Sally Wentworth - Yesterday's Affair
Page 16
'What? Oh—yes. Oh, wow!'
The children, the local dignitaries, the celebrities had all gone now, down to the theatre to have lunch. But there was a small group of people standing by the porch, waiting.
'We thought you'd changed your minds,' Bill Fair- ford chuckled as they came up.
'Definitely not,' Nick said firmly.
He smiled at her and went into the church with an old friend of his who was to be his best man. The vicar came to greet her, and Jane, Nick's secretary, handed her another spray of flowers, freesias this time, before she and Bill's wife went ahead into the church. Then they heard the organ swell into triumphant sound. The vicar turned to lead the way and Olivia took Bill's arm as he escorted her down the long aisle of the flower-scented church to give her in marriage to the man she loved and thought she had lost. The man who turned to look at ho* with eyes so full of love that her own became misty with tears.
Through them, she repeated her vows and knelt to pray, and before her, set into the floor, was the line of simple stone slabs with the names in small, plain letters of Shakespeare's family: Susanna, his daughter; Anne, his wife. And, last of ail, William Shakespeare. A great feeling of rightness, of coming home, filled Olivia's heart. She glanced up at Shakespeare's monument—and was it just a tear, or did he really wink at her?
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON—'the romantic heart of England'
Stratford-upon-Avon lies in the gently undulating, leafy Midlands county of Warwickshire. It rests against the River Avon, on which the famous Swans of Avon can still be seen. The town is also famed for its picturesque half- timbered buildings, associated with TUdor and Jacobean times. And, of course, for its most famous son- William Shakespeare.
As the birthplace and home of the world's greatest poet and dramatist, Stratford attracts visitors from all over the world. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Shakespeare, creator of some of the most famous romantic poetry, should hail from the geographical heart of England— with its countryside abounding in beauty and history to fire the imagination.
FAMOUS LANDMARKS…
For its size, Stratford-upon-Avon has more historic buildings than any other English town. Among these are the Holy Trinity Church where the Shakespeare family are buried, Shakespeare's Birthplace and boyhood home, New Place, where he spent his retirement years, and Hall's Croft, home of his daughter Susanna. Other Shakespeare connections are the old grammar school where he was a pupil, and a little out of town are the girlhood homes of Mary Arden, Shakespeare's mother, and his wife, Anne Hathaway. Also worth a visit is Harvard House, the home of Katherine Rogers, mother of John Harvard, founder of the famous American university. Finally, of course, there is the Royal Shakespeare Theatre—one of the most famous theatres in the world- providing, along with its smaller sisters, the Swan Theatre and The Other Place, a wealth of theatrical variety.
THE ROMANTIC PAST…
As a market town, Stratford received its market charter in 1196, and its marketing tradition is still carried on today, with a major cattle market each Tuesday and a lively street market every Friday.
Another tradition still upheld in the town is the Mop flair. An annual statute fair of very ancient foundation transforms the town centre every October 12th. This is a lively occasion with country dancing and singing, stalls, and funfair rides. In past centuries, 'the Mop' was a hiring fair, where servants would gather to offer their services. They would wear or carry something to indicate their trade, such as whipcord in a lapel, or, of course, a mop. Twelve days later, the Runaway Mop took place—to give servants the opportunity to change their employer!
Queen Elizabeth I had been on the throne for six years when William Shakespeare came into the world. As young William grew up, his interest turned to the nearby village of Shottery, to where he would walk across the fields to court Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, whom he married when he was eighteen.
THE ROMANTIC PRESENT—pastimes for lovers…
Stratford and its surrounding countryside is a wonderful place to be in love. The area has some of the finest and most romantic gardens. The finest example of an Elizabethan knot garden can be found at New Place, the site of Shakespeare's last home. Here, essential culinary herbs are interwoven with flowers in a series of intricate and beautiful patterns. Boats can be hired for lazing about on the river, and in June the Avon plays host to a colourful regatta with over a hundred participators. Other special occasions include Shakespeare's Birthday Celebrations in April of course, and the summer Stratford Festival, a blend of local and international entertainment. And lastly, as there's a bit of the child left in all of us—Stratford's Teddy Bear Museum is a childhood dream come true.
For lovers of food, Stratford offers much to tempt the tastebuds. One can still find Olde English fayre, such as Solomogundy—a popular Elizabethan salad, steak, kidney and oyster pie—a dish older than Shakespeare, and syllabub—a wicked dessert made with whipped cream liberally laced with alcohol, lemon and spices. You may also like to sample the local Warwickshire pudding—a steamed pudding with a fruity cap of raspberry or apricot jam. For a romantic tipple, lovers could share a glass of mead, an old English honey liqueur. Or, for those who like to quench their thirst with a refreshing glass or two of beer, the local brew to watch out for is Flowers. Finally, what could be more pleasant after a hectic few hours' sight-seeing than to sit back and enjoy a cosy afternoon tea with your loved one? The summer strawberries on your shortbread and cream-filled scones are sure to be fresh and delicious from the famous fruit farms and orchards of the Vale of Evesham nearby.
DID YOU KNOW THAT… ?
* Ontario, Canada, has its own Stratford, where it holds a distinguished Shakespeare season each summer.
* According to centuries-old tradition, St George's Day, April 23, 1564, was the day of Shakespeare's birth, and, by strange coincidence, was the day of his death in 1616.
*The building of the current theatre's Victorian predecessor was funded by local brewer Charles Flower. Not everyone liked the building. When it burned down in 1926, the playwright George Bernard Shaw sent a telegram saying simply, 'Congratulations!'
*In the gardens stretching between the theatre and Holy Trinity Church is a silver birch, planted in memory of legendary actress Vivien Leigh. A plaque is inscribed with Shakespeare's words from Antony and Cleopatra—'A lass unparalleled.'