Earlier this month I went back to school as Lisa and I visited the recently-opened-to-the-general-public Shakespeare’s Schoolroom and Guildhall in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Shakespeare’s Schoolroom and Guildhall is part of King Edward the Sixth School – the school I just so happened to attend between the ages of 11 and 16!
The view I had when studying Latin at King Edward VI school in Stratford.
Our recent visit was the first time I’d stepped through the doors of the school since finishing my GCSE exams in… errrm… well let’s just say a number of years ago..
The Schoolroom, which opened to the public in April this year, offers visitors the chance to discover how and where William Shakespeare spent his school years and had his first experience of the theatre as well as learning about the fascinating history of the Guildhall.
The schoolroom where Shakespeare studied is also the same room where I studied Latin and sat my exams too!
You’ll be glad to hear that there is no mention of this insignificant footnote to the history of the Schoolroom though as, instead, the exhibition brings to life the time William Shakespeare spent at the school in an enjoyable and informative way. This includes the opportunity to dress up in traditional attire and have a Latin lesson from the “school master” which brought back some very vivid memories of the strict Latin teacher I had when I was a there – “CONJUGATE BENJAMIN!”*
Dressing up in traditional attire: an essential part of visiting Shakespeare’s Schoolroom!
Shakespeare’s time at the school would undoubtedly have had a huge impact on his development as a young adult helping to shape his mind into the playwright he became. By spending some time in the Schoolroom you get a real sense for what it must have been like to study in the same era as William Shakespeare and, in addition, I also found that it really helped to bring to life the fact that Shakespeare grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and walked the same streets that we do today.
The Schoolroom is a great experience and it’s something we certainly recommend as part of a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon. That and joining us on one of our Cotswolds Tours of course!
Shakespeare’s Schoolroom and Guildhall is located on Church Street in Stratford-upon-Avon and is open 11am-5pm on weekdays, 10am-5pm on weekends. It costs £8.90 for adults, £5.50 for children and £7.90 for concessions (students and over 60s) and there is a 20% discount on these prices when tickets are bought in advance. We recommend spending at least one hour there. For more information and to book tickets visit www.shakespearesschoolroom.org.
*This was something we often had shouted at us during our lessons!