Cathedrals, abbeys and churches of England and Wales : descriptive, historical, pictorial . comes in the best senseof the word a place of pilgrimage; for inhomage to the mighty dead there need be nosuperstition, and there may be a lesson for usin those manifold surroundings which cannotbut have influenced their lives. With Stratford-on-Avon, that quiet, quaint, picturesque War-wickshire town, the memory of William Shake-speare is inseparably connected. He was bornin one of its houses, he was taught in its school,he sowed his wild oats—perhaps rather freely—in its vicinity, he married, not wise
Cathedrals, abbeys and churches of England and Wales : descriptive, historical, pictorial . comes in the best senseof the word a place of pilgrimage; for inhomage to the mighty dead there need be nosuperstition, and there may be a lesson for usin those manifold surroundings which cannotbut have influenced their lives. With Stratford-on-Avon, that quiet, quaint, picturesque War-wickshire town, the memory of William Shake-speare is inseparably connected. He was bornin one of its houses, he was taught in its school,he sowed his wild oats—perhaps rather freely—in its vicinity, he married, not wisely, wefear, from a neighbouring village ; and then, after an interval of years, when fame and competence had been attained, at arate which must have surprised those who still remembered certain incidents ofhis youth, he returned to pass the remainder of his days in the handsome housewhich he had purchased, and lastly—while still in middle life—died, and wasburied in the chancel of the parish church. But even if William Shakespeare had never lived or died at Stratford-on Avon, 4i. THE TOWEll, FROM THE RIVEE. 342 ABBEYS AND CHURCHES. [Stratford-on-Avo:!. the church of the Holy Trinity would merit notice as one of exceptional beautyand interest. It stands in a churchyard than which there are few prettier inthe kingdom. An avenue of old limes leads from the street to the porch; along-that path Shakespeare must have walked each Sunday to his place in the very trees most probably even then bordered the path; though perhapshardly more than saplings, they were putting forth their leaves on that sad Aprilday when his body was carried to its last home in the chancel. But there is a spotof yet greater beauty—a path which, though it must not be associated with hismemory, since it was only made some twenty years ago, is nevertheless notablefor its loveliness alone. Near the eastern end of the church flows the Avon,forming one boundary to the churchyard. By its side is
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Keywords: ., book, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectchurchbuildings
