Bed and Bard

WILLIAM Shakespeare once wrote: “I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it.” It’s impossible not to agree with such sentiment as far as his birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon is concerned.

Our base for a two-night trip to Stratford was the Menzies Welcombe hotel and spa on the outskirts of the town. It takes its name partly from the hamlet of Welcombe, where Shakespeare once owned land. Our room – Elizabeth’s Room – was huge, with a large bay window offering a fantastic view of the hotel’s Italian-style gardens.

Downstairs, an oak-panelled lounge with open fire added to the appeal.

Having arrived relatively late in the day, we spent a relaxing night in the hotel after a lovely meal. The next day, we took a short bus ride from the town centre to Anne Hathaway’s cottage, the family home of Shakespeare’s wife.

The house was occupied by the Hathaways and the family’s descendents for 300 years before it was bought by The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1892.

An extremely knowledgeable guide helped to bring to life the way they would have lived.

We particularly liked the way she was able to explain a number of well-known idioms which originated from the time, such as “pot luck”.

referring to the practice of using a single pot to cook all the meals. Those who were unlucky enough to eat from the bottom of the pot never quite knew what leftovers from previous meals their food would be mixed with.

The cottage is part of The Shakespeare Houses in and around Stratford, each of which have a link to the Bard.

Catching a bus back into the town centre – and stopping for a quick drink on the way – we headed to Shakespeare’s Birthplace museum in Henley Street, on the site of his family home, where he was born in 1564. He inherited the house in 1601 from his father John, a glovemaker.

Visitors are taken on a short tour of the restored house while narrators describe Shakespeare’s life and the significance of his works.

Guides in costume are also on hand to answer questions.

When we visited there was a show in the courtyard with actors playing parts from one of Shakespeare’s plays.

The house fell into disrepair in the 18th Century after the family line died out and it was put up for sale in 1847. A campaign to preserve it as a national memorial took off when a rumour began that American circus owner PT Barnum planned to buy it and ship it brick by brick to New York. Among those contributing to an appeal to raise the £3,000 needed to buy it were Charles Dickens and Alfred Tennyson and the so-called “Collier Poet” Joseph Skipsey, who worked in the mines near Newcastle.

Stratford’s a great place to potter about, with lots of interesting shops, cafes and pubs laden with character. Or you can spend a relaxing time watching people navigate the lock on the canal, or just sit admiring the swans which regularly feed on visitors’ titbits. A number of boating companies operate along the river.

Only a few minutes walk away, we rounded off our daytime activities by taking in the Stratford butterfly farm. It’s a great alternative – particularly for children – to touring historic sites and a good chance for amateur photographers to get some good close-up shots.

Irritatingly for me, the more exquisitelypatterned butterflies also proved the most elusive to capture on film, but there are still plenty of opportunities to grab decent pictures once you’ve de-misted your camera lens from the tropical heat.

In the evening we ate at the excellent Lamb’s restaurant in Sheep Street, one of the oldest buildings in Stratford, which still retains many of its original features.

* For more information, contact the Discover Stratford Tourist Information Centre at 62 Henley Street on 01789-264293 or visit discover-stratford.com * Prices at the Menzies Welcombe hotel range from £105 to £305 per night with standard, executive, suites and four-poster rooms available. For more information, contact 01789-295252 or visit welcombehotelstratford.co.uk