Rother Street URC
Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire
A traditional building with some beautiful features and offers an oasis of peace and calm after the bustle of the city outside.
But the church, somehow, escapes the worst of the hury-burly, saved by the fact that it is a short walk away from the town centre. But, of course, the church is where Shakespeare is buried, and so it is inevitably on the tourist itinerary.
Shakespeare is buried in the chancel, and there are his grave and memorial.
Commissioned by his widow in 1616, the memorial is said to be his best likeness. The church itself is outstanding, and would be celebrated even without the Shakespeare connection. Its origins are pre Norman, but the present building dates from the 13th century and later.
It is a large building, full of light, with a central tower crowned by a tall and beautiful spire erected in 1763. The architect GF Bodley restored the church in a sensitive way in the 19th century, and the organ case that he designed sits splendidly above the crossing arch in the centre of the church.
There are many memorials and other items of interest, with the Clopton Chapel being particularly packed. Here, one of the finest monuments is the early 17th century tomb of George Carew and his wife Joyce Clopton. In the chancel are 26 misericords from about 1450. These include some of the most famous of all such carvings.