Stratford-upon-Avon is a town in the UK about 100 miles from London. The town sits alongside the River Avon, and is best known as the birthplace and final resting place of William Shakespeare. It’s been inhabited since 7th century Anglo-Saxon times. This was my second visit to the town.
1: The exterior of the Holy Trinity Church, where William Shakespeare is interred. It was difficult to find a good vantage point to capture the entire building, even with my 16mm lens. I actually like the way this turned out with the tree branches in the foreground.2: The actual grave of William Shakespeare isn’t all that exciting to look at. He is interred right next to his wife, Anne Hathaway. Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of 52. The best thing about it is the inscription he chose to discourage his grave from being tampered with. It reads: “Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear, / To dig the dust enclosed here. / Blessed be the man that spares these stones, / And cursed be he that moves my bones“ It was a common practice in those days for graves to be moved to make way for a more wealthy patron of a church, and he wanted to ensure that would never happen.3: The Holy Trinity Church viewed from the River Avon. River tours offer some great views of the area.4: Some waterfowl in the foreground with a ferris wheel and park in the background. This photo helps illustrate that when you are traveling, you are often at the mercy of the weather. This includes the position of the sun. Sometimes you just have to take what the conditions give you.5: One of the many willow trees along the River Avon. These are among my favorite types of trees. On this species, I love how the silhouette of their twisted trunks shows through their wispy branches.6: A historic chain ferry shuttles passengers across the River Avon. It first opened in 1937. It was out of service for a while but resumed operation in 2010.7: Clopton Bridge is a late 15th century medieval bridge built under the reign of Henry VII. Over a half a millennium later, it has cars crossing it. 8: A couple of swans gliding along the River Avon. They are unfazed by our passing boat.9: The Royal Shakespeare Theatre was built in 1932, replacing a 19th century theater that was destroyed by fire a few years prior. For a small fee, you can visit the viewing tower, which offers great views of the city. There is a fierce howling sound in the tower on windy days, due to the poor seals on the windows. It sounds very creepy.10: One of the many Tudor style buildings in town. These originate from the 15th to 16 centuries during the Tudor dynasty. If you enjoy Tudor architecture, this is a great town to experience it.
