Was a Prioress an
ancestor of
William Shakespeare?
The Ancestors of William Shakespeare
THE HISTORY OF THE SHAKESPEARE
ANCESTORS
The History of
Shakespeare's early Ancestors cannot be confirmed
But there are
authenticated records which indicate that the following
people were possible ancestors
And records
which indicate probable ancestors
THE POSSIBLE ANCESTORS
OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
A thief, a prioress and a nun are the occupations of possible ancestors of
William Shakespeare!
In 1279 a John
Shakespeare is recorded as living at 'Freyndon,' perhaps
Frittendon in Kent
In 1284 a
William Sakspere of Clopton in Gloucestershire was recorded
as being hung for theft
In 1385 a
William Shakespeare is recorded as serving on a coroner's
jury in Balsall
In 1457 an
Isabella Shakespeare is mentioned in the Register of the
Guild of St Anne at Knowle as the
prioress of a Benedictine convent and a Jane Shakespeare is
also mentioned as a nun of the same convent
In 1487 Hugh
Shakspere of Merton College, Oxford changed his name to
Sawndare, because his former
name was of 'vile reputatum'!
THE PROBABLE
ANCESTORS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Soldiers fighting for Henry VII in the War of the Roses? His
father was a Yeoman but the mother of William Shakespeare was
a member of an Aristocratic family!
Adam Shakespeare
was the first probable ancestor of Shakespeare mentioned in
records as a tenant by military service of land at Baddesley
Clinton. He is believed to be the great-great-grandfather of
William Shakespeare
In 1535 an entry
relates to Richard Shakespeare as a yeoman of Snitterfield
and is believed to be Shakespeare's paternal grandfather. He
worked on the land owned by the Ardens
Robert Arden
belonged to the aristocratic family of the Ardens of Park
Hall and was Shakespeare's maternal grandfather. The Ardens
were part of the noble Catholic family of the Ardens of Park
Hall whose family forebears had been given land by William
the Conqueror
Robert Arden's
daughter, Mary, was the mother of William Shakespeare. Click
the following link for more information about
Mary Arden - the Mother of William Shakespeare
John, the
younger son of Richard, was the father of William
Shakespeare. Click the following link for more information
about John Shakespeare - the Father of William Shakespeare
