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The cause of
Shakespeare's death is unknown - he died April 23rd 1616 at
the age of 52 (William
Shakespeare's birth date has been estimated as 26th
April 1564)
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The exact date
of death is not known but it seems fitting that he died on
April 23rd April, the same date given for his birth
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April 23rd is
St. George's Day - the patron Saint of England
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Just four weeks
prior to his death, on 25th March 1616, William made his
Last
Will and Testament
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Is this a
coincidence or did Shakespeare know that he was about to
die?
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A contemporary
of Shakespeare was said to have reported the following:
"Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben
Jonson had a merry meeting and it seems drank too hard
for Shakespeare died of a fever there contracted."
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Shakespeare's
burial is recorded in the Stratford Parish Register as
occurring on 25 April, 1616
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The exact words
used on the register are "Will Shakspeare gent"
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William
Shakespeare was buried on April 25th 1616 in Holy Trinity
Church, Stratford-upon-Avon
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His tomb lies
beneath the floor of the church, in the chancel
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The chancel is
the space around the altar of a church for the clergy, and
sometimes the choir, often enclosed by a lattice or railing
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The tombstone is
inscribed with the following words, which are believed to
have written by Shakespeare:
Good friend for Jesus sake forbear
To dig the dust enclosed here!
Blest be the man that spares these stones,
And curst be he that moves my bones
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Shakespeare is
said to be buried 17 feet under the stone but his bone have
not been moved, as per his wishes on the tombstone, so this
has not been confirmed
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Anne Hathaway
Shakespeare, wife of the great Bard, died in 1623 at the age
of 67. Her funeral was on August 6, 1623 and she was buried
next to William also in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church
in Stratford
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The Memorial to
William Shakespeare at Holy Trinity Church in
Stratford-upon-Avon is illustrated in the picture at the top
of the page - move the mouse over it for a close up view!
