Stratford on Avon was founded by the Saxons in the 7th century AD . The name Stratford is made up of Celtic and Saxon words , the Straet ford means the ford by the Roman road and Avon is the Celtic word meaning river or water.
This area was dependant on Worcester Cathedral and part of the Saxon Kingdom of Hwicce.
At the time of the Norman invasion The Saxon Bishop of Worcester Wulfstan supported the invaders, so there was no great social upheaval.
In the year 1196 King Richard I granted the town the right to hold weekly markets.
Soon their were carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers, brewers and bakers. Stratford was also known for its brewing industry.
By AD 691 there was a monastery on the present day site of the church of the Holy Trinity.
A reference to worship was granted in AD 845 to an existing minster church.
The medieval population was about 1,000 to 1,500
An original Grammar school was founded around the 13th century.
The Guild of the Holy Cross was formed in 1269 a chapel for this guild still stands
Stratford experienced two plague outbreaks 1564 and 1645 .
In 1553 King Edward VI refounded the Grammar school, at the same time he incorporated the town. (formed a corporation to run it).
William Shakespeare was born on or near the 23rd of April 1564 in Henley Street.
He attended the Grammar school.
He married Anne Hathaway in 1582
He died in 1616 and was buried in the Holy Trinity Church.
A bust of Shakespeare was carved by Johnson in 1623.
A canal opened in 1816 and then the railway in 1859.
In 1834 Stratford was supplied with Gas lights.
In the 1850’s a network of sewers had been dug.
In 1951 the population of Stratford had grown to 15,000
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre was built in 1932 and the Shakespeare centre was opened in 1964.
The Teddy Bear museum opened in 1988.
The current population is 24,000 approx
With the best of intention all of the above information is true, correct and given in good faith, however, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained within the above.
Equally we recommend that should you want to find out more you should conduct more detailed independant research.
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