Stratford-Upon-Avon

Tuesday July 20th BSC and Westwood groups took a bus to Stratford-Upon-Avon, home of Shakespeare's birthplace and burial. The first thing we did was eat at the Black Swan pub, also known as the Dirty Duck- it has a two-faced restaurant sign. The pub used to be a place where people would go after seeing the nearby plays in the theater and adjourn for a drink or two. There were quotes on the walls from Shakespeare's plays and multiple rooms. Afterward, the BSC group walked down the street to the Holy Trinity church, where Shakespeare is buried. We had took it upon ourselves to purchase a bouquet of red roses and place them on his grave, and sure enough we were allowed to do this. The guard had said "go for it," and we were all quite pleased. He was buried inside the church with his grave marked as

"Good frend and jesus sake forbare,
to digg the dvst encloased here.
Blesse be y man that spares y stones
And cvrse be he y moves my bones"!

So the red roses lay o n his grave for some time, and perhaps they are still there! Afterward, we went toward the middle of town, a street busy with people and small gift shops- and Shakespeare's house. This was interesting, the house was set up as it would have looked in each room, and a few people were inside dressed in the attire appropriate for Shakespeare's time to answer any questions. Then followed the gift shop and bookshop, and a bus ride back to Oxford!