William, the third child of John Shakespeare and Mary (nee Arden), was born in April 1564. No one knows for certain the date on which William Shakespeare was born. Many like to believe it is the 23rd April, the same date on which he died 52 years later. It’s plausible. The records of Holy Trinity Church record his baptism on 26th April 1564 and it was customary at the time for newborn babies to be christened on the next Sunday or Holy Day following the birth. It is also widely accepted that he was born at the house now known as ‘Shakespeare’s Birthplace’ on Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon.
The school was sited within the Guildhall, built in 1420, the centre of civic life in Stratford. William Shakespeare’s father, John, held a number of civic roles including, at one time, Bayliff (Mayor) and would have known the building well.
We can surmise that William would have also known it well and that this could have been where he first encountered visiting troupes of actors who would perform their acts at the Guildhall in order to gain a license to perform in the town.
He would have met many travellers passing through and so would have been aware of the world outside of his own town.
We can surmise that these early experiences of travelling actors and people from beyond his known world inspired his ambition to write and perform!
