Shakespeare's Schoolroom and Guildhall, Stratford-upon-Avon (must see)

This black-and-white timber-framed building on Church Street is known as Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall. The Guild of the Holy Cross built the Guildhall in the early 15th century, with further buildings around it added later. From 1553 until 1848, it also served as the headquarters of Stratford’s Borough Council.

The school, originally called The King’s New School and later King Edward VI School, moved into the Guildhall in 1568. William Shakespeare is believed to have begun studying here around 1571, at about seven years of age.

Inside, your first stop on the ground floor is the Court of Record. This was where Stratford’s civic and legal business was conducted. Shakespeare’s father, John Shakespeare, served as the town’s bailiff and would have presided over proceedings here.

Adjoining the Court of Record is the Priests’ Chapel. Look carefully at the walls for surviving medieval paintings. Do not confuse this small interior chapel with the much larger Guild Chapel, which stands outside beside the Guildhall.

Moving forward into the Counting House, keep an eye out for the old wooden muniments chest, once used to store money, deeds, and official records. During the Elizabethan period, this room also served as an armoury, storing pikes, swords, muskets, and other weapons.

Now take the stairs to the upper floor. The first room upstairs is the Master’s Chamber. Walk toward the large wooden table in the center and examine its surface, where generations of school prefects carved their names and initials. Also look toward the walls and gable for traces of historic painted decoration.

From the Master’s Chamber, head straight into the Tudor Schoolroom, the main highlight of the visit. You can identify it by its exposed timber beams and rows of wooden desks and benches. This is the room where Shakespeare is believed to have studied Latin, rhetoric, poetry, and classical literature.

Carry on into the Georgian Classroom, recognizable by its later 18th-century desks. Look closely at their surfaces, which are covered with initials and marks carved by generations of pupils. Lessons are still held here today.

When you leave the building, look immediately beside the Guildhall for the Guild Chapel and nearby almshouses, surviving parts of the wider medieval complex.

Tip:
To fully experience a Tudor-style lesson in the type of classroom where Shakespeare received his early education, sit at one of the desks and try writing with the feather quill, but watch out for ink blots...