| Show Bard of Avons Avon's Home Town Draws Pilgrims From Afar Shakespeare's birthday April 23 which also Is Js the da day of his death is always an important occasion in Avon Stratford the picturesque little English town where the great English poet and dramatist was born This year it was especially memorable memora memora- ble because the new Shakespeare Memorial theat theater r r. r to which Shakespeare Shakespeare Shake Shake- Shakespeare speare lovers in all parts of tho world contributed was opened by the Prince of Wales Americans contributed con con- nearly half the cost of ot the hu huge e auditorium with its revolving and double double deck deck stages As a prosperous marketing center Stratford Avon is merely a small city of population but as home town Strat Avon ford is the sentimental 1 and literary capital of ot England attracting attracting attracting attract attract- ing more than pilgrims annually annually an an- says a bulletin from the National National National Na Na- Geographic society Shakespeare as a matter of ot fact means much more to the inhabitants of ot this Warwickshire community today today today to to- day than he ever did during durin his life life- t time me Neglected and unsung for over overa a century after his death even in his home town the poet Is now Stratford's Strat Strat- fords ford's chief Industry Anything connected connected con con- with his life Ille and tamil family however however how how- ever remotely has been ed and there are Shakespeare inns novelty shops and other othel establishments establishments establish establish- ments bearing his name ANNE COTTAGE The venerable rambling house where Shakespeare was born and the thatched straw cottage at Shottery where tradition says he courted Anne Hathaway Hathawa are arc timbered half Elizabethan Eliza Eliza- bethan buildings with a R delightful air of antiquity set in charming gar gar- ar dens Scholars are arc satisfied that the they are arc authentic but even if this were not fairly certain their spirit and atmosphere are truly of or the spacious days of Elizabeth Stratford on as a matter of fact is a very ancient town far antedating ante dating Shakespeare's time Domes Domes- day Book William the Conquerors Conqueror's tax list mentions it The city's famous famous fa Ca fa- fa Thursday market dates from the reign of Richard the Lion Hearted Not tar far from its busy market place Roman coins have been unearthed land and a Saxon graveyard d dating ting from fromI I the sixth century was found a short shor time ago But it is Stratford church more properly Holy Trinity to which all al pilgrim roads lead Here Shakespeare attended services after he had retired retired re reo re- re tired from Lond m to become a Stratford Avon gentleman anc and here he and his wife are buried The slender spire of ot the building which is now the most characteristic feature was not added however until a century century century cen cen- tury after the poets poet's death The actual actual ac tomb of the poet is under a marblo marblo mar- mar blo bio slab which forms part of the floor near the al altar r rail On it is carved the famous verse ending and be he moves my bones VICAR RAZES RELIC Unfortunately New Place the fine house which Shakespeare bought when he be returned to his home town in the days of ot his prosperity is no longer longcr standing It is said to have been purposely destroyed by a later owner a tempered surly vicar who was annoyed at so many visitors The same gentleman cut down a giant mulberry mulberry mul mule berry tree planted by the poets poet's hands But the villagers arose in wrath and tho vicar was forced to flee for his l life fe amidst the thc curses of ot the inh inhabitants inhabitants tants of ot Stratford Among other interesting places in Stratford is Harvard house home o of the family of the founder of Harvard university This quaint structure has has' b been en restored and furnished in Elizabethan Elizabethan Elizabethan Eliza Eliza- bethan style and is now used as a club for visiting Harvard alumni At Atthe Atthe Atthe the Red Horse hotel Washington I Irving wrote his vivid description of Avon on von the little parlor is kept today exactly as the American writer left it fireside chair poker and all David Garrick the actor is said to have been the first to awaken interest inter est cst in Stratford as Shakespeare's town A century and a half ajer the poets poet's death Garrick promoted a Shakespeare jubilee which brought the world to its doors Since then the tide of visiting pilgrims has grown each year The first memorial theater theater thea thea- ter was erected in 79 1877 and burned down downin in 1925 The modern structure will contain in addition to an auditorium audi audio a n library of books a gallery of paintings s and a museum of Shakespeare relics |
