Guess where we are? Excellent! Yes, we are in Stratford-upon-Avon. Moored right opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Coming into Stratford on the river is a complete different experience, compared to coming in on the Stratford Canal. Lush parks, posh houses, lots of swans. And then the view of the theatre. On the canal it is awkward moored narrowboats, an awfull low bridge, and then a basin full of moored narrowboats, Ice Cream Barges, trip boats, floating restaurants, and half the Japanese population.

Luddington Lock

We came all the way from Luddington Lock. That’s almost three miles! Luckily it was nice weather. And because it’s holiday season, WRT is on lots of pictures again, with all the gongoozlers at the locks.

Waiting at Stratford Trinity Lock

We want to stay here a couple of days, then go into the basin. So, after we’ve done the dishes, we go for an evening stroll. We can go straight ahead, over Tramway Bridge and have a look at the basin, but it is Tuesday. And on Tuesday the Holy Trinity Church Bell Ringers have their practise. So I suggest to walk to the footbridge to the south, go past the church and head for the basin that way. In case they do have their practise, so I can hear the bells. The basin itself is too far away from the church. It’s a bit further to walk, but now we are able to see a heap of trees, just back from the hair dressers. It looks absolutely weird!

Trees with hair cut

At 7:30 pm the bells indeed start ringing. We’re just approaching the church.

Holy Trinity Church

If you listen carefully, you can hear the bells in the picture…
I spot an open door. Being Dutch, and adventurous, I enter the church. There are two people, bell ringers, and before Lawrance realizes it, we’re climbing the steps to the ringing platform.
And watch the Stratford-upon-Avon practise. Absolute friendly people, so needles to say that we never get to the basin, but end up in a pub with them.

And what about Shakespeare’s Grave? Well, that is in the afore mentioned church. And instead of paying £3 pp, we see the grave in the dark, lightened up by a mobile phone.
Impressive? Nae, not really.

2 thoughts on “Shakespeare’s Grave

  1. Bill Smith on August 8, 2017 at 3:12 pm said:

    Glad to hear you’re both getting a cultured education at last. Did you manage to see one of the performances at the theater?
    Many thanks for Your Stafford feature, which brought back many happy memories.

    Bill, wishing you both a continued great adventure and a safe passage back to Scarisbrick Marina.

    • Maggie on August 8, 2017 at 3:19 pm said:

      No, not been to the theater this time. A reliable source told me that Anthony and Cleopatra was in original Old English, which would have been very hard to follow for an immigrant like me, with English only being her third language.

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