Mary Shakespeare facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Shakespeare
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Postcard depicting the Arden cottage, Mary and young William
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Mary Arden
c. 1536–1538 Wilmcote, England
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| Died | September 1608 (aged c. 70) Stratford-upon-Avon, England
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| Burial place | Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon |
| Spouse(s) | John Shakespeare (m. 1557–1601; his death) |
| Children | 8, including William, Gilbert, Joan and Edmund |
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Mary Shakespeare (born Mary Arden; around 1537 – September 1608) was the mother of the famous writer, William Shakespeare. She lived in England during the 1500s and early 1600s. Mary came from a well-known family in Warwickshire.
Contents
Mary Arden's Early Life
Mary Arden was born around 1536 in a village called Wilmcote, England. Her father was Robert Arden, a gentleman farmer. This meant her family owned land and had a good social standing.
Mary was the youngest of eight daughters. When her father passed away in 1556, she received some land. This land was in Snitterfield and Wilmcote. It was part of her dowry, which was property given to a bride.
Mary's Family Connections
Mary's family, the Ardens, were quite important in Warwickshire. Her ancestors had a long history. For example, Thomas Arden fought in a big war called the Second Barons' War (1264–67). Another ancestor, Robert Arden, fought in the Wars of the Roses. John Arden even served in the court of King Henry VII.
This shows that Mary came from a family with a strong background. They were connected to important events and people in English history.
Mary's Marriage and Children
Mary married John Shakespeare in 1557. She was about 20 years old at the time. John's father, Richard Shakespeare, was a farmer on land owned by Mary's father. So, Mary and John might have known each other since they were children.
Mary and John had eight children together. Their most famous child was William Shakespeare, born in 1564.
- Joan (born 1558, died young)
- Margaret (1562–1563, died as a baby)
- William (1564–1616)
- Gilbert (1566–1612)
- Joan (1569–1646, named after their first daughter)
- Anne (1571–1579, died young)
- Richard (1574–1613)
- Edmund (1580–1607)
Sadly, several of Mary's children died when they were very young. This was common during that time. John Shakespeare, Mary's husband, passed away in 1601. Mary herself died in September 1608.
Mary Arden's Home
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The house known as Mary Arden's House is in Wilmcote. For a long time, people believed this was Mary Arden's childhood home. It was kept in great shape as a working farmhouse. In 1930, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust bought it. They filled it with furniture from the Tudor period to show how people lived back then.
However, in 2000, something interesting was discovered. The building that everyone thought was Mary Arden's house actually belonged to a friend and neighbor named Adam Palmer. So, the house was renamed Palmer's Farm.
The real house that belonged to the Arden family was very close to Palmer's Farm. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust had actually bought it in 1968. They bought it to preserve it as part of a farmyard, without knowing its true history at the time. Today, both the house and the farm are open as a museum. They show what life was like in the 16th century.
