Anne Hathaway was the wife of English poet and playwright William Shakespeare.
She was born in about 1556, the daughter of Richard Hathaway, husbandman, of Shottery, a small village about a mile west of the market town of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
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Anne Hathaway's Cottage in Shottery |
Her father was buried at Holy Trinity, Stratford on 7 September 1581.[1] His will dated 1 September 1581 states:
I geve and bequethe vnto Agnes my daughter vjli xiiijs iiijd to be paide vnto her att the daye of her maryage[2]
Most scholars accept that Agnes (pronounced "Annis") and Anne were simply variants of the same name.[3]
She married William Shakespeare in late 1582. She was about age 26 and he was 18.[4][5]
The date and location of their wedding are unknown, other than it was held after the Bishop of Worcester granted them a marriage licence on 27 November 1582.[6][4] A marriage bond for £40 given the next day by two friends of the Hathaway family states:
if hereafter there shall not appere any lawfull lett or impediment ... William Shagspere one thone partie, and Anne Hathwey, of Stratford in the Dioces of Worcester, maiden, may lawfully solemnize matrimony together, and in the same afterwards remaine and continew man and wiffe[5][7]
The licence dispensed with the usual requirement for marriage banns to be read out on three consecutive Sundays before the wedding, and instead allowed them to marry after a single reading of banns.[7][4][5]
Their haste to get married is probably explained by Anne being about three months pregnant.[4][5] Their first child, Susanna, was baptised on 26 May 1583. Two years later, she was followed by twins, Hamnet and Judith, probably named after two of the Shakespeare family’s friends, Hamnet and Judith Sadler.[8] The parish register of Holy Trinity, Stratford, records:
She is thought to have lived in or near Stratford-upon-Avon for her entire life.[13] So far as is known, Shakespeare divided his time between his theatrical work in London and living with her and their children in Stratford. By 1597 he had accumulated enough wealth to purchase New Place, reportedly the second largest house in Stratford, which became the family's home.[8]
Their only son, Hamnet, died at age 11 and was buried at Holy Trinity, Stratford on 11 August 1596.[14][15]
She is mentioned in the will of Thomas Whittington, shepherd, of Shottery, dated 25 March 1601. He bequeathed to "the poore people of Stratford [of] xls [40 shillings] that is in the hand of Anne Shaxspere wyffe unto Mr Wyllyam Shaxspere."[16]
William Shakespeare is said to have retired to Stratford "some years before his death"[17] although continued to travel to London until at least 1614.[8] He died at Stratford on 23 April 1616.[18]
Under his will, his only bequest to Anne was his "second best bed w[i]th the furniture." He left £300 to their daughter Judith, subject to conditions, and gave their daughter Susanna a life interest in his houses in New Place and Henley Street, Stratford, and Blackfriars, London.[19][20]
She died on 6 August 1623 and two days later was interred next to her husband in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.[21][22] Her inscription reads:
HERE LYETH interred the body of Anne, wife of William Shakespeare, who departed this life the 6 day of Aug. 1623, being of the age of 67 years.[23]
She has no living descendants. Her four grandchildren died young without having children of their own.[24][25]
See also:
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H > Hathaway | S > Shakespeare > Anne (Hathaway) Shakespeare
Categories: Shottery, Warwickshire | Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire | Holy Trinity Church, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire
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David.