Stratford-upon-Avon is a quiet English market town famous as the birthplace of William Shakespeare. It is one of the oldest towns in England. It lies in the green valley of the River Avon. High-peaked Old English-style houses line its narrow streets. It is the largest town in the district of Stratford-upon-Avon, which has a population of 105,800.

The Stratford-upon-Avon district, Warwickshire, Central England, is about 90 miles northwest of London. The towns industries include textile production. A weekly market has been held there since 1196. The birthplace of William Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon derives most of its income from tourism. Visitors see Shakespeare s birthplace, the site of his retirement home, his tomb, and the houses once occupied by his daughter and wife, Anne Hathaway. Other notable landmark s are a 15th-century bridge, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (rebuilt in 1932), the Swan Theatre (opened 1986) and several museums. Annual Shakespearean festivals have taken place there since 1879. The town has wide pleasant streets and numerous half-timbered Tudor houses, including the one, on Henley Street, in which Shakespeare was born. Nearby, at Shottery, is the cottage of his wife. On the river is the Shakespeare Center, which includes a library and art gallery and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre where his plays are performed during an annual festival that originated in 1769. The playwright s grave is in the 12th-century Church of the Holy Trinity.

The house where Shakespeare probably was born has been kept as a memorial. It is always open to visitors. At Shottery, 1 mile west of Stratford, is the thatch-roofed cottage that was the home of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife. The Guild Hall and grammar school are kept as they were in Shakespeare's day. Visitors also go to Wilmcote, 21/2 miles northwest of Stratford, to see the cottage of Mary Arden, Shakespeare's mother.

In 1879, a Shakespeare Memorial was completed on the riverbank above the church. It includes a theater, a museum, and a library that contains valuable books and manuscripts having to do with Shakespeare and his life. The theater burned in 1926, but people immediately donated funds to rebuild it. The new theater, designed by Elisabeth Scott, opened in 1932. It is called the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The Royal Shakespeare Company performs Shakespeare's plays there. This permanent company includes many of Britain's finest actors, actresses, and directors. A Shakespeare Center was opened in 1964 to house the Shakespeare collections and provide a meeting place for scholars.