Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (/-ˈeɪvən/), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire,[2] in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, 91 miles (146 km) north-west of London, 22 miles (35 km) south-east of Birmingham and 8 miles (13 km) south-west of Warwick.[3] The town is the southernmost point of the Arden area at the northern extremity of the Cotswolds.[4] In the 2021 census Stratford had a population of 30,495.[5]
This article is about the town. For the district, see Stratford-on-Avon District. For the constituency, see Stratford-on-Avon (UK Parliament constituency).Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford was inhabited originally by Britons before Anglo-Saxons and remained a village before the lord of the manor, John of Coutances, set out plans to develop it into a town in 1196. In that same year, Stratford was granted a charter from King Richard I to hold a weekly market in the town, giving it its status as a market town. As a result, Stratford experienced an increase in trade and commerce as well as urban expansion.
Stratford is a popular tourist destination, owing to its status as the birthplace and burial place of playwright and poet William Shakespeare. It receives approximately 2.7 million visitors a year.[6] The Royal Shakespeare Company resides in Stratford's Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Etymology[edit]
The name is a combination of the Old English strǣt (from Latin stratum), meaning 'street', ford, indicating a shallow part of a river or stream, allowing it to be crossed by walking or driving and avon which is the Celtic word for river.[7][8] The 'street' was a Roman road which connected Icknield Street in Alcester to the Fosse Way. The ford, which has been used as a crossing since Roman times, later became the location of Clopton Bridge.[9][10][11]
A survey of 1251–52 uses the name Stratford for the first time to identify Old Stratford and the newer manors.[10][12] The name was used after that time to describe the area specifically surrounding the Holy Trinity Church and the street of the Old Town.[10]
Stratford-upon-Avon is within the Stratford-on-Avon parliamentary constituency which has been represented by Nadhim Zahawi since 2010.[41] Stratford was within the West Midlands Region constituency of the European Parliament which was represented by seven Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).[42] Stratford is governed by three tiers of local government:
Demography[edit]
In the 2021 census Stratford had a population of 30,495, an increase from 27,894 in the 2011 census and 22,338 in the 2001 census.[5] The town's population has undergone expansion in recent years following government approval to build 800 new homes in Shottery, which included plans for a new relief road.[56][57] Up to 500 new homes are planned in the Bishopton area of the town,[58] and 270 homes on the Loxley Road.[59]
In terms of ethnicity in 2021, 92.7% of Stratford residents were White, 3.3% were Asian, 0.6% were Black, 2.4% were Mixed, 0.2% were Arab and 0.8% were from another ethnic group.[5]
In terms of religion, 58.4% of Stratford residents identified as Christian, 38.2% said they had no religion, 1.0% were Muslim, 0.8% were Hindu, 0.5% were Sikh, 0.5% were Buddhists, 0.2% were Jewish, and 0.5% were from another religion.[5]
Transport[edit]
Road[edit]
Stratford is 22 miles (35 km) from the United Kingdom's second largest city, Birmingham, and is easily accessible from junction 15 of the M40 motorway. The A46 road links Stratford with the M40, Warwick and Coventry to the north-east, and Evesham and Ashchurch to the south-west, where it joins the M5 motorway.
Buses[edit]
Bus services are provided predominantly by Stagecoach in Warwickshire (formerly Midland Red South) and Diamond West Midlands. Routes connect the town with local destinations including Banbury, Coventry, Evesham, Leamington and Redditch.[109]
With the Royal Shakespeare Company in the town, many famous actors have at some point lived or stayed in Stratford or the surrounding villages. Some of these include:
Other notable residents include:
The following people have received the Freedom of the Town of Stratford-upon-Avon.
