By the Avon, at Stratford, Holy Trinity is the church of a whole life: the one where William Shakespeare was baptised, and the one where he was buried. A place of memory par excellence, it shelters the poet's grave and his famous funerary monument — one of the rare near-contemporary portraits of the greatest playwright.
From baptism to burial
Shakespeare was baptised at Holy Trinity on 26 April 1564, and buried in the choir on 25 April 1616 — almost to the day, fifty-two years later. That he rests in the choir, in the place of honour, is thanks to his status as 'lay rector' (farmer of the parish tithes), which gave him the right. His wife Anne Hathaway and his daughter Susanna Hall rest beside him. The church itself, whose chantry chapel was rebuilt from 1465 to 1497, is a fine Gothic building, adorned with carved misericords and the Clopton chapel.
The monument and the curse
Above the grave stands a wall monument with Shakespeare's effigy, carved shortly after his death: it is, with the engraving of the First Folio, one of the only two representations considered faithful to the poet, made by people who had known him. On the gravestone is carved a famous epitaph, which curses whoever would dare to move his bones: 'Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear, to dig the dust enclosèd here… curst be he that moves my bones.' This imprecation has so far protected the grave from any exhumation. To see: Shakespeare's grave and its curse-epitaph, the wall monument with his effigy, the original baptism and burial registers, the carved misericords, the Clopton chapel (fifteenth century).
Did you know?
Shakespeare's epitaph is perhaps the only text he wrote for himself — and it is a curse. It promises punishment to whoever would move his bones, in an age when the bones of crowded churchyards were often transferred to charnel houses. The threat worked: four centuries later, despite the curiosity of researchers, no one has dared to open the poet's grave.
Notes
Holy Trinity Church lies at Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, by the Avon; a working church, open to visits (a contribution is asked for access to the grave). Hours to check.
Quiz
- What happened to Shakespeare at Holy Trinity?
- He was baptised (1564) and buried (1616) here
- He only married here
- He never came here
- Why does he rest in the choir?
- He was 'lay rector' (farmer of the tithes)
- He was a bishop
- By drawing lots
- What does his carved epitaph threaten?
- To curse whoever moves his bones
- To reward visitors
- To reveal a treasure