Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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We’ve compiled the best of the best in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
The most picturesque of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust properties, this thatched cottage on the western outskirts of Stratford is the family...
The most picturesque of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust properties, this thatched cottage on the western outskirts of Stratford is the family home of the woman Shakespeare married in 1582. The "cottage," actually a substantial Tudor farmhouse with latticed windows, is astonishingly beautiful. Inside it is surprisingly cozy with lots of period furniture, including the seat where Shakespeare reputedly conducted his courtship, and a rare carved Elizabethan bed. The cottage garden is planted in lush Edwardian style with herbs and flowers. Wildflowers are currently being grown in the adjacent orchard (a nod to what was grown in the garden in the Hathaways’ time), and the neighboring arboretum has trees, shrubs, and roses mentioned in Shakespeare's works. The best way to get here is on foot, especially in late spring when the apple trees are in blossom. The signed path runs from Evesham Place (an extension of Grove Road) opposite Chestnut Walk. Pick up a leaflet with a map from the tourist office; the walk takes 25–30 minutes.
Built in 1785 by George Steuart (architect of the church of St. Chad in Shrewsbury) for the first Lord Berwick, this elegant stone mansion has...
Built in 1785 by George Steuart (architect of the church of St. Chad in Shrewsbury) for the first Lord Berwick, this elegant stone mansion has a three-story portico, with a pediment carried on four tall columns. The building overlooks a sweep of parkland, part of which is home to around 300 deer. Inside the house are painted ceilings and delicate plasterwork, a fine picture gallery designed by John Nash (1752–1835), and 19th-century Neapolitan furniture. Attingham Park is 4 miles southeast of Shrewsbury.
The eminent architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner described this as “the perfect late medieval manor house,” and it’s hard to argue with...
The eminent architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner described this as “the perfect late medieval manor house,” and it’s hard to argue with that assessment. The Tudor mansion, with its elegant Queen Anne brick bridge reaching over the moat, is like something out of a period drama. Set off a winding back-road, this grand manor dating from the 15th century retains its great fireplaces, 17th-century paneling, and three priest holes (secret chambers for Roman Catholic priests, who were hidden by sympathizers when Catholicism was banned in the 16th and 17th centuries). Admission to the house is by timed ticket. Baddesley Clinton is two miles east of Packwood House and 15 miles north of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Part of the University of Birmingham, this museum has a small but astounding collection of European paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture...
Part of the University of Birmingham, this museum has a small but astounding collection of European paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture, including works by Botticelli, Van Dyck, Gainsborough, Turner, Manet, Monet, Degas, van Gogh, and Magritte. The museum also has a lively program of temporary exhibitions and a weekly lunchtime concert at 1 pm on Friday, as well as occasional evening concerts. The museum is three miles from the city center; to get here, take a train from New Street Station to University Station, which is a 10-minute walk from the gallery, or jump on a No. 61 or 63 bus, operated by National Express West Midlands.
Of the 20,000 courtyards of back-to-back houses (houses that quite literally back onto each other) built in the 19th century for the city’s...
Of the 20,000 courtyards of back-to-back houses (houses that quite literally back onto each other) built in the 19th century for the city’s expanding working-class population, this is the only survivor. Three houses tell the stories of families (a clock-maker, locksmith, and glass-eye maker were among the residents) who lived in these charming properties, which were rescued from decay by the National Trust and opened as a heritage site. Each of the properties is decorated for a different period in the courtyard’s history, from the outdoor privies to the long johns hanging over the bedstead. Admission is by guided tour only, which must be booked in advance. Allow at least one hour for the tour and be prepared for steep stairs; ground-floor tours are available for those with limited mobility.
Vast and impressive, this museum holds a magnificent collection of Victorian art and is known internationally for its works by the Pre-Raphaelites...
Vast and impressive, this museum holds a magnificent collection of Victorian art and is known internationally for its works by the Pre-Raphaelites. All the big names are here—among them Rubens, Renoir, Constable, and Francis Bacon—reflecting the enormous wealth of 19th-century Birmingham and the aesthetic taste of its industrialists. Galleries of metalwork, silver, and ceramics reveal some of the city’s history, and works from the Renaissance, the Arts and Crafts movement, and the present day are also well represented. One gallery displays part of the incredible Staffordshire Hoard, the greatest collection of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever discovered. The 3,500-strong haul was unearthed in a field 16 miles north of Birmingham; among the hundreds of items on permanent display here include helmets, gold, jewelry, and metalwork. The Edwardian Tearoom is a good place to have lunch, and there is a great play area for kids just outside.
This 26-acre museum on social history gives insight into what life was like centuries ago for the men and women who worked in the coal-producing...
This 26-acre museum on social history gives insight into what life was like centuries ago for the men and women who worked in the coal-producing region known as the Black Country (a term that arose from the resulting air pollution). The town of Dudley, 10 miles northwest of Birmingham, was where coal was first used for smelting iron way back in the 17th century. The replicated village is made up of buildings from around the region, including a chain maker’s workshop; a trap-works (where animal snares were fashioned); his-and-hers hardware stores (pots and pans for women, tools and sacks for men); a druggist; and a general store where costumed women describe life in a poor industrial community in the 19th century. You can also sit on a hard bench and watch Charlie Chaplin films in the 1920s cinema, peer into the depths of a mine, or ride on a barge to experience canal travel of yesteryear. For sustenance there is a café, a 1930s-era fried-fish shop, and the Bottle & Glass Inn for ales and drinks. To avoid the numerous school parties, visit on the weekend or during school vacations. The museum, 3 miles from the M5, is best reached by car. Leave M5 at Junction 2 by the A4123, and then take A4037 at Tipton. Trains from Birmingham New Street to Tipton Station take 17 minutes; buses from the train station run past the museum, which is 1 mile away.
Tradition has it that, in Roman, times a church of some sort stood on the site of what is now Chester Cathedral, but records date construction...
Tradition has it that, in Roman, times a church of some sort stood on the site of what is now Chester Cathedral, but records date construction to around AD 900. The earliest work traceable today, mainly in the north transept, is that of the 11th-century Benedictine abbey. After Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in the 16th century, the abbey church became the cathedral church of the new diocese of Chester. The misericords in the choir stalls reveal carved figures of people and animals, both real and mythical, and above is a gilded and colorful vaulted ceiling. Cathedral at Height tours (£8) take you to parts of the building usually off-limits to visitors, including the roof—from which you can see two countries (England and Wales) and five separate counties.
On paper this museum might not be the obvious choice for a fun afternoon on your vacation, but it’s actually a very lovely time capsule of an...
On paper this museum might not be the obvious choice for a fun afternoon on your vacation, but it’s actually a very lovely time capsule of an interesting and important part of Birmingham’s industrial history. It was on this very site that Alfred and Edwin Newman (the Newman Brothers, who were previously accomplished brass fitters) first started making coffins in the late Victorian era. The company quickly established themselves as the area's best coffin-makers and were soon making coffins for the likes of Queen Mary, King George V, and Winston Churchill. Though the company fell into decline starting in the 1960s, eventually closing in the 1990s, guided tours now let you clock in as workers once did before taking you behind the scenes in the manager's office (where you can listen to spooky audio of one of the most prominent figures in the company’s history), onto the factory floor, and even into the shroud room. Tours occur every hour on the hour between 11 am and 3 pm, Wednesday through Sunday.
Just outside the village of Much Marcle, four miles southwest of Ledbury, lies the beautiful 17th-century manor of Hellens, kept like a time...
Just outside the village of Much Marcle, four miles southwest of Ledbury, lies the beautiful 17th-century manor of Hellens, kept like a time capsule in virtually unspoiled condition. The gloom and dust are part of the experience of visiting; candles illuminate the interior, and there’s no central heating. Part of the house dates from the 13th century and contains fine Old Master paintings. Take a walk in the gardens and, if you have time, also check out the 13th-century village church. Entry is by guided tour only, which takes place at 1, 2, and 3 pm on Wednesday, Sunday, and bank holiday Mondays from Easter through early October. There is also a rather charming tearoom on-site.
Built of local red sandstone, Hereford Cathedral is a treasure trove of historical artifacts, including Mappa Mundi, the largest medieval map...
Built of local red sandstone, Hereford Cathedral is a treasure trove of historical artifacts, including Mappa Mundi, the largest medieval map in the world; the largest chained library to survive with its locks and chains intact; and many fine 11th-century Norman carvings. The cathedral retains a large central tower, and most of the interior is 19th century. Nevertheless, there are some exquisite contemporary stained-glass windows in the Audley Chapel and a 12th-century chair that is one of the oldest pieces of furniture in the country and was reputedly used by King Stephen (1092–1154). The Mappa Mundi is undoubtedly the biggest draw here. Drawn in about 1300, it’s a fascinating glimpse of how the medieval mind viewed the world: Jerusalem is shown dead center, the Garden of Eden at the edge, Europe and Africa are the wrong way round—and, of course, there are no Americas. In addition to land masses, the map details 500 individual drawings, including cities, Biblical stories, mythical creatures, and images of how people in different corners of the globe were thought to look—the last two frequently overlapping in wildly imaginative fashion. The map is held inside the chained library, containing some 1,500 books, among them an 8th-century copy of the Four Gospels. Chained libraries, in which books were attached to cupboards to discourage theft, are extremely rare: they date from medieval times, when books were as precious as gold. The cathedral also holds a copy of the 1217 revision of the Magna Carta; it’s not on permanent display, but is sometimes brought out for temporary exhibits. Tours of the cathedral (without the library) and the tower run on set days throughout the year. Garden tours run in summer.
This 13th-century church on the banks of the River Avon is the final resting place of William Shakespeare. He was buried here not because he...
This 13th-century church on the banks of the River Avon is the final resting place of William Shakespeare. He was buried here not because he was a famed poet but because he was a lay rector of Stratford, owning a portion of the township tithes. On the north wall of the sanctuary, over the altar steps, is the famous marble bust created by Gerard Jansen in 1623 and thought to be a true likeness of Shakespeare. The bust offers a more human, even humorous, perspective when viewed from the side. Also in the chancel are the graves of Shakespeare's wife, Anne; his daughter, Susanna; his son-in-law, John Hall; and his granddaughter's first husband, Thomas Nash. Also here is the christening font in which Shakespeare was baptized.
Converted from a Victorian Gothic–style school, this gallery is among the city’s top venues for contemporary art from Britain and abroad and...
Converted from a Victorian Gothic–style school, this gallery is among the city’s top venues for contemporary art from Britain and abroad and rightly so. The bright, white interior is divided into two main galleries, which host rolling exhibitions. There’s also a third space called The Tower, which hosts more site-specific shows. The bookshop is great, and there’s a very nice café on the ground floor of the building. Ikon exemplifies how Birmingham is embracing its past while moving very much into the future.
The 10 sites that make up the Ironbridge Gorge Museum—a World Heritage Site spread over 6 square miles—preserve the area’s fascinating industrial...
The 10 sites that make up the Ironbridge Gorge Museum—a World Heritage Site spread over 6 square miles—preserve the area’s fascinating industrial history in spectacular fashion. The best starting point is the Museum of the Gorge, which has a good selection of literature and an audiovisual show on the history of the area. In nearby Coalbrookdale, the Museum of Iron explains the production of iron and steel. You can see the blast furnace built by Abraham Darby, who developed the original coke process in 1709. The adjacent Enginuity exhibition is a hands-on, feet-on interactive exploration of engineering that’s good for kids. From here, drive the few miles along the river until the arches of the Iron Bridge come into view. Designed by T.F. Pritchard, smelted by Darby, and erected between 1777 and 1779, this graceful arch spanning the River Severn can best be seen—and photographed—from the towpath, a riverside walk edged with wildflowers and shrubs. The tolhouse on the far side houses an exhibition on the bridge’s history and restoration. A mile farther along the river is the Jackfield Tile Museum, a repository of decorative tiles from the 19th and 20th centuries. Another half mile brings you to the Coalport China Museum. Exhibits show some of the factory’s most beautiful wares, and craftspeople give demonstrations; visit the restrooms for the unique communal washbasins. A short walk from Coalport is the Tar Tunnel, part of a 1787 tar mine; note the black bitumen still seeping through the walls. Nearby is Ironbridge’s star attraction: Blists Hill Victorian Town, where you can see old mines, furnaces, and a wrought-iron works. The main draw is the re-creation of the "town" itself, with its doctor’s office, bakery, grocer’s, candle maker’s, sawmill, printing shop, and candy store. At the entrance you can change some money for specially minted pennies and make purchases from the shops. Shopkeepers, the bank manager, and the doctor’s wife are on hand to give you advice. If you don't fancy the refreshments at the Fried Fish Dealers, you could drop into the New Inn pub (in Blists Hill) for a traditional ale or ginger beer, and join one of the sing-alongs around the piano that take place a couple of times every afternoon; or, for something more formal, try the Club Room restaurant next door. Allow at least a full day to appreciate all the major sights, and perhaps to take a stroll around the famous Iron Bridge or hunt for Coalport china in the stores clustered near it. On weekends and national holidays from April through October, a shuttle bus takes you between sites.
For more than two centuries, jewelers have worked in the district of Hockley, northwest of the city center. Today, hundreds of manufacturing...
For more than two centuries, jewelers have worked in the district of Hockley, northwest of the city center. Today, hundreds of manufacturing jewelers continue the tradition in the Jewellery Quarter, producing more than a third of the jewelry made in Britain. It’s a fun area to explore, with many of the jewelers working out of pretty redbrick houses. In the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, you can tour a former workshop and see how unique pieces are made. A free booklet from the tourist office gives you the lowdown on shopping in the area. The city’s Assay Office hallmarks 12 million items each year with the anchor symbol, denoting Birmingham origin. The ornate green and gilded Chamberlain Clock, at the intersection of Vyse Street, Warstone Lane, and Frederick Street, marks the center of the district. The quarter is two stops on the Metro from Birmingham New Street, and although it is a lot calmer than the city center, it has a hip café and restaurant scene.
The romantic ruins of Kenilworth give some sense of the turbulent times the castle has witnessed in its 900-year history. In 1326, King Edward...
The romantic ruins of Kenilworth give some sense of the turbulent times the castle has witnessed in its 900-year history. In 1326, King Edward II was imprisoned here and forced to renounce the throne before he was transferred to Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire and allegedly murdered with a red-hot poker. Here the ambitious Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, one of Elizabeth I’s favorites, entertained the queen four times, most notably in 1575 with 19 days of revelry. It was for this extended visit that Dudley created the elaborate Elizabethan garden in which to woo the queen; the garden has since been restored to its original splendor with arbors, an aviary, and an 18-foot-high Carrara marble fountain. The top of the keep has commanding views of the countryside, one good indication of why this was such a formidable fortress from 1120 until it was dismantled by Oliver Cromwell after the English Civil War in the mid-17th century. Still intact are its keep, with 20-foot-thick walls; its great hall built by John of Gaunt in the 14th century; and its curtain walls, the low outer walls forming the castle’s first line of defense. You can climb the stairs to the viewing platforms for the vista that Queen Elizabeth would have had when she stayed and visit the restored gatehouse where an excellent exhibition explores her relationship with Dudley. The fine gift shop sells excellent replicas of tapestries and swords.
Unattractive postwar development has spoiled much of Warwick’s town center, but look for the 14th-century half-timber Lord Leycester Hospital...
Unattractive postwar development has spoiled much of Warwick’s town center, but look for the 14th-century half-timber Lord Leycester Hospital at the Norman gate, which is a genuine hidden gem. The Lord Leycester has effectively been a retirement home for soldiers since Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, dedicated it to that purpose in 1571. Within the complex, there is a 12th-century chapel, an impressive beamed hall, and a fine courtyard with a wattle-and-daub balcony and 500-year-old gardens. You can book a tour with one of the guides dressed in Elizabethan robes and afterwards have cream tea in the very friendly Brethren’s Kitchen, where food has been served for centuries.
The "very perfection of decay," according to author Daniel Defoe, the ruins of this red sandstone castle date from 1085. No wonder the massive...
The "very perfection of decay," according to author Daniel Defoe, the ruins of this red sandstone castle date from 1085. No wonder the massive structure dwarfs the town: it served as a vital stronghold for centuries and was the seat of the Marcher Lords who ruled "the Marches," the local name for the border region. The two sons of Edward IV—the little princes of the Tower of London—spent time here before being dispatched to London and before their death in 1483. Follow the terraced walk around the castle for a lovely view of the countryside.
This charming working farm was the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden, and offers great insight into the farming methods employed...
This charming working farm was the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden, and offers great insight into the farming methods employed in Tudor England. The rural heritage attraction, just 3 miles outside Stratford, is great for kids, who can try their hand at basket weaving and gardening, listen as the farmers explain their work in the fields, watch the cooks prepare food in the Tudor farmhouse kitchen, or play in the amazing timber-framed adventure playground. There are also daily falconry and archery displays and opportunities to meet the farm animals, as well as a good café.
This museum is built around the workshops of Smith & Pepper, a firm that operated in the Jewellery Quarter for more than 80 years. Little...
This museum is built around the workshops of Smith & Pepper, a firm that operated in the Jewellery Quarter for more than 80 years. Little changed here from when the firm was founded in 1899 to when it finally closed its doors in 1981. A factory tour (about an hour) and exhibits explain the history of the neighborhood and the jeweler’s craft, and you can watch demonstrations of jewelry being made in the traditional way. The Earth’s Riches gallery displays intriguing jewelry made from an assortment of natural materials, the on-site shop sells beautiful pieces by local jewelers, and a lovely café also displays photography of the city.
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