A Day in Shakespeare's Town

A visit to Shakespeare’s county – Warwickshire and in particular, Stratford upon Avon. This town is fairly small considering it’s great claim to fame of being the birthplace of Shakespeare. It has the Kennet and Avon Canal running through it’s centre and this is a wonderful reminder of the slower, possibly romantic times of transporting goods around the country. The canal boats are now private dwellings. The photos here also show many other places related to the Shakespeare ‘legend’ – the childhood home of his wife, Anne Hathaway; the farm where his mother grew up – Mary Arden and the home of one of his daughters, who married a renowned doctor of the times. There is a very interesting bus tour of the town and an exceptionally interesting and informative multi-lingual commentary. It informs the listener of the many words introduced to the english language by Shakespeare – not only did he write the amazing prose so well known around the world today, but he also ‘invented’ words to use in his work. One thing which stuck in my mind was the saying ‘left on the shelf’ when referring (rather unkindly) to ladies still unmarried in later life. It appears that in the small dwellings of the time, the parents would have the upper level as a bedroom, all the other male residents slept in the lower living quarters and any unmarried daughters would sleep on a ‘shelf’ type area level with the stairs/step ladder to the upper level of the home. It was thought that this way their honour was protected as they were kept safe from any unwanted attentions before marriage because they were surrounded by the family.