54403NOR
Lake District – Stratford C/S
Anne Hathaway’s cottage visit
Shakespeare’s birthplace visit
- All entrances are paid by voucher
- Confirm visits in advance & ask about special events, closed areas of sites etc. Especially opening times of Stratford sites (if in reverse).
Stratford
Ensure group is aware that having left the sites, they cannot re-enter.
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (Shottery)
Set down in Cottage coach park. Arrange time for departure. Re-group at the coach. Walk group to entrance (located next to shop by the coach park) & into gardens. Keep group together (they often disperse into toilets or to take photos of the beautiful gardens). As soon as cottage guides are ready, you have to move. Shop at the Birthplace stocks exactly the same merchandise as at Cottage.
Shakespeare Centre and Birthplace
Set down in the Birthplace coach park (Windsor St.). Walk group to Centre and Birthplace (Henley St.). Warn group to take care when crossing Windsor Street. Pay with voucher in the centre. Centre is very strict on timings. Your group will only be admitted at their booked time. Bag check, toilets available small exhibition, then entry into gardens, the house and shop. Make them aware that if they exit the shop they can’t re-enter. At height of season can become crowded. Ensure group is aware of meeting points/times before they disperse for free time. A good place to meet after the visit is the Jester statue (top of Henley St.).
Holy Trinity Church
Itineraries now often include entry to Holy Trinity Church to see the burial place of William Shakespeare. There is a fee to enter the chancel of the church where the burials are located, and as of 2019 they have a card machine to process payments. Groups must be pre-booked and opening timings have been restricted. www.stratford-upon-avon.org church website for more details.
Theatre (if included on itinerary)
If hotel is in Stratford, walk back after theatre. This will remove any restrictions due to driver’s hours on the following day. Ensure group is aware of meeting point after the play. There are several places coaches can wait along Waterside. Make sure you have your driver’s mobile number to liaise about pick-up point.
Facilities/places of interest in Stratford
Tourist Information Office, Bridgefoot , 01789 264293
www.visitstratforduponavon.com
Holy Trinity Church Trinity Street. Sanctuary doorknocker, lovely stained glass, Shakespeare buried in chancel (entrance fee to chancel). Weeping willows in graveyard, picturesque location by river.
Halls Croft Old Town Street. Home of Susanna Shakespeare (eldest daughter) and her doctor husband, John Hall. Fine exhibition of Elizabethan Medicine. (Entrance fee)
New Place Chapel Street. Admission charge. New Place was Shakespeare’s last residence. Closed during winter.
Royal Shakespeare Theatre & Swan Theatre Stratford home of the RSC. Waterside. Backstage tours, www.rsc.org.uk/theatretours
Grammar School Exhibit on Elizabethan School life. Admission Charge.
Gower Memorial Bancroft Basin by Bridgefoot. Statue (1888) of Shakespeare surrounded by 4 figures from his plays.
Shopping Good mix of High Street and Shakespeare souvenirs.
Bureau de Change – Post Office, Henley Street (opposite Barclays bank).
Cash-points – All major High Street Banks.
Overnight in Stratford:
For groups staying in central Stratford, dinner will be at the hotel or a local restaurant. For groups staying out of town (e.g. in Warwick), dinner will be at a restaurant in Stratford so the Hotel check-in will most likely be at the end of the evening.
If staying without a theatre visit you could book a private Ghost Walk after dinner with Stratford Town Walks Tel: 07855 760377
Grasmere (if in reverse)
On approaching the village of Grasmere (A591) point out Dove Cottage on the right, behind a group of cottages, but visible, opposite Grasmere Lake and the Hotel. Turn left for the village.
Coach Park
On right, toilets (fee) and telephone.
Facilities in the village
Cashpoints – Currently only one is available in the Post Office.
Lots of places for lunching & shopping
Sites
St Oswald’s Church (Wordsworth Family Plot in graveyard)
Sarah Nelson Gingerbread Shop (through churchyard follow aroma!)
Dove Cottage (warn group to take care when crossing the busy A591)
Daffodil Hotel and Spa opposite Dove Cottage is nice to warm up and have a cup of tea if Dove Cottage busy.