Places to Visit in South Warwickshire
Henley-in-Arden • Alcester • Southam • Stradford-upon-Avon • Kineton • Shipston-on-Stour
South Warwickshire
As you might expect, the heart of ‘Shakespeare Country’ is packed with places and experiences related to ‘The Bard’ and attracts visitors from around the globe. Mary Arden’s Farm, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, and Shakespeare’s Birthplace head an extensive list of things to see, whilst you can also enjoy a leisurely boat trip along the River Avon, passing by the world-famous Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Country estates including Ragley Hall, Coughton Court, and Compton Verney are also popular tourist destinations, as are the historic towns of Henley in Arden, Alcester, and Shipston on Stour. South Warwickshire is full of lovely, characterful villages, unspoiled countryside and offers the perfect gateway for exploring the nearby Cotswolds.
We hope you will find the following useful when selecting places to visit from the list below.
Roman Alcester Heritage Centre
Priory Road, Alcester B49 5DZ
01789 762216
A small museum, showing treasures unearthed during the 100+ archaeological digs that have taken place in the town over the last 80 years.
Coughton Court
Coughton Court, Alcester B49 5JA
01789 400777
Half-timbered, Tudor 15th century National Trust house with a gate tower, period artefacts and lavishly-designed gardens.
Ragley Hall
Ragley Hall, Alcester B49 5NJ
01789 762090
Country estate with a Palladian mansion and gardens that open to the Public throughout the Spring and Summer. Family home of the 9th Marquess and Marchioness of Hertford.
Upton House
Near Banbury OX15 6HT
01295 670266
An elegant stately home with 1930s period displays, garden terraces and walking trails.
Tudor World
Sheep St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6EE
01789 298070
Tudor World is an independent award-winning museum set within a Tudor property in the heart of Stratford. Interactive attraction in a beamed period building with exhibits bringing the 16th century to life.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Henley St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6QW
01789 204016
Shakespeare’s Birthplace is a restored 16th century half-timbered house situated in Henley Street, where it is believed that William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and spent his childhood years.
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
Cottage Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 9HH
01789 338532
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is a twelve-roomed farmhouse where Anne Hathaway, the wife of William Shakespeare, lived as a child in the village of Shottery, Stratford-upon-Avon.
Mary Arden’s Farm
Wilmcote, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 9UN
01789 338535
Situated in Wilmcote, this historic farm was the home of Shakespeare’s mother Mary Shakespeare. Experience for yourself the daily routine, skills and crafts that the young William would have known from visits to his grandparents in the 1570s. Attractions include archery and falconry, rare breeds and nature trails to explore.
Hall’s Croft
Old Town, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6BG
01789 338533
Hall’s Croft was owned by William Shakespeare’s daughter, Susanna Hall, and her husband Dr John Hall whom she married in 1607.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust
Henley St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6QW
01789 204016
The Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust is an independent registered educational charity that came into existence in 1847 following the purchase of Shakespeare’s Birthplace for preservation as a national memorial.
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Waterside Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6BB
01789 403493
On the banks of the River Avon, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre is a 1000+ seat theatre owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) dedicated to the British playwright and poet William Shakespeare. One of the world’s best-known theatre ensembles, the RSC performs throughout the year, focussing on the works by Shakespeare, other renaissance dramatists and contemporary writers.
Stratford Butterfly Farm
Swans Nest, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 7LS
01789 299288
Europe’s largest butterfly farm opened in 1985 and features hundreds of exotic butterflies from all over the world, housed in a large greenhouse landscaped with waterfalls, ponds and a wide variety of tropical plants.
The MAD Museum
Henley St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6PT
01789 269356
The MAD (Mechanical, Art & Design) Museum is the only specialist attraction of its kind in the UK. The museum was launched in March 2012 and showcases the world’s finest pieces of Kinetic Art and Automata from pioneering artists from all over the world.
Stratford Armouries
Gospel Oak Ln, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 0JA
01789 262468
Stratford Armouries is an Arms and Armour museum on the outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon. The museum contains the personal arms and armour collection of James Wigington.
Holy Trinity Church
Southern Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon
01789 266316
Visit Shakespeare’s grave and the graves of Anne Hathaway, Dr John Hall and his wife Susanna Shakespeare and Thomas Nash in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church.
Henley-in-Arden Heritage Centre
High Street, Henley in Arden B95 5BS
01564 795919
Located in the High Street of this historic market town, the Heritage Centre is a museum of the town’s history from the Norman Conquest to the present day.
Chesterton Windmill
Leamington Spa CV33 9LB
Visit Shakespeare’s grave and the graves of Anne Hathaway, Dr John Hall and his wife Susanna Shakespeare and Thomas Nash in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church.
British Motor Museum (Heritage Motor Museum)
Banbury Road, Gaydon CV35 0BJ
01926 649649
The British Motor Museum (formerly the Heritage Motor Museum) is home to the world’s largest collection of historic British cars. The museum reopened in February 2016, following a £5M revamp which has made it amongst the best and most interactive motor museums in the world.
Yew Tree Farm Craft Centre
Pettiford Ln, Wootton Wawen B95 6BY
01564 792701
From luxury lingerie and trendy clothing to speciality teas, watch repairs and garden furniture the courtyard at Yew Tree Farm is a treasure trove of delights for any shopper. Antiques, crafts and furniture are also on offer.
Redwings Horse Sanctuary
Banbury Road, Kineton CV35 0RP
0870 0400033
Redwings Oxhill is home to almost 90 rescued horses and ponies. Cafe and shop also available.
St Peter’s Anglo-Saxon Church
Stratford Rd, Wootton Wawen B95 6BE
01564 793844
St Peter’s Anglo-Saxon church in Wootton Wawen is the oldest church in Warwickshire and one of the oldest structures in England, with a tower dating back to at least the 900s.
Burton Dassett Country Park
Southam CV47 2AB
02476 305592
Whether you are walking, flying a kite or just sitting in your car, the magnificent views from these hills are breath-taking.
Compton Verney
Compton Verney CV35 9HZ
01926 545500
Award-winning art gallery and parkland. Compton Verney houses six permanent collections focusing on areas currently under-represented in British museums and galleries. The collections are owned by The Compton Verney Collections Settlement. The gallery is set in 120 acres of Grade II listed classical parkland, designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, the most eminent landscape architect of the 18th century.
The Greenway
Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6GR
02476 305592
Formally a railway line, The Greenway is now a high quality surfaced path suitable for cyclists, walkers and wheelchair users and is part of the National Cycle Network. Bike hire is available and refreshments served from a refurbished disused railway carriage.
Canal & Boat Tours
Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6AT
01789 295173
Leisurely 45 minutes boat tours from the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon with regular daily departures.
Henley Chocolate
Yew Tree Farm Craft Centre, Pettiford Lane, Wootton Wawen B95 6BY
01564 792588
Delicious chocolates and truffles that are lovingly handmade in Warwickshire. Available online and in selected shops locally. Fun and informative chocolate making workshops available, along with bespoke chocolate creations for celebrations, weddings and special events.
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway
Toddington, Gloucs, GL54 5DT
01242 621405
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway is a volunteer run heritage railway which runs along the Gloucestershire/Worcestershire border across Warwickshire. The railway operates at weekends from March, and also runs mid-week from April through to the end of October.
Enjoy your stay!
Things to see
Places to eat
Things to do
Shopping
Nature
Our Quill Rating Guaranteed
The property will be traditionally furnished with a well-equipped kitchen and will offer a comfortable standard of accommodation.
The property will have modern furnishings throughout and be finished to a high standard with extras that might include a washing machine, freezer, hairdryer etc.
The property will be finished to a very high standard and might offer extras such as En-suite facilities, tumble drier, coffee machine and toiletries.