This beautifully illustrated volume offers a comprehensive history of Stratford-upon-Avon, from its earliest days as a Saxon settlement to the height of cultural and artistic achievement embodied by William Shakespeare. With contributions from leading scholars and historians, and featuring dozens of full-color illustrations and photographs, this book is an essential reference work for anyone interested in the history of English literature and culture. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.