Why Coach Hire In Oxford Offers Shakespearean Delights

Coach trips can be a great way to take a party on a day trip and while the end of summer means you may not be planning many trips to the coast anytime soon, there are some wonderful places to visit that offer mainly indoor attractions.

A place that is easily reached from Oxford is Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, which is just over an hour away by road at a distance of 56 miles.

The town is attractive enough in its own right, but it is impossible to escape the reality that Stratford is almost all about one thing – William Shakespeare.

Where’s There’s A Will, There’s A Way To Stratford

It is here that the greatest playwright in the history of the English language was born in the town in 1564, with his date of birth believed to be on April 23rd, ironically also the date when he died in 1616.

During the golden years of his career, Shakespeare was based professionally in London, acting with a company called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men and enjoying huge success with his plays under the patronage of King James I from 1603 onwards.

Despite this, he still split his time between the capital and Stratford, spending much time in his hometown where his family lived, even though it was a three-day trip back then; there were no luxury coaches in Shakespeare’s Day.

As a result, there is far more to Stratford than just the home Shakespeare was born in, although this is one of the great attractions of the town, preserved as a museum in 16th century style.

In 1597, he bought New Place, one of the largest homes in Stratford and one of several investments he made in the town. Although inherited by Shakespeare’s descendants, the home was eventually sold and eventually demolished under new ownership in 1759. But the house standing there is now owned by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Other historic properties in the town include Ann Hathaway’s House, where Shakespeare’s wife grew up before their marriage and the couple lived for the first five years after their nuptials, as well as his grave at Holy Trinity Church.

Unusually, his grave is inside the church rather than the graveyard outside and it features an inscription warning against stealing his bones – both facts, perhaps, reflecting the macabre tradition of the day of robbing graves for souvenirs and the Bard’s determination that it shouldn’t happen to his famous remains.

Other Attractions

Other Shakespeare-themed things to do in Stratford include seeing his statue in the town, visiting his school room and Guildhall, taking a guided walking tour or an open top bus tour and, of course, seeing a play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The wonderful Grade II listed building is located by the river and you can enjoy some brilliant productions there.

You can also go to the small Tudor WorldMuseumm, take a boat trip on the Avon, or even catch some horse racing at Stratford Racecourse if you prefer your horseflesh to the Merchant of Venice’s pound of flesh (hopefully the horses will not eat each other like in Macbeth).

Suffice to say, with so many things to see and do in the town, it will be a very full day out that will seem to fly by. For as the man himself said: “Pleasure and action make the hours seem short”. And after all the fun, visitors may enjoy having someone else do the driving, as they could be quite tired by the end of the day.

Why You Should Fill The Coach Easily

Another great benefit of having a larger coach party is that it can split up into groups so that different people can choose which things they want to see and do, before the rendezvous for the return trip. That way, everyone can choose what to see, or not to see.. without this being a question.

Having such a celebrated town close to Oxford is quite a bonus for those who already live in a city with such a rich history and wonderful literary heritage. Indeed, the two may be linked as those with a love for the finer cultural things marry them together. But, such is Shakespeare’s enduring fame, a visit to his hometown should have almost universal appeal.

For that reason, you should have no problem finding enough interested people to fill a coach. And while the trip is relatively short, you can still enjoy the fact that the journey is comfortable and the coach is of high quality.

Perhaps if William Shakespeare was alive today, he would write of our drivers: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some drive great coaches.”