Stratford-upon-Avon [antikvár]

A Survey of thelown and its CustomsStrdtfadIt is important to understand that Stratford is a town in its own right not merely the place in which Shakespeare happened to be born. Shakespeare is a product of Stratford and much of his greatness is derived from his upbringing in this town.Let us then look at the beginning of the place before the poet existed. It was the "street ford" over the "Avon", a Celtic word meaning river.Here in the seventh century there was a monastic settlement near the site of the present parish church. A district significantly called "Old Town" today. The monastery was under the rule of the Bishops of Worcester in that Saxon period.At the time of the Norman conquest the population was less than two hundred, but after this with improved agriculture the settlement grew.'he New I-M'nWe have mentioned the "Old Town" of Stratford where the Saxon monastic settlement existed, now in the late twelfth century we come to a "New Town" laid out by its landlord, still a Bishop of Worcester, on the grid system. Three roads ran parallel to the river and three at right angles to it and this system proved so effective that it is still in existence today seven hundred years later.Today these streets are called to the East nearest the river Southern Lane. Next comes Church Street, merging into Chapel Street and High Street and furthest west Rother Street. At right angles run Chapel Lane, with its continuation Scholar's Lane, Sheep Street merging into Ely Street and Bridge Street which further west becomes Wood Street.