Tudor World Museum is in Stratford-upon-Avon; the home town of the greatest British playwright and poet of all time, William Shakespeare. But in a town that's "all things Bard," much as I'm a Shakespeare enthusiast (I've seen several plays at Shakespeare's Globe, in London) it was nice to visit an attraction that wasn't all about him!
Coincidentally today- the very day I'm writing this blog, April 23rd- is both Shakespeare's birthday and death day.
Tudor World is part-museum and part-interactive, is run by husband and wife team Janet and John Ford and staffed by resting actors and enthusiasts. The museum claims to put as much "punch" into its exhibits as possible.
The building it is housed in is to the right of The Golden Bee (a Wetherspoon pub) in this photograph. It's in Sheep Street, which nowadays houses the town's main drag of restaurants and bars.
There is lots of written information in the museum (I quite like that- I'm never a big fan of hand-held listening devices, such as those provided in some of the larger museums). Here we can learn how Shrieve's House has developed over time.
I love the metal "crown" chandelier.
Details about Shakespeare, and quotes from his plays. Yes, this attraction wasn't all about him, but he certainly featured. The museum holds Shakespeare tours of the town.
The colour of this dress is fabulous.
Elizabeth I's body and ailments...
Henry VIII's body and ailments- he was not a healthy man in the later years of his life...
The Tudor dynasty. I have to say, the museum was a tad shabby in parts, but I suppose you have to remember that the building is very old...
Staring down the stairs, with the Tudor rose hanging down.
A rather scruffy Vain Old Tart, in Queen Elizabeth I's crown...
In the next room is a throne, with Henry VIII to the left and his daughter, Elizabeth I, to the right. You can sit on the throne, and the crown slung around her neck is the one I tried for size- it fitted nicely!
I did hear one of the guys at the desk mention that the museum is haunted, and that he himself had witnessed some paranormal activity. The museum also hold regular ghost tours of the town.
Nautical knots...
I liked that you can sniff what life was like during those times. To me, the ship smelt like old wood and possibly a tad metallic...
This board, entitled Square Meals, offered up the details of a sailor's diet...
This is a historic Tudor ship's nail. This genuine artefact added a nice touch.
Dr John Dee was a mathematician, astronomer and alchemist who experimented with the occult...
He was a courtier of Elizabeth I, and his appearance inspired many future writers to give wizards a long beard!
I've read before that Queen Elizabeth I was very interested in necromancing...
He's shown here with astrological charts, a crystal ball, and other tools of his trade...
This mock-up depicts life on board a ship...
More info, including about the Armada, and a gunpowder barrel in the corner...
Would living here and owning a black cat, a cauldron and a broomstick make you a witch?
This board tells you about the ducking stool, which was a punishment by trial metered out to witches. Witches tended to be executed by hanging, though.
Here you can leaf through The Book of Witches to see if your family name appears in the list of those accused- mine didn't.
But I took the Witch Trial Score Sheet- and scored 95/100. As anything over 51 makes you a witch, then it's the ducking stool for me!!!!
The stable, and that horse has a really freaky expression!
The Tudor Street, and you can sniff what the market smelt like- it smelt (as you might expect!) of animals' bums!
Another selfie opportunity, if you fancy hanging around in the stocks declaring that you're a drunkard...
...And here's the tavern to get drunk in.
You can try your hand at writing with a quill, the way Shakespeare did. I had a go and it was legible- if a tad messy!
I did sniff what the tavern might have smelt like- to me it smelt woody and old just like the ship. It certainly didn't smell of beer!
Rules of the tavern...
Mother Shipton's cottage, and she was an English soothsayer and prophetess. She's often been described as a witch.
The plague doctor, and his long mask is filled with aromatic herbs to counteract the miasma- or "bad air-" which was thought to cause the plague.
Despair in the plague house...
If you were unlucky enough to get the the plague, you would need to be confined...
If you sit in here you can get an idea of how this old building is constructed...
...Whilst reading about the plaque doctor.
Tudor medicine, and the average age of death in those times was only 35. But you have to take into account that many people did not survive childhood, and living to your 50s or 60s, or even older, was not uncommon. But much depended on your social class.
Various Tudor medicinal "cures..."
The terminology "quack" originated from the beak-shaped mask the plague doctor wore.
Plague information, and even though some of the subject matter in the museum was unpleasant, as I'm gruesome and gothic I rather liked that😁. I certainly enjoyed my time here.
Downstream, with the Holy Trinity Church in view. Shakespeare is buried there.
Standing on the bank taking a photo of the ferry, which costs £1 each way...
The ferry was opened in 1937, and was the last of its kind to be built in Britain.
More winged friends. Here, a couple of geese have come to join the party...
This swan doesn't want to know, and is having a sleep...
But this stubborn swan has claimed his space and will not be moved- and good for him!
I'll end this video with this sign I saw in an art shop- methinks it would look good in my flat!
The plague house, and my only moan about this museum is that I didn't get to witness any ghostly activity! This building is considered to be highly haunted (it is 500 years old, after all.)
Death is still the subject as you return downstairs.
A bit of Googly research reveals that sightings of a "grey lady" (really, hasn't every haunted building got one of them?) and a "spectral dog" have been reported.
But I saw no such thing. Bah!
Crime and punishment, and what happened to you really did depend on your station in life- in other words what class you belonged to.
I'm not sure if this is a man or a woman, but either way they are chained to the wall...
This chap in the cage has certainly seen better days!
History panels, and I'd certainly return- I loved the interactive nature of the museum...
Passport control, then out we go. The museum is not large, so can be completed in an hour or less.
One final look down the cobbled alleyway.
We then walked down to the River Avon, and there's the Tramway Bridge in the distance...
The swans were certainly friendly on this day...
And happy to pose...
The swans and this pigeon took no notice of us whatsoever!
We crossed the river using their manually operated pedestrian chain ferry, which is named Malvolio, who's one of Shakespeare's characters in comedy Twelfth Night.
💓
I would certainly give Tudor World another go, and I recommend getting involved with their interactive sections and reading everything for the best experience.
I will return,
Until then,
TTFN
Miss Elaineous
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