a municipal borough and market-town of England, in Warwickshire, on the Avon, 9 miles S.W. of Warwick, and 96 N.W. of London. Its situation is very fine, on a gentle slope above the river, which has here a considerable breadth, and is crossed by an old bridge of fourteen pointed arches. The older parts of the town are irregularly laid out, but indifferently built; but many improvements have been made of late, and new streets, with large and good houses, have been constructed. Close to the river, at the south-east corner of the town, stands the church, a fine cruciform building, illustrious as the burial-place of Shakespeare. The remains of the poet lie on the north side of the chancel, and on the wall is his monument, partly of marble, with a half-length bust, and two inscriptions, one Latin and the other English. The church, which was completely restored in 1840, is distinguished also for its architecture, and has some ancient stone seats and two modern carved pulpits. Stratford has also a chapel of ease and places of worship, belonging to Methodists, Independents, Baptists, and Roman Catholics; national and British schools, a free grammar school, and several charities. There are a theatre and a town-hall, the latter having a statue of Shakspeare on the outside, and a portrait in the interior. The house in which he was born is still preserved, but that in which he spent the later years of his life has been pulled down. The inhabitants of Stratford are chiefly employed in agriculture. Numerous fairs are held here, and an active trade is carried on. Pop. 3372.