Agnes (Webbe) Arden

Born [date unknown] in Warwickshire, England

Ancestors

Wife of Robert Arden — married about 1548 in Warwickshire, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died Dec 1580 in Wilmcote, Warwickshire, England

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Biography

Emerson^[1] reports: Agnes Webbe’s father is most likely John Alexander Webbe (1484-1516). She married John Hill a farmer of Bearley and they had issue: Mary (1543-c.1616), John, Eleanor, and Thomas. Eleanor and Thomas died. After becoming a widow, Agnes applied for and was issued with a marriage license dated April 21, 1548 to marry Robert Arden of Wilmcote, Warwickshire. Agnes's will is dated 1579 and was proved March 31, 1581. She was buried in Aston Cantlow on 29 Dec 1580.

Stopes^[2] reports: Agnes' first husband, John Hill of Bearley, died in 1545 leaving his wife Agnes as executrix. Three years later she applied to the Queen's court at Balsall on 02 Apr 1548 for license to marry an older widower Robert Arden (William Shakespeare's grandfather). Robert Arden made his last will on 24 Nov 1556 and died on 17 Dec 1556. Agnes has a brother Alexander Webbe of Bearley who married Agnes’ stepdaughter, Margaret Arden. Alexander and Margaret had a son Robert Webbe. Alexander Webbe was buried on 17 Apr 1573 at Snitterfield. Alexander’s will of 15 Apr 1573 made his brother-in-law John Shakespeare (father to William) an overseer. Agnes was buried at Aston Cantlow on 29 Dec 1580.

Agnes' will is detailed in Hunter^[3] pp38-40: Deceased Agnes Arden of Wilmcote. Will dated 1578. Died 1580. Executors: John Hill (son) and John Fullwood (son-in-law). Other family mentioned: brother, Alexander Webbe, and godchildren, John Fullwood and Edward Hill.

Richard Shakespeare farmed land at Snitterfield as a tenant to Robert Arden - the Bard's two grandfathers. Robert Arden's 2nd wife, widow Agnes Hill, was sister of Alexander Webbe of Bearley. They married after April 1548. Robert's will was dated 24 Nov 1556. He was a Catholic^[4].

Sources

1. ↑ A Who’s Who of Tudor Women: W-Wh compiled by Kathy Lynn Emerson to update and correct her very out-of-date Wives and Daughters: The Women of Sixteenth-Century England (1984). https://web.archive.org/web/20171016062122/http://www.kateemersonhistoricals.com/TudorWomenW-Wh.htm
2. ↑ Shakespeare’s Environment by Mrs C C Stopes London: G Bell & Sons 1914. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/imgsrv/download/pdf?id=coo1.ark%3A%2F13960%2Ft18k7vh80;orient=0;size=100
3. ↑ New Illustrations on the life, studies and writings of Shakespeare Vol 1 by Joseph Hunter London: J B Nichols, 1845. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015082265102;view=1up;seq=64
4. ↑ Publications of the Dugdale Society (London, 1921) https://archive.org/stream/publicationsofdu01dugd#page/n37/mode/1up Page xxxi

See also:

• Shakespeare Project - Recommended Sources