Stratford-upon-Avon

We are still alive and kicking! We have just been very busy, but we will get to that is a later post. On to this past weekend, which was a Bank Holiday weekend in the UK, and with visitors in town we were off to Stratford-upon-Avon in our rented Nissan Note.

You must be wondering what there is to do in Stratford-upon-Avon??

1. Anne Hathaway's House

2. William Shakespeare's Birthplace

After an hour and 45min. drive up the M40 we arrived destination number 1 above, Anne Hathaway's house. We paid our entrance fee and walked in with our raincoats on and umbrellas fully extended. It was pouring.

Anne Hathaway's House (pictured with Aunt Judy, Scott and Mom Tune)

































To the left is a picture of the 'Willow Cabin'


















Some of the gorgeous flowers that were in the Garden:

This is my favorite one there and I need to find out the name of it.

Some facts learned at Anne Hathaway's House:

1. To clean the chimneys in the old days you would put 1-2 chickens down the chimney and let them flap their way out which would cause all of the soot to come loose.

2. A wheat thatched roof only lasts about 30 years whereas a water seed thatched roof lasts about 70years.

3. The first picture above of the house has two roofs. The roof to the right was just replaced and work finished 3 weeks ago. The total cost was £80,000 ($160,000). Imagine doing that every 30 years :-(

Below is Shakespeare's Birthplace and some photos from around his gardens.

Facts learned at Shakespeare's Birthplace:

1. William left in his will to his wife their 2nd best bed. Scott's thoughts too. Why just the 2nd best bed? Well the first best bed in a house was for your guests.

2. William's family paid some debt off for the Hathaway Family

3. William and Anne had to file for a special marriage certificate since they were under the age of 19.

It was all in all a great time in Stratford-upon-Avon but could have been better if it weren't raining. After leaving Stratford-upon-Avon, we headed to Oxford for a quick trip around the town/city and to show Ma Tune and Judy Oxford University. Pictures to follow later.