The Guild Chapel
The Guild Chapel
4.5
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Chapel built by the Guild of the Holy Cross, which was established in the 13th century, whose aim was to provide for the religious and commercial needs of the clergy and merchants of the town.
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles251 reviews
Excellent
119
Very good
103
Average
27
Poor
1
Terrible
2

StephenCross
Dublin, Ireland18,526 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
The guild chapel is a small and quaint old chapel that’s in excellent condition. Well worth a visit and you can leave a donation if you like. Some nice photos (see attached).
Written 18 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jollyrobert
Bridgend, UK994 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
We stumbled onto this Chapel when walking around Stratford-upon-Avon, trying to avoid the town's excessively crass commercialism of their favoured son. Just as an example, if we had chosen to pay all the entrance fees demanded, each of us would have been £100 out of pocket by the day's end, including the farcical river cruises. You might imagine our surprise and delight when peering into the naturally lighted chapel, to be welcomed by Jeffrey , an unpaid volunteer, inviting us in to look around. He works hard to ensure your visit is an informed one, with several treasures pointed out, damaged but surving the Protestant reformists who believed that the "Word" was enough, as they obliterated the wall paintings. Ironically, the restored stained glass window includes the figure of Edward VI, legs akimbo a la his dad, Henry. If you visit, be sure to ask to see the series of embroidered works completed in 2004, depicting the life of St Helena, mother of Constantine, and her pursuit of the cross on which Jesus was believed to be crucified. The embroidery is exquisite. You might chose to leave a donation if you wish.
Written 11 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BackinBracknell
Bracknell, UK1,502 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
This was something we didn't know anything about. It's right opposite 'New Place' so after visiting there we thought we'd take a look inside, expecting to see just another nice old church. It is true that it's very old (13th Century) but the real surprise is that it contains the most amazing frescos on the walls. These were covered up for several hundred years following the Reformation and have now been restored. They are very rare and not to be missed. Also as a bonus it's free to enter.
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ian Of Darlington
18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Worth a quick look in and walk through. Adds to the knowledge of the town and the period of the reformation. Information sheets in different languages were very useful
Written 31 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Olwen Julia Oates
13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
We stumbled upon it by chance, the guide was very knowledgeable and oped parts up protected from the light toshow details of the paintings,
Really lovely place to visit.
Written 20 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brian T
London, UK6,782 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Friends
This curious 13th century chapel is certainly worth a visit if you’re exploring beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon. It was built in 1269 by the Guild of the Holy Cross; as the guild grew and prospered, it became a huge part of the town’s commercial, social and religious life during these medieval times. It’s a graceful and beautiful structure that went through various modifications and rebuilding during the 15th century.

However, it’s the extremely rare and special medieval wall painting which dominates the chancel arch which are the Guild Chapel’s star attraction. You can’t miss them as you walk into the chapel and look upwards towards the stained glass window at the end of the chancel. It’s said that in the late 15th century Sir Hugh Clopton left money for the chapel to be refurbished; this included the chapel and the walls being decorated with paintings. A magnificent ‘Doom’ painting was painted over the chancel arch and the walls of the nave were covered with paintings of St George and the Dragon, the martyrdom of Thomas  Beckett and the Dance of Death. This ‘Doom’ painting conveyed deathly depictions of the afterlife.

However, the Guild was suppressed during the Reformation; the property was confiscated and granted to the newly formed Corporation of Stratford. As deathly depictions of the afterlife were banned following the Reformation, William Shakespeare’s father John , acting as the town chamberlain and in accordance with Elizabeth 1’s injunction of 1559 to remove all signs of superstition and idolatry from places of worship, covered the paintings with layers of limewash. Some have said that his act was a defacement of the paintings. Fortunately, they were rediscovered during building work in 1809 and copies were made of them before they were again covered. The paintings were rediscovered again at the beginning of the 20th century. The ‘Doom’ painting was covered by a protective layer of wax which has lead to the darken of the picture over the last century.  It is an awesome sight, and is now regarded as one of the rarest medieval paintings in Europe. And for this reason this fabulously medieval piece of art warrants a visit to this chapel.

A visit to the chapel will this provide you with a number of interesting sites: a beautiful medieval chapel in its own right; a rare and magnificent ‘Doom’ painting; and yet another link to the life and times of William Shakespeare.

It stands on the corner of Church Street and Chapel Lane, directly opposite to Shakespeare’s New Place, and adjoining Shakespeare’s Schoolroom. It’s usually open from 10:00 to 16:00 daily, though service times may affect visits. It’s at ground level and accessible to those requiring mobility assistance. It is free to visit.
Written 7 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Olwen Julia Oates
13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
We dropped on this Chapel by chance.
The guide was very informative and lovely.
The wall paintings are a real insight into times when people learnt by pictures.
The paintings theme is heaven and hell .
Written 15 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CarltonA10
Stoke Poges, UK464 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
I called in on a guided walk. It had a nice atmosphere and the guide told us some of the history of the building.
Written 6 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DeborahandAndy
Los Angeles, CA703 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
Stopped into the Guild Chapel because of its conventient location. Very interesting historic background.
Written 24 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sfmann106
Colchester, UK923 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Dating back to the 13th century, this chapel was built by the Guild of the Holy Cross. Originally, the walls were covered with medieval wall paintings but were covered up with layers of limewash during the reformation, only to be rediscovered centuries later and now restored in part. So much history in places such as this and it's hard to believe the religious turmoil and intolerance that existed back then when it is such a peaceful place today. Take a few minutes to sit and contemplate.
Written 23 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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The Guild Chapel, Stratford-upon-Avon

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