Shakespeare's Curse and the Missing Skull
Shakespeare's grave carries a curse on anyone who moves his bones. In 2016, a radar scan suggested someone may have taken his skull.
What was reported
William Shakespeare was buried in 1616 in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. The stone over his grave carries a verse that warns: 'Blessed be the man that spares these stones, and cursed be he that moves my bones.' No one has ever opened it.
A story printed in 1879 claimed that a doctor had stolen the skull in 1794. In 2016, archaeologists were allowed to scan the grave with radar without disturbing it. They found signs of an old disturbance at the head end, which suggested the skull might be missing.
Explanations offered
The radar results were a hint, not proof, and the grave remains sealed. The curse may simply have been meant to stop the bones being moved to a charnel house, as often happened then.
- When
- 1616, and a survey in 2016
- Where
- Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, England
- Witnesses
- Visitors and archaeologists
- Status
- Unconfirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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