Stratford-Upon-Avon, England, Day 2

We visited Stratford-Upon-Avon at Christmas time. Their well-organized Christmas Market was in full swing with lots of lovely items and tasty treats on offer.

The sign on the grammar school called King's New School that Shakespeare attended probably starting at the age of seven.

Down the street and around the corner from the grammar school is Croft Hall, the residence of William and Anne's daughter Susanna and her husband Dr. John Hall. Here is the dining table off the kitchen.

A bedroom of Croft Hall. We enjoyed exploring this lovely and well-restored home and garden. Lunch at the Hall's cafe was delicious and hearty fuel for our walk to the final two sites of our Shakespeare tour.

Holy Trinity Church where William Shakespeare was baptized, worshipped, and was buried. We felt such a sense of God's presence in this church with the glorious sunlight streaming through the arched windows on the east side of the nave. A beautiful church with remarkable stained glass windows, one recently discovered behind an organ during renovations.

William Shakespeare's grave lies within the church floor with the epitaph written by himself, "Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear / To dig the dust enclosed here: / Blessed be the man that spares these stones, / And cursed be he that moves my bones."

Off to Anne Hathaway's Cottage by public footpath, a walk of about 1.3 miles that is mostly flat. Anne was William Shakespeare's wife.

The cottage where Anne Hathaway, grew up. Another beautifully restored home on the Shakespeare trail. They even had actors in period costumes playing the parts of household staff. Though lying dormant for the winter, the gardens were lovely as well.

The efficient kitchen of Anne Hathaway's childhood home whare many a meal was prepared.

A finely furnished bedroom of the Hathaway Cottage. Once we finished exploring Anne's childhood home, it was time to walk back to Stratford-Upon-Avon. The rainbow in the distance gave us a nice finish to our day.