No one knows how Shakespeare died but a diary from a Stratford vicar holds clues.
How Did Shakespeare Die?
The Mystery Skull in The Crypt
An unidentified skull beneath a country church is rumored to belong to Shakespeare.
The Mystery Skull in The Crypt
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Historian Dr. Helen Castor explores the mysteries surrounding Shakespeare's burial place.
Historian Dr. Helen Castor explores the mysteries surrounding Shakespeare's burial place. Will the first-ever scientific investigation discover why his tombstone's only inscription is a curse against any man who "moves my bones?"
Historian Dr. Helen Castor explores the mysteries surrounding Shakespeare's burial place. Will the first-ever scientific investigation discover why his tombstone's only inscription is a curse against any man who "moves my bones?"
No one knows how Shakespeare died but a diary from a Stratford vicar holds clues.
How Did Shakespeare Die?
The Mystery Skull in The Crypt
An unidentified skull beneath a country church is rumored to belong to Shakespeare.
The Mystery Skull in The Crypt
Providing Support for PBS.org
Providing Support for PBS.org
Photos from Shakespeare's Tomb
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Erica Utsi performs the GPR scan of Shakespeare’s grave and the graves of his family inside Holy Trinity.
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Host Helen Castor looking through Shakespeare’s First Folio inside the archives at The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
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Archaeologist Kevin Colls crouching next to Shakespeare's grave in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.
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Shot of Thomas Nash’s grave in the foreground and Shakespeare’s grave behind. Shakespeare’s grave is noticeably shorter than the others. Located in Holy Trinity.
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Host Helen Castor sitting next to Shakespeare's grave in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.
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Skulls in a bone crypt at Holy Trinity Church, Rothwell.
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Host Helen Castor in a bone crypt at Holy Trinity Church, Rothwell.
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Host Helen Castor within a crypt in St. Leonards, with mystery Beoley skull visible in the alcove behind. This skull has long been rumored to belong to Shakespeare.
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Beoley skull located in an alcove inside a crypt at St Leonards Beoley. This skull has long been rumored to belong to Shakespeare.
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Skulls in a bone crypt at St. Leonard Church, Hythe.
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About the Show
To coincide with the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, Cambridge historian Helen Castor and a team of archaeologists embark on the first-ever investigation of Shakespeare’s grave. They want to discover if there’s any truth to the rumors that his grave, which carries a curse against any man who "moves his bones," has been tampered with.
The investigation also explores a Victorian story, in which trophy-hunters stole Shakespeare’s skull. It’s a trail that leads to a mystery skull stashed in a crypt beneath a country church. Removing the church step and taking a 3D scan of the skull is the only way to discover if it's a possible match for Shakespeare.
Four hundred years after Shakespeare’s death, this program aims to separate the fact from the folklore.
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