Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands


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



<p>If you’re looking for a community buzz, Stratford most definitely has it. There’s always something going on from festivals and workshops to top rated shows at the <a href="https://www.rsc.org.uk">RSC</a>. You can be in the bustling town, and yet, surrounded by countryside in a matter of minutes. Not to mention there’s top restaurants, great shops and more Tudor-style buildings than you can shake a stick at.</p>



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



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/08/Untitled-design-683.jpg" alt="Stratford restaurant" class="wp-image-54745" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/08/Untitled-design-683.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/08/Untitled-design-683-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/08/Untitled-design-683-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2023/08/Untitled-design-683-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></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. <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 &#8211; previously boasting Charles Dance and Kenneth Branagh among its clientele , family-run&nbsp;<a href="https://www.loxleysrestaurant.co.uk/">Loxleys Restaurant and Wine bar</a>&nbsp;is a quaint, lovely 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>



<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 to luxury outdoor designer outlet&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tbvsc.com/bicester-village/en">Bicester Village</a>&nbsp;with 160+ boutiques and restaurants.</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&nbsp;<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 you can 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&nbsp;<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-price">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE</h2>



<p>£423,429 although the majority of sales in Stratford during the last year were detached selling for around £646,101. Semi-detached 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 <a href="https://www.knightfrank.co.uk/properties/residential/for-sale/avenue-road-stratford-upon-avon-warwickshire-cv37/str012268903" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">elegant detached five-bed family home</a> about half a mile from the town centre and moments from the Welcombe Hills. £1,325,000 with Knight Frank</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.</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://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/national-school-reviews/croft-prepatory-school-stratford-upon-avon/">The Croft:Prep</a>, a rural co-educational independent day school for 3 to 11-year-olds 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 outstanding 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 until the programme moved to Greenacre in Edgbaston, Birmingham 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 Leam can get you to London in around 2hours 30mins.</p>



<p>View the full&nbsp;<a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top 260 Places to Live</a></p>


Best Places to Live: Stratford-upon-Avon

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