The Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon
Situated on the banks of River Avon, the Holy Trinity Church(a Grade I listed parish church) gained fame because it is the place of baptism and burial of William Shakespeare. Visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon do not miss visiting this church, thus making it probably England's most visited Parish Church.
There has been a church on this site since 713 when a Saxon monastery was built on this land. The church building that you see today was built sometime in 1210. The North and the South aisles were added in the 1300s and the Chancel was added in late 1400s. It is in the Chancel where William Shakespeare is buried along with his wife Anne Hathaway and other members of his family. You will also find copies of the register entries for his baptism and burial. There is also a chained bible dating back to 1611 which would have been read from, in this very church during William Shakespeare's lifetime.
Between the Chancel and the Crossing(which is the oldest part of the church) you will find 26 wooden carved seats. These are called Misericords and were meant for those people who were attending long services and allowed them to rest without actually sitting down. The wooden mythical carvings on these Misericords depict scenes from life in those days. I found these very interesting.
Though this church is popular because of Shakespeare, I feel that this place has a relaxing and peaceful effect and you can while away hours just sitting by the riverside or looking at the beautiful stained glass windows and Misericords inside. There is £2.00 charge to see Shakespeare's grave in the nave, but it is worth it if you are interested in history and the bard. If you have lot of time on hand, you can easily spend a couple of hours here. But if you are pressed for time, you can do it in less than a hour as it is only a 15 minute walk from the town centre.
Holy Trinity Church,
Old Town,
Stratford upon Avon,
CV37 6BG
Tel: 01789 266316
March and OctoberMonday-Saturday: 9am to 5pm
Sunday: 12.30pm to 5pm
April to September
Monday-Saturday: 8.30am to 6pm
Sunday: 12.30pm to 5pm
November to FebruaryMonday-Saturday: 9am to 4pm
Sunday: 12.30pm to 5pm
The last admission is 20 minutes before closing. The church is sometimes closed to visitors when special services are taking place.
There has been a church on this site since 713 when a Saxon monastery was built on this land. The church building that you see today was built sometime in 1210. The North and the South aisles were added in the 1300s and the Chancel was added in late 1400s. It is in the Chancel where William Shakespeare is buried along with his wife Anne Hathaway and other members of his family. You will also find copies of the register entries for his baptism and burial. There is also a chained bible dating back to 1611 which would have been read from, in this very church during William Shakespeare's lifetime.
Between the Chancel and the Crossing(which is the oldest part of the church) you will find 26 wooden carved seats. These are called Misericords and were meant for those people who were attending long services and allowed them to rest without actually sitting down. The wooden mythical carvings on these Misericords depict scenes from life in those days. I found these very interesting.
Though this church is popular because of Shakespeare, I feel that this place has a relaxing and peaceful effect and you can while away hours just sitting by the riverside or looking at the beautiful stained glass windows and Misericords inside. There is £2.00 charge to see Shakespeare's grave in the nave, but it is worth it if you are interested in history and the bard. If you have lot of time on hand, you can easily spend a couple of hours here. But if you are pressed for time, you can do it in less than a hour as it is only a 15 minute walk from the town centre.
Holy Trinity Church,
Old Town,
Stratford upon Avon,
CV37 6BG
Tel: 01789 266316
March and OctoberMonday-Saturday: 9am to 5pm
Sunday: 12.30pm to 5pm
April to September
Monday-Saturday: 8.30am to 6pm
Sunday: 12.30pm to 5pm
November to FebruaryMonday-Saturday: 9am to 4pm
Sunday: 12.30pm to 5pm
The last admission is 20 minutes before closing. The church is sometimes closed to visitors when special services are taking place.
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