Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>Welcome to Bard country! Stratford Upon Avon was the birthplace Shakespeare called home and today it&#8217;s a bright, buzzy town where culture and community thrive – from festivals and workshops to top rated shows at the <a href="https://www.rsc.org.uk">Royal Shakespeare Company</a>. Not to mention there’s top restaurants, great shops, more Tudor-style buildings than you can shake a stick at and you&#8217;re minutes from windswept walks in the countryside.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/Untitled-design-30.png" alt="Royal Shakespeare Company Rooftop Restaurant Stratford TYHeatre posters on wall and floor to ceiling glass with views across the city" class="wp-image-58302" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/Untitled-design-30.png 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/Untitled-design-30-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/Untitled-design-30-1000x667.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/Untitled-design-30-768x512.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Period architecture aficionados will like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stratfordtownhouse.co.uk/">The Townhouse</a>, a centrally located restaurant with rooms inside&nbsp;a 400-year-old, Grade II listed building. On the same street is Paul Foster’s snug restaurant&nbsp;<a href="https://www.salt-restaurant.co.uk/">Salt</a> and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thewoodsmanrestaurant.com/">The Woodsman</a>&nbsp;(which also does some pretty spectacular cocktails using foraged ingredients). There&#8217;s award-winning Thai food from <a href="https://www.sabaisabai.com">Sabai Sabai</a>, while <a href="https://www.theardenhotelstratford.com/eat/no-44-brasserie/">No. 44 Brasserie</a> at the Arden Hotel is great for a special meal, or head to RSC&#8217;s <a href="https://www.rsc.org.uk/rooftop-restaurant">The Rooftop</a> Restaurant to grab a bite before a show. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/warwickshire/dirty-duck/menu">The Dirty Duck</a>, located along Waterside, is a popular pub with actors (Charles Dance and Kenneth Branagh have bee spotted), family-run&nbsp;<a href="https://www.loxleysrestaurant.co.uk/">Loxleys Restaurant and Wine bar</a>&nbsp;is a quaint, independent eatery in the heart of town. For another Bard connection, dine out at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.billesleymanor.com/">Billesley Manor Hotel and Spa</a>, three miles out of town, where Shakespeare is said to have written&nbsp;<em>As You Like It&nbsp;</em>and married Anne Hathaway in the grounds in 1582. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1357" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/290183306_3872097256348059_2711505726217462971_n.jpg" alt="White Light Gallery Stratford Warwickshire contemporary art gallery " class="wp-image-58304" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/290183306_3872097256348059_2711505726217462971_n.jpg 2048w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/290183306_3872097256348059_2711505726217462971_n-800x530.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/290183306_3872097256348059_2711505726217462971_n-1000x663.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/290183306_3872097256348059_2711505726217462971_n-768x509.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/290183306_3872097256348059_2711505726217462971_n-1536x1018.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">White Light Gallery</figcaption></figure>



<p>High street names include M&amp;S, Fatface, Jack Wills and The White Company abound, but look beyond for independents like&nbsp;wine merchants&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vinneuf.co.uk/">Vin Neuf</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://vinegarhill.co.uk/">Vinegar Hill</a>, a family-run home, fashion and lifestyle&nbsp;store.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bellcourtstratford.com/">Bell Court</a>, an attractive courtyard of bars, eateries, beauty salons and shops, includes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.morbakery.co.uk/">Mor bakery</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sistersistercollective.net/">Sister Sister Collective</a>, pop-art&nbsp;specialist&nbsp;<a href="https://whitelightgallery.co.uk/">White Light Gallery</a>. There&#8217;s gorgeous interiors and antiques store <a href="https://l.instagram.com/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hudsonsstratford.com%2F&amp;e=AT3iP2kcktQz1OFZXu1WH9zNz40ewIOft_BS8bpdtWh2RGdWVQAOyuUIHW_xHKtvvAjVn74dVPqo0QDD8taHxVoDPahtsEwp4zKCNbY8Ce5t7_sacG4MLQ">Hudson&#8217;s</a>, and in the nearby the village of Snitterfield, is a lovely Muddy Award-winning family-run farm shop, food hall and cafe, <a href="https://www.cobbsfarmshops.co.uk/cobbs-at-the-farm-stratford">Cobbs at The Farm</a>. For designer gear, hop in the car for 50 mins and put a dent in your bank balance at luxury outdoor designer outlet&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tbvsc.com/bicester-village/en">Bicester Village</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p>You&#8217;re spoilt for choice with heaps of GPs in the town, so you can find one you really like and trust! There&#8217;s heaps of pharmacies too and a <a href="https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/wellbeing-centre/">menopause and wellbeing centre</a>. For a slice of beach relaxation right here in rural Warwickshire head to The Wellbeing Cabin &#8211; a treatment combines eight holistic therapies to give your mind and body a boost (<a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/lifestyle/wellbeing-lifestyle/review-the-wellbeing-cabin-charlecote/">here&#8217;s</a> our review). There&#8217;s no boring keep fit classes here! Try your hand at bungee fitness or aerial pilates at the <a href="https://bungeefitness.club">Bungee Fitness Club</a> and if it&#8217;s a full on <a href="https://www.jamesevansacademy.com">bootcamp</a> you&#8217;re after you&#8217;re in luck too. There&#8217;s  reformer pilates at <a href="http://formandflow.co.uk">Form &amp; Flow</a>, and yoga, pilates and yogalates (yes that&#8217;s a mix of both) at <a href="https://www.theloft-studio.co.uk/classes">The Loft</a> studio.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>There’s the annual dragon boat race where local residents and businesses go head to head on the River Avon, while supporting charity The Shakespeare Hospice. Also there’s the yearly duck race (yellow plastic ones, not real), motor festival, literary festival, and you’ll struggle to miss the Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations which sees the whole town get involved.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/09/Untitled-design-861.jpg" alt="RSC" class="wp-image-50574" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/09/Untitled-design-861.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/09/Untitled-design-861-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/09/Untitled-design-861-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/09/Untitled-design-861-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/09/Untitled-design-861-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/09/Untitled-design-861-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/09/Untitled-design-861-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2022/09/Untitled-design-861-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">RSC</figcaption></figure>



<p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rsc.org.uk/">RSC</a>&nbsp;theatre&nbsp;on Waterfront includes David Tennant, David Oyelowo (<em>Selma</em>), Josette Simon, Harriet Walter (<em>Killing Eve)</em>, Ian McKellan, Tim Minchin and David Threlfall (<em>Shameless</em>) among its associate artists. The company also runs backstage tours, talks, holiday workshops and recently opened a costume department. You&#8217;ll also often find a troupe of actors putting on a show in Bancroft Gardens.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stratfordplay.co.uk/">Stratford PlayHouse</a>&nbsp;is home to <a href="https://orchestraoftheswan.org/">Orchestra of the Swan</a>, a professional chamber orchestra whose is patron is Dame Judi Dench.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.comptonverney.org.uk">Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park</a>, with brilliant bijoux exhibitions, is close too.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<p>For the ‘full Bard’ experience visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/">Shakespeare’s five family homes</a> dotted in and-around the town centre, including the postcard-pretty Anne Hathaway’s Cottage,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shakespearesschoolroom.org/">Shakespeare’s Schoolroom and Guildhall</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stratford-upon-avon.org/">Holy Trinity Church</a>&nbsp;where he is buried. There’s the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everymancinema.com/stratford-upon-avon">Everyman Cinema</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.magicalleystratford.com/">Magic Alley</a>&nbsp;in Bell Court, tiny but quirky&nbsp;<a href="https://themadmuseum.co.uk/">MAD (Mechanical Art and Design)</a>&nbsp;museum, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.butterflyfarm.co.uk/attraction/">butterfly farm</a>, canal and river boat tours or local gin-making masterclasses at <a href="https://shakespearedistillery.com/">Shakespeare Distillery</a>.&nbsp;The National Trust’s beautiful&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/warwickshire">heritage properties in Warwickshire</a>&nbsp;including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/charlecote-park">Charlecote Park</a>, a Victorian country house and landscaped deer park, are close. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p>Average house are around £423,429, although the majority of sales in Stratford were detached, selling for around £646,101. Semis sold for an average of £379,883.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/KF-Stratford-jpeg.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57583" style="aspect-ratio:1.5;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/KF-Stratford-jpeg.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/KF-Stratford-jpeg-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/KF-Stratford-jpeg-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/10/KF-Stratford-jpeg-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>An elegant 5-bed family home about half a mile from town and moments from the Welcombe Hills. <a href="https://www.knightfrank.co.uk/properties/residential/for-sale/avenue-road-stratford-upon-avon-warwickshire-cv37/str012268903" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">On the market with Knight Frank for £1.325m</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries">NURSERIES</h2>



<p><a href="https://footstepsnurseries.co.uk/nurseries/stratford-day-nursery-preschool">Footsteps Nursery</a>, <a href="https://monkeypuzzlestratforduponavon.co.uk">Monkey Puzzle</a> and <a href="https://www.theoldstationnursery.co.uk/nurseries/stratford/">Polkadot</a> are all based in the town, with <a href="https://www.littledragonsnursery.com">Little Dragons</a> in nearby Snitterfield. <a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/national-school-reviews/croft-prepatory-school-stratford-upon-avon/">The Croft:Prep</a> in Alveston provides care from age 3 yrs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.welfordonavonschool.co.uk/">Welford-on-Avon Primary</a>&nbsp;is rated outstanding as is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.croftschool.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Croft Prep</a>, a rural co-ed independent day school for ages 3 – 11 yrs in nearby Alveston. There are around 44 Good and Outstanding state primary and secondary schools in the wider Stratford-upon-Avon area. The town also has two grammar schools.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kes.net/">King Edward VI</a>, Shakespeare’s school, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sggs.org.uk/">Stratford Girls</a>‘ in Shottery. Independent secondary school options range from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.princethorpe.co.uk/page/?pid=10">Princethorpe College</a>, near Rugby to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.warwickschool.org/">Warwick School</a>&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kingshighwarwick.co.uk/">King’s High</a>, the single sex&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thekingsleyschool.co.uk/">Kingsley School</a>&nbsp;for girls in Leamington Spa,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.solsch.org.uk/">Solihull School</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sibfordschool.co.uk/">Sibford School</a>, Banbury.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret"><strong>BEST KEPT SECRET</strong></h2>



<p>Hardcore&nbsp;<em>Gardener’s World</em>&nbsp;fans may already know that Monty Don’s original working plot, Berryfields, was a rented garden and Grade I manor house in Stratford-upon-Avon. The programme later moved to Greenacre in Edgbaston, during Toby Buckland’s two-year stewardship. Monty is now filmed working on his own patch, Longmeadow, in Herefordshire.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute"><strong>COMMUTE</strong></h2>



<p>A train from Stratford-upon-Avon station with a change in nearby Team can get you to London in around 2 hrs 30mins.</p>



<p><em>View the full&nbsp;<a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top 300 Places to Live</a>.</em></p>


Stratford-upon-Avon

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