Holy Trinity Church Stratford Upon Avon

Where Shakespeare and his wife are buried.

Holy Trinity Church Stratford
Holy Trinity Church Stratford

Holy Trinity Church Official Web Site


Holy Trinity Church is situated in a picturesque location overlooking the River Avon on the edge of the centre of Stratford. On a nice day its a good place for some rest and quiet by the river from the serious business of sightseeing.

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Both William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway are buried here at Holy Trinity Church.

Holy Trinity Church History

Built in 1210 on the site of a Saxon monastery, Holy Trinity Church is the oldest surviving building in Stratford.


A Church on the banks of the Avon in Stratford is first mentioned in the charter of 845, signed by Beorhtwulf (Bertulf), King of Mercia.


This would have been a wooden construction. It is very likely that the Normans replaced this with a stone building but no trace of either remains. The present limestone building was begun in 1210 and was built in the shape of a cross.


The reformation era of the 16th century saw the destruction of the chantry, rood screen much of the carving and most of the glass. The responsibility for the upkeep of the nave fell to the townsfolk.


The right of burial was inherited by Shakespeare's family. His wife, Ann Hathaway, daughter Suzanna and son-in-law Dr John Hall and Thomas Nash (first husband of Shakespeare's Grand-daughter Elizabeth) are buried in the chancel alongside him. Parish records show that Shakespeare’s funeral and burial took place in the church on 25th April 1616.


From the outside, the Church building has changed little from Shakespeare's time: a wooden spire was added in 1675 only to be replaced with the present stone one in 1763.

Holy Trinity Church What You Will See

Very few coach tours come to Holy Trinity Church.

The Church and grounds are free to enter, but there is a charge to see the grave of Shakespeare, who is buried 5 metres below the Church.


A monument to Shakespeare, including a bust of the playwright, is mounted on the wall next to the grave. It was made shortly after his death and is considered to be the most authentic portrayal of Shakespeare.

Holy Trinity Church is a very unusual Church as it has a weeping chancel - if you walk straight in and stand by the font and look down the central part of the Church you will see that the other end, with the choir stalls, is at a slight angle. This is said to be the angle of Christ's head when he was on the cross.

Holy Trinity Church Times, Prices & Location

The Church and grounds are free to enter, but there is a charge to see the grave of Shakespeare, who is buried 5 metres below the Church.


Holy Trinity Church is easily walkable from the town centre, just walk along the north side of the River Avon past the RSC theatres and Brass Rubbing Centre. The church is just around the corner from Hall's Croft the marital home of Shakespeare's eldest daughter.


The Stratford Hop On Hop Off sightseeing bus (see bottom of page) that shuttles around all the Shakespeare properties stops very close by.

Shakespeare's Stratford Upon Avon Properties & Attractions

There are five houses in or near Stratford-upon-Avon connected with William Shakespeare and his family. There is also Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) that perform plays.


The Shakespearean properties offer a unique experience of the Stratford world in which the famous dramatist and poet was born, lived and died.

Open all year round, these sixteenth-century houses feature rare period furnishings and domestic items. Aspects of Tudor life, are on display, all set in attractive gardens and grounds.


You can buy a single ticket giving access to all properties.

The Stratford Upon Avon hop on hop off bus connects them all and offers combo tickets combining the bus service with admission to either 3 or 5 of the Shakespeare properties.


The five properties are:

Shakespeare's Birthplace - Where William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and grew up. Exhibition centre.

New Place / Nash's House - Shakespeare's home from 1597 until his death in 1616.

Hall's Croft - Where Shakespeare's eldest daughter (Susanna) lived.

Anne Hathaway's Cottage - Before marrying William Shakespeare in 1582, Anne Hathaway lived here.

Mary Arden's House - The house that Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden, grew up in.

Stratford Upon Avon Hop on Hop Off Bus

Stratford Upon Avon Hop on Hop Off Bus

Like so many towns and cities with a lot of visitors, a hop on, hop off open top sightseeing bus operates in Stratford.


At Stratford its particularly useful as a couple of Shakespeare attractions, Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Mary Arden's House are well outside walking distance from the town centre.


The bus has ticketing options which includes admissions to the Shakespeare properties. The main starting point of the buses is by the bridge next to the main Tourist Information Centre. For independent visitors there is also a stop very close to the train station.


Frequencies are broadly every 30 minutes with increased frequencies, every 15/20 minutes at the peak times in summer and weekends. During the summer months live guides are available, at other times audio guides are provided (English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, German and Kid's Commentary)


There are 12 stops including all 5 Shakespeare properties, Holy Trinity Church and the RSC theatres.

You can also purchase a ticket that combines the Ho Ho service with a river cruise on the River Avon.