Along the Avon

After visiting Shakespeare's birth place we wandered through Stratford. We saw the foundations of the house where Shakespeare died and the amazing knot garden attached to the original house. We also wandered through a public park, overflowing with flowers and punctuated with metal sculptures representing different Shakespearean plays. From there We made our way to Nash House, the Home of Shakespeare's eldest daughter and her Husband. Nash was a docotor and his home with Susanna Shakespeare was a luxurious, purpose built establishment. This house was very well run, large open rooms, lots of light and flowers from the garden in every room. The rooms hold original furniture of amazing quality and beauty. The entrance hall fireplace contains two large cast iron swans, because we were told, Shakespeare was known as the swan of Stratford and this has become the logo and symbol throughout the town. The Nash gardens are one of my favorite places in Stratford. There is a typical English garden, a structured geometric garden with box hedge and a rose garden overflowing with roses and with a boxwood alley through the middle. There was also a lovely shop and a cafe at Nash house. It is out of the way, off the main roads and quite close to Holy Trinity Church which is where we went next. The church is a typical English parish church with bright stained glass and impressive stone arches and carvings but is unique in that it houses Shakespeare's grave. The grave takes prominence of place at the head of the church, wardened off and with a monument to Shakespeare on the wall beside it. After strolling around the grounds, which are located right along the Avon. We strolled along the Avon watching people in row boats.