2 Best Sights in Stratford-upon-Avon, Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England

The final resting place of William Shakespeare is this 13th-century church on the banks of the River Avon. He was buried here not because he was a famed poet but because he was a lay rector of Stratford, owning a portion of the township tithes. On the north wall of the sanctuary, over the altar steps, is the famous marble bust created by Gerard Jansen in 1623 and thought to be a true likeness of Shakespeare. The bust offers a more human, even humorous, perspective when viewed from the side. Also in the chancel are the graves of Shakespeare’s wife, Anne; his daughter, Susanna; his son-in-law, John Hall; and his granddaughter's first husband, Thomas Nash. The christening font in which Shakespeare was baptized is here too.

This historic chapel is the noble centerpiece of Stratford’s Guild buildings, including the Guildhall, the Grammar School, and the almshouses—all well known to Shakespeare. It also houses some of the finest surviving medieval wall paintings in Europe. The ancient structure was rebuilt in the late Perpendicular style in the 15th century. The paintings were covered with limewash during the Reformation on orders given to Shakespeare’s father, who was mayor at the time. Some of the most impressive paintings, rediscovered centuries later, have been restored and can be viewed, including an ornate painting known as The Doom above the chancel arch. Restoration on other paintings continues.