stratford upon Avon.

stratford upon avon

Beginning a Stratford upon Avon Walking Tour

I had discovered the Stratford Town Walk online and figured it was an affordable way for me to see a lot in a short amount of time. I had only given myself one day there, so time was of the essence.

The meeting point for the walk was in front of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre by a little yellow sign. Though it is small, it was easy enough to find. It was a populated area during the day, so I felt safe traveling solo. At only £6, this Stratford upon Avon walking tour is a bargain!

When you buy your ticket, you also get a set of vouchers. They give you discounts at local shops, restaurants, pubs, and attractions (I wound up using the one for Shakespeare’s Birthplace and a local eatery called The Dirty Duck). As a bonus, you don’t have to book in advance!

Our lovely guide began our walking tour of Stratford upon Avon with some history of the town. The name is a combination of the Old English strǣt, meaning “street,” and ford, indicating a site at which a road forded a river. The “street” was a smaller Roman road connecting the larger roads, Fosse Way and Icknield Street.

Stratford Upon Avon is a medieval market town in England’s West Midlands. Its most famous resident was William Shakespeare, as it is the location of his 16th-century birthplace. Naturally, we headed to Shakespeare’s Birthplace next!

Update 2024: The cost has increased to £10

William Shakespeare’s Birthplace

You can see in the photo above how the building was made. If I remember correctly, it’s pretty much interwoven sticks, cow dung, and clay. I always find it fascinating to see different types of architecture, and this is the first time I think I’ve ever seen how these old houses are made.

The panels consisted of oak staves, with the top rounded off and inserted in a similar sized hole drilled on the underside of the upper horizontal beam, with the bottom fashioned into a chisel shape and wedged into a ‘V’ groove cut into the upper side of the lower horizontal beam. Split hazel rods were then woven around these staves to create the wattle panel we see above, over which the daub was applied, usually consisting of cows dung, straw, clay and lime. The rough surface was then allowed to set and a coat of lime plaster was applied and over painted with limewash when dried. – Early Oak Reproductions

We only stayed for a quick moment here and then moved on to some other local points of interest. Again, as I only had a limited time, it was nice to have someone who knew their way around! I would have otherwise been trying to find these locations on my own, so that’s a bonus of going on a walking tour of Stratford upon Avon.

Stopping at Harvard House

Harvard House was on my list of must-sees, so I was excited that it was already on the Stratford Upon Avon walking tour! It was once known as the Ancient House and was built in 1596 by Thomas Rogers, grandfather of the benefactor of Harvard University, John Harvard.

If you right click on the photos so they expand, you can see there are many intricate carvings on the house. Thomas Rogers’ initials, the man who built the house, and those of his second wife, Alice, are carved on the front of the house, together with the date 1596.

The house has housed a blacksmith, booksellers, a plumber, ironmongers, and an estate agent’s office. In 1909, English novelist and Stratford-upon-Avon resident Marie Corelli encouraged American millionaire Edward Morris to purchase it, and after extensive restoration, it was given to Harvard University and became known as Harvard House. It’s a beautiful building and a must during your walking tour of Stratford upon Avon.

Updated 2024: The Harvard House is apparently now closed. Hopefully, this changes and will reopen to visitors again soon!

walking tour of Stratford Upon Avon

800 Years of History on a Walking Tour

Although chartered in 1196, Stratford upon Avon has continued to grow over its 800 years. The image above shows evidence of that. In just one corner of the city, there are three clearly different styles of architecture, making for a multidimensional town within the English countryside.

It’s one of the most fascinating aspects of walking around this market town, which was originally inhabited by the Britons.

walking tour of Stratford Upon Avon

Walking in Shakespeare’s Footsteps

We then ventured onto Guild Chapel and a grammar school, both of which Shakespeare attended. A short walk from the grammar school, we came upon Hall’s Croft, which was the home of Susanna Shakespeare and her husband, Dr. John Hall. I didn’t have time to look inside, but I snapped a photo of the outside. For those of you who don’t know, Susanna Hall was the oldest child of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway.

Our guide was full of interesting facts, like the word “disease” coming from dis-ease. As well as “bonfire,” derived from the fact that bonfires were originally fires in which bones were burned. When graveyards filled up, they would move the bones to a separate building; when that filled up, they burnt them to get rid of them. All this trivia made for a fascinating walking tour of Stratford upon Avon!

We then headed to the Holy Trinity Church, which is the final resting place of William Shakespeare.

The Holy Trinity Church

Holy Trinity Church is where you’ll find Shakespeare’s Grave, it is also where he was baptized and married. The building dates from 1210 and was built on the site of a Saxon monastery. It was then rebuilt between 1465 and 1497. Holy Trinity Church is Stratford’s oldest building and is situated on the banks of the River Avon.

It’s a lovely church with a unique character. You can almost feel the age of the place. It was my favorite stop on this walking tour of Stratford upon Avon—the people who must have come and gone throughout the years.

I also adore graveyards. I’ve always felt peaceful when walking through them, so I loved that we also stopped off there during this Stratford upon Avon walking tour.

💡Travel Tip: If you’re planning on staying in Stratford up Avon, I strongly suggest checking out the YHA Stratford upon Avon hostel. It’s within walking distance of the town center and an affordable alternative to the more expensive options available in town.

Visiting Shakespeare’s Grave

William Shakespeare was born and died in Stratford-upon-Avon, both of which supposedly happened on St. George’s Day (April 23rd). However, those dates are up for debate as the exact date of his birth is not recorded, but it is most often celebrated on April 23rd, as his baptism is recorded on April 26th, 1564.

Similarly, the exact date of Shakespeare’s death is not known but assumed from a record of his burial two days later, on April 25th, 1616, in the Holy Trinity Church. His wife Anne Hathaway and his eldest daughter Susanna are buried next to him.

A memorial to Shakespeare was erected within a few years of his death. This memorial (see below) is thought to be a good likeness since it was made shortly after his death. Many of the most well-known images of Shakespeare are from people who did not know him. So, they are merely guesses at what the playwright looked like.

Shakespeare's Grave

Shakespeare’s grave reads:

GOOD FRIEND FOR JESUS SAKE FOREBEAR,
TO DIGG THE DVST ENCLOSED HERE.
BLESTE BE YE MAN YT SPARES THESE STONES,
AND CURSED BE HE YT MOVES MY BONES.

It’s thought to be a warning to anyone wishing to remove Shakespeare’s body to Westminster Abbey or the exhumation of his body for examination. It seems he really wanted to stay home in Stratford upon Avon and remain undisturbed!

Misericord Carvings

Aside from the Shakespearian side of the church, I found Holy Trinity Church’s misericord carvings most entertaining. While the stained glass is beautiful, it’s not what I remember most. I remember these carvings above all else.

They are supposed to be scenes depicting ‘morals.’ The second image is of a woman who talked too much (according to her husband) and was punished for it. Misericords were created in a world where most people could not read or write.

“The carvings are a mixture of bawdy and satirical with a theatrical, almost carnival-like element, but with an underlying sacred meaning. They are a stark reminder that the devil is everywhere in everyday life and is poised to drag souls to hell.”


Lovely… ain’t it? LOL

Final Thoughts on this Stratford upon Avon Walking Tour

If you couldn’t already tell, I thoroughly enjoyed the Stratford Town Walk. It’s a wonderful tour whether you have a few days in Stratford upon Avon or just one day like I did. Not only is it affordable, but the guides are full of fascinating facts that’ll keep everyone entertained! It’s also easily walkable, with no hills or steep terrain, so it’s great for those with difficulties.

I highly recommend this Stratford upon Avon walking tour for your next trip! And if you’re interested in ghosts or looking for something to do at night in Stratford, they also have a Ghost Walk available on Saturdays.

Info on the Stratford Town Walk Tour

(as of March 2024)

  • £10 – Adults
  • £5 – Children (8-15 years)
  • Free – Under 8 years
  • Duration – Approx. 2 hrs
  • Distance: Approx. 1 mile
  • Wheelchair and dog friendly

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