page_title: Stratford-upon-Avon
section_title: Governance
hierarchical_section_title: Stratford-upon-Avon / Governance
caption_attribution_description: English: Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall The current town hall was built in 1767 and replaces the previous building that was accidentally blown up during the Civil War. It is reputed to be the only Cotswold Stone building in Stratford and the statue of Shakespeare was presented by the famous actor/producer, David Garrick.
context_page_description: Stratford-upon-Avon, commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon District, in the county of Warwickshire, England, on the River Avon, 91 miles north west of London, 22 miles south east of Birmingham, and 8 miles south west of Warwick. The estimated population in 2007 was 25,505, increasing to 27,445 at the 2011 Census.
  Stratford was originally inhabited by Anglo-Saxons and remained a village before the lord of the manor, John of Coutances, set out plans to develop it into a town in 1196. In that same year, Stratford was granted a charter from King Richard I to hold a weekly market in the town, giving it its status as a market town. As a result, Stratford experienced an increase in trade and commerce as well as urban expansion.
  The town is a popular tourist destination owing to its status as the birthplace and gravesite of playwright and poet William Shakespeare, and receives approximately 2.5 million visitors a year. The Royal Shakespeare Company resides in Stratford's Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
context_section_description: Stratford-upon-Avon is within the Stratford-on-Avon parliament constituency which has been represented by Nadhim Zahawi since 2010. Stratford is within the West Midlands Region constituency of the European Parliament which is represented by seven MEP's.
caption: The Town Hall, home to Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council
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