Stratford-upon-Avon
| Stratford-upon-Avon | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
Town Centre from the end of High Street Royal Shakespeare Theatre Holy Trinity Church Anne Hathaway's Cottage | |
Stratford-upon-Avon Location within Warwickshire | |
| Population | 30,495 (2021 census) |
| Demonym | Stratfordian |
| OS grid reference | SP1955 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District |
|
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | STRATFORD-UPON-AVON |
| Postcode district | CV37 |
| Dialling code | 01789 |
| Police | Warwickshire |
| Fire | Warwickshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
|
Stratford-upon-Avon (/ ... ˈeɪvən/ ... AY-vən), also known simply as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire,[2] in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, 91 miles (146 km) north-west of London, 22 miles (35 km) south-east of Birmingham and 8 miles (13 km) south-west of Warwick.[3] The town is the southernmost point of the Arden area at the northern extremity of the Cotswolds.[4] At the 2021 British census Stratford had a population of 30,495.[5]
Stratford was inhabited originally by Britons before Anglo-Saxons and remained a village before the lord of the manor, John of Coutances, set out plans to develop it into a town in 1196. In that same year, Stratford was granted a charter from King Richard I to hold a weekly market in the town, giving it its status as a market town. As a result, Stratford experienced an increase in trade and commerce as well as urban expansion.
Stratford is a popular tourist destination, owing to being the birthplace and burial place of the playwright and poet William Shakespeare, who is widely regarded as the national poet of England.[6] It receives approximately 2.7 million visitors a year.[7] The Royal Shakespeare Company resides in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
- ^ "Stratford Town Council". Stratford-tc.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
- ^ "Stratford-upon-Avon". Mapit. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
- ^ "Stratford-on-Avon District Council: Living in the District". Stratford.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
- ^ "Stratford-upon-Avon | The Cotswolds Guide". www.thecotswoldsguide.com.
- ^ "Stratford-upon-Avon Parish in West Midlands". City Population. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- ^ Grady, Hugh (2001). The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare. Cambridge University Press. pp. 265–278. ISBN 978-1-139-00010-9.
- ^ "Economic Impact of Tourism Stratford Town – 2018" (PDF). stratford.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 March 2022.