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Despite its worldwide fame, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON is, at heart, an unassuming market town with an unexceptional pedigree. A charter for Stratford's weekly market was granted in the twelfth century, a tradition continued to this day, and the town later became an important stopping-off point for stagecoaches between London, Oxford and the north. Like all such places, Stratford had its clearly defined class system and within this typical milieu John and Mary Shakespeare occupied the middle rank, and would have been forgotten long ago had their first son, William , not turned out to be one of the greatest writers ever to use the English language. A consequence of their good fortune is that this ordinary little place is nowadays all but smothered by package-tourist hype and its central streets groan under the weight of thousands of tourists. Don't let that deter you: dodging the multitudes is possible by avoiding the busiest attractions - principally the Birthplace Museum - and the Royal Shakespeare Company offers superb theatre. Moreover, Stratford still has the ability to surprise and delight, whether in the excellence of some of its restaurants or by the gentle river views beside the lovely Holy Trinity Church .
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