Exploring Shakespeare Country
Quite rightly, Stratford lures visitors through its links with the Bard, who was born and brought up in the Warwickshire town. But beyond its literary connections, the area has much more to offer.
For starters, there is the Butterfly Farm, which promotes itself as the “UK’s largest tropical butterfly paradise”. Situated minutes from the town centre, it’s open every day except Christmas Day and is well worth a visit.
On-site parking is for disabled only. Other car drivers should park in the pay-and-display area just outside the entrance.
Entering the Butterfly Farm is like stepping into a tropical rainforest. The air is filled with colour as hundreds of the world’s most beautiful examples fly around you; a woman even had one settle down on her shoulder as she walked around.
The miniature world inside the building is full of fish-filled pools, bubbly waterfalls, exotic plants and informative displays. The Caterpillar Room, for example, spotlights the butterfly’s fascinating lifecycle; here, you’ll see a selection of large and camouflaged caterpillars, together with cocoons and silk moths.
The Butterfly Farm claims to have the largest live insect display in the world. I can’t comment on that but can confirm that there are enough on show to interest adults and children alike. My daughter, Hollie, enjoyed Insect City where you find a host of stick insects, beetles and much more. My son, Peter, was fascinated by the mini-beast section. All of us, though, shivered slightly as we entered Arachnoland, home to scorpions and huge spiders!
A visit to the farm is highly recommended and we were disappointed when we had to leave; with time ticking on, though, and much more to see, we headed across the nearby footbridge and explored Stratford’s historic town centre.
It’s an attractive place situated alongside the River Avon, which cuts through the heart of the town centre. It seems that whenever you visit the streets are always bustling, which isn’t surprising seeing that around three million people flock here each year. Historic buildings line the streets and open green spaces are plentiful, especially beside the river.
But you can’t visit Stratford without becoming immersed in the life and times of William Shakespeare’s – after all, the writer and poet’s influence is evident everywhere.
Three of the five family homes are within the town itself while the other two just a short distance away. If you’re visiting with children, a family ticket covering all five houses costs £58 and is valid for a year – not a bad deal.
All the houses are beautifully preserved and staffed by very knowledgeable people; there doesn’t seem a question they can’t answer. The exhibits and presentations you’ll experience are top-notch, too.
As you can visit not only Shakespeare’s birthplace but his grave at Holy Trinity Church, you’ll be able to appreciate the whole story of his life.
The five houses are Shakespeare’s Birthplace; Mary Arden’s Farm (Shakespeare’s mother); Hall’s Croft (where his daughter, Susanna, lived); Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (Shakespeare’s wife) and Nash’s House (where the poet/playwright died in 1616).
Our favourites were his birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (parking fee but street parking nearby) and Mary Arden’s Farm (free parking). Anne’s thatched Tudor cottage has a wonderful garden and nine acres of grounds and woodland walks. The farm, meanwhile, showed us what a real Tudor farm must have been like. Dressed in authentic garb, the staff were extremely helpful and made the visit seem even more authentic – it was like stepping back in time.
As well as wandering around the farm buildings and looking at the rare breed animals, we watched a falconry display (daily), tried our luck at archery (school and bank holidays only) and fed the goats; you can even try your hand at farm chores and watch how the Tudors cooked their midday meal. Talking of food, try the on-site café (serving all day) for tasty snacks and refreshments. It may not be the cheapest caff around but the food is fine.
Other notable attractions in the area include Kenilworth Castle. Around eleven miles from Stratford, this historic town not only boasts a medieval monastery but, arguably, one of Britain’s finest ruined castles (there is a parking fee but it’s refunded when you visit the castle).
For nearly 500 years, it served as a royal residence and you can appreciate why. Managed by English Heritage, it should be a “must-see” on everyone’s itinerary. Sometimes, ruined castles can be a little disappointing, especially to young kids, but we all thoroughly enjoyed exploring Kenilworth Castle, whose best-known residents include Robert Dudley, the love of Queen Elizabeth I.
Recently recreated is the Elizabethan Garden. Apparently “lost to the world for over 400 years”, it’s now open again and this replica of one of the era’s greatest gardens is a delight.
There is so much more to see in and around Shakespeare Country that we’ve decided another visit is on the cards pretty soon. After all, we’re keen to see Hatton Farm Village, the Heritage Motor Centre, Tudor World and other attractions.
But wherever you visit, you won’t find a grander place to stay than the Welcombe Hotel, Spa and Golf Club. Set amidst 157 acres of lush Warwickshire countryside, it’s within easy distance of the town and regarded as one of the leading country house hotels in the region – and it’s easy to see why.
Built in 1866, this Jacobean-style house, which has 78 ensuite bedrooms and an award-winning à la carte restaurant, has all the charm you’d expect for a property dating from this period, including everything from oak-panelled lounge to sumptuous four-poster suites, all of which blend well with the more contemporary style of the garden rooms and luxury spa.
The gardens and grounds are spectacular and we all enjoyed our stay; in fact, it’s one of those places where you could easily spend the lion’s share of your time simply relaxing and enjoying the tranquillity of its splendid location. Mind you, there is too much to enjoy in Shakespeare Country to do that. All I would say is, make sure you spend some time unwinding at the hotel, it’s a peaceful haven.
More info:
www.butterflyfarm.co.uk, tel: 01789 415878
www.shakespeare.org.uk, tel: 01789 201806
www.english-heritage.org.uk, tel: 01926 852078
www.menzieshotels.co.uk, tel: 0845 850 3013 (Central Reservations) / 01789 295252 (hotel)
For further information on Stratford-upon-Avon, visit:
www.Shakespeare-Country.co.uk and www.discover-stratford.com