Nearer to home that the Malvern Hills, and in my own county, is a town that I love - Shakespeare's hometown, Stratford. I love to go there at all times of the year. The photograph below is one of my own and shows the view of Holy Trinity Church from the Recreation Grounds south of the river Avon. It was taken on July 26th, 2002.

Stratford is famous for many things, but I always think of a particular piece of music when I am there, at the river's edge - The Swan by Saint-Saens. Click on the picture on the right if you would like to hear it.

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1. A view along the River Avon with the church of Holy Trinity in the distance
2. Holy Trinity Church
3. Locks linking the River Avon to the Stratford Canal

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4. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre
5. The Knot Garden at New Place Gardens
6. Canal barge on the River Avon

The above photographs were taken by me in July 2002. On February 19th 2005 I took my good friend Alfi to Stratford. It was a bitterly cold day, but the blue skies made it a memorable trip. The following are some of the photographs Alfi took (before his Spanish hands froze!).

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7. Holy Trinity Church
8. The grave yard at Holy Trinity Church
9. Interior of Holy Trinity Church
10. Cox's Yard - the people are sitting out in temperatures of 3^oC - much to Alfi's surprise
11. Swans being fed by tourists near the Royal Shakespeare Theatre