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The West Midlands cycle route passes through Stratford-upon-Avon, and if you want to remind yourself of the genius of Shakespeare then you can stop off at one or two of the Shakespeare Houses, Exhibition and Library. It offers the chance to see the house he was born in and the way it was in those formative years of Shakespeare's life. The most famous of all playwrights, he wrote more than 39 plays including tragedies, comedies, and history. Born in 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, as a skilled writer, perhaps his greatest strength was his understanding of human nature. He based many of the plays on old or well-known stories and developed them in his own way to such a standard that they are still loved by audiences of all nationalities hundreds of years later. His father, John, trained as a glove-maker and married Mary Arden, the daughter of a farmer, and John and Mary set up home in Henley Street, Stratford. John Shakespeare was a prominent citizen, serving on the town council for many years and becoming Mayor in 1568. Besides his craft as a glover, he traded as a wool dealer and was also involved in money-lending. John and Mary lost two children before William was born, and had five more children, although a third child died young. It's not known what Shakespeare did when he left school, which was probably at the age of fourteen, as was usual then. In November 1582, he married Anne Hathaway, the daughter of a local farmer, and her home, now known as Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, still stands in the village of Shottery, a mile from Stratford. At the time of their marriage William was eighteen and Anne was twenty-six, and their first-born child, Susanna, was born the following year. Two years later twins followed, Hamnet and Judith. In and around Stratford-upon-Avon there are many Shakespeare attractions, including;
Shakespeare died in 1616, aged 52. Photograph and information courtesy of The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust |
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