54407LNO
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage Visit
Shakespeare’s Birthplace Visit
away’s Cottage Visit
Shakespeare’s Birthplace Visit
· The above route and timings take into account a 30 minute stop at the Norton Canes service area on the M6 Toll. If your driver collects a voucher at the services and hands it in at a manned toll booth at the end of the motorway the coach is exempt from paying the toll.
· If this system is removed. Then M6/M5/M42/M40A46/A439 will be your best route with a stop at Frankley services on the M5. This will add time to your journey.
08.00 Depart Manchester
10.45 – 11.00 Arrive Anne Hathaway’s Cottage – Shottery.
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (Shottery)
Set down in Cottage coach park. Arrange time for departure. Re-group at the coach. Walk group to entrance (now in building next to 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 virtually the same merchandise as at Cottage.
11.45 Depart Cottage (Dependent upon how many groups ahead of you)
12.00 Arrive Stratford.
Shakespeare Centre and Birthplace and Freetime
Set down in Birthplace coach park (Windsor St.). Walk group to Centre and Birthplace (Henley St.). Warn them to take care when crossing Windsor Street.
Assemble outside Birthplace entrance on Henley Street and appoint a time to meet back after lunch and free time in town centre. Make sure everyone is aware of location and time. (Timings that follow can be amended if you wish to arrive in London earlier than 17.30.)
14.00 Pay with voucher in the Centre. You have a choice between brief audio visual or small exhibition then into gardens, House and Shop. At height of season can become crowded. Once you see your group heading through gardens call your driver who will then return to Birthplace Coach Park.
Facilities/places of interest in Stratford
Tourist Information Office, Bridgefoot.
www.discover-stratford.com – A great resource for info, ideas, booking etc.
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. Paid admission. New Place was Shakespeare’s last residence.
ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE & SWAN THEATRE Stratford home of the RSC. Waterside. Theatre tours and gift shop.
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.
CASH-POINTS – All major High Street Banks.
