Holy Trinity parish church

I only had a few hours to explore Stratford before the matinee of Richard II, so naturally my first stop was the parish church. Holy Trinity is over 750 years old, so I was excited to see it. William Shakespeare is buried here, as well. I think I was probably the only visitor who didn't really care about that. Yes, it was a nice perk, but I was there for the church and its energy. I am happy to report that the church was wonderful. It felt like home when I stepped inside, exactly as a church should.

I arrived just after 9 a.m. Since the daily prayer service was underway, I explored the exterior for awhile. This side of the churchyard contained a lot of Victorian graves. Many other markers were worn smooth with age, so I'm not sure how old they were.

It was a beautiful morning, and the scenery was lovely. Yes, I know these are graves, but there is still something pretty about the scene.

The grounds are well maintained.

I'm near the bank of the River Avon here. It's to my left.

A flock of birds circled the steeple and then alighted upon it. I was intrigued because . . .

the birds were all white. I assume they're doves. I found it unusual to see a flock of snow white doves, and only white doves, at the church. 

The exterior of the stained glass behind the altar.

More stained glass exteriors. The color actually bleeds through with these.

I actually didn't tour the inside until a few hours later. It was one of the last places I visited before going to the play. It was worth the wait. I chatted with a few members of the congregation and they were pleased that I sensed the warmth and welcome of the church. They said it is a true community there.

Looking toward the chancel and high altar.

What would a church tour be from me without a look at the ceiling? It's not as ornate because it's only a parish church, but still lovely.

I could not make out what this memorial said. I need to spend time staring at it.

The chancel has twenty-six miserichords. Miserichords came into use in the 13th century. They are small shelves on the underside of folding seats that provided comfort for individuals during long sessions of prayer. One could prop himself on the shelf. That way, he was still standing for prayer, but was able to take some of the weight off his feet.

Holy Trinity's miserichords are said to depict images from daily life. This one looks to contain Tudor roses, which I can understand being a part of life. But some of the others are crazy. What kind of lives did these people lead? Like the previous image with what I assume are winged demons. I am guessing it's a reminder of the daily temptations of sin, but I can't help but wonder how they came up with the allegories.

If you take these images literally, it raises some amusing questions. Was Stratford involved in a war with mer-people?

Are they fighting over possession of a centaur?

Were they on drugs?

Were they engaged in mixed marriages?

Shakespeare and his family are buried beneath the chancel. Some Japanese tourists were there and were surprised that the grave was out of sight. The volunteer explained that the grave is a brick vault twelve feet beneath the floor, as was customary.

The family plot. I asked the volunteer what happened with church services during a burial. It had to take a long time to do the digging, brick work, etc. He said the chancel would be closed as it took two to three weeks before the stonemason arrived to start closing up the grave. I immediately thought about decomposition when he said this practice begat the phrase "stinking rich." Only the wealthy could afford to be buried in the church like this, and as I was thinking, bodies would be rotting before the stonemason got to work. Therefore the church would be subjected to the stinking rich. 

Shakespeare's memorial.

Rather high altar. The chancel is used today for Holy Communion.

Some of the stained glass. The reverse of the window I saw earlier from the outside.

Looking out from the chancel.

The Clopton Chapel. Hugh Clopton, of Stratford, became Lord Mayor of London. He was a great benefactor of the town and arranged for a burial tomb in a chapel in Holy Trinity. However, he was ultimately buried in London. After the Reformation, the Clopton family reclaimed the chapel. It now houses what is touted as the finest Renaissance tomb in Britain. George Carew, who died in 1629, and his wife, Joyce Clopton are buried here. He was the Master of Ordnance for James I.

Another angle.

The fancy surround.