Let every eye negotiate for itself – William Shakespeare

This week I set out on a pilgrimage to Stratford-Upon-Avon to seek out the birthplace of the most famous writer in English history, William Shakespeare. Even if you don't like his plays and sonnets, Stratford-Upon-Avon is worth seeing and once you're there, you kind of get into the whole Shakespeare theme.

Shakespeare's statue at Stratford-Upon-Avon

Birthplace of William Shakespeare

The old river poet was born in 1564, the third child of eight children and the eldest surviving son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. It is likely that he was educated at King’s New School in Stratford, but unlikely that he ever went to university.

Anne Hathaways Cottage

At the age of 18, Shakespeare married 26 year-old Anne Hathaway in a hurried ceremony and history shows us the reason for this; their eldest daughter Susanna was born six months later. 

The year that Shakespeare started writing is somewhat hazy; however, performance records indicate that his plays were on the stage by 1592. The first of his plays were performed in Shoreditch in London by Shakespeare’s own company.  After a dispute with the landlord, the company tore down the theatre and used the timbers to build The Globe theatre, the first playhouse built by actors for actors.

Shakespeare’s time was divided between London and Stratford, but we do know that his final resting place is in the town where he was born.  William Shakespeare was buried in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church and his grave bears a curse which reads,

Good friend for Jesus’ sake forbear,
to dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man who spares these stones, and cursed be he that moves my bones.

To this day, William Shakespeare lies where he was buried.

Although William and Anne had three children, there are no surviving relatives.  However, his work continues to be a source of entertainment on both stage and screen. Which brings me to the end of this week’s blog and invites me to tell you that, Once upon a time in Stratford-Upon-Avon, a gentleman put pen to paper and wrote the plays and sonnets that will live on *tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow…..

*Macbeth

www.shakespeare.org.uk

www.shakespeareglobe.com