Henley-in-Arden,Warwickshire travel guide and Henley-in-Arden information

Visit Henley-in-Arden

Henley-in-Arden is a small town on the River Alne west of Warwick and to the north of Stratford-upon-Avon, in central Warwickshire. (Note: Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford is on Henley Street, so named because it was originally the road that led to Henley-in-Arden). Henley is now largely merged with the town of Beaudesert, which falls on the other side of the river.

Although it is Stratford-upon-Avon that gets much of the attention from visitors to this part of Warwickshire, a visit to the picturesque town of Henley-in-Arden is highly recommended while you are in the region. There is a very impressive range of historical buildings to admire, mant dating back to medieval times.

Your exploration will start in the central Market Place, where you can also see the remains of a traditional 15th century market cross, and along the High Street which is notable for its length (more than one mile) and the high number of interesting buildings that line the street.

These include the church and two medieval buildings that are open to the public: the attractive Guild Hall, a half-timbered building with brick on the lower floor and wattle and daub on the uper floor, with a nice garden behind it (next to Saint John's Church); and the Joseph Hardy House, now the town Heritage centre and in part dating from the first half of the 14th century.

Aside from these 'highlights' it is the combination of houses and styles that makes this Henley-in-Arden street so interesting, each house different from its neighbour and having something new to admire. Fittingly, the main part of the street falls between two traditional pubs, called the White Swan and the Black Swan.

There are also a good selection of traditional shops and cafes along the same street, as well as the locally famous Henley Ice Cream Parlour - an unmissable treat on a sunny day!

You can find more local travel ideas in the Warwickshire guide and the Warwickshire guide.