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| William Shakespeare Photo: Alamy |
When a grave is deliberately inscribed with a curse upon any who dared disturb the bones within, it is a brave man indeed who seeks further knowledge of what is inside.
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| The inscription on Shakespeare's grave in Stratford Church Photo: Alamy Stock Photo |
But the lure of William Shakespeare has proved too much for some.
The playwright’s grave is to be examined carefully for the first time this year, with a high-tech radar survey allowing experts to discover what lies beneath the soil of the Stratford cemetery.
Holy Trinity Church, in Stratford upon Avon, has granted permission for documentary-makers to investigate Shakespeare’s grave without physically disturbing the site.
A preliminary radar survey has already taken place, with results due to be broadcast in a Channel 4 documentary later this spring.
The examination is part of nationwide commemorations of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, and forms part of a major push from academics, theatres and broadcasters to increase knowledge of the Bard.
Radar scans are most commonly used in graveyards to detect unmarked or previously unknown graves, allowing experts to find coffins and learn details about their size, shape and material they are made from.
In this case, it is believed documentary-makers will be seeking to learn more about Shakespeare’s life and family.
It is not yet clear whether scans would show any items buried within the coffins, but it is likely to give a clearer picture of a possible family vault: his wife, Ann Hathaway, daughter Suzanna, son-in-law Dr John Hall and Thomas Nash, his grandson-in-law are buried in the chancel alongside him.
The playwright was buried in 1616, with the gravestone carrying the warning: "Good friend, for Jesus' sake forebeare, To digg the dust enclosed heare; Bleste be the man that spares thes stones, And curst be he that moves my bones."
The grave study will follow comprehensive research into New Place,Shakespeare’s Stratford home.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has already mapped out precise plans of what the home would have looked like, including the kitchen, oven foundations and remains of a cold store.
Demolished 250 years ago, the site – due to reopen in July - will give admirers of Shakespeare their most useful glimpse yet into his day-to-day life.
The Shakespeare’s grave project follows calls last year for it to be physically exhumed. Then, one academic argued the “extraordinary success” of digging up the grace of Richard III means the “potential of undertaking forensic analysis” is now recognised.
The results of the scan are expected to be announced before this summer’s World Shakespeare Congress, a worldwide gathering of 1,000 academics likened to the Olympics of Shakespeare studies.
A spokesman for Holy Trinity Church said: ““We can confirm a scan of the grave has been completed.
“Any research or investigation within Holy Trinity Church can only take place with the express permission of the church.
“Requests are always dealt with on a case by case basis, and may be subject to confidentiality agreements.
“The results of the scan will be revealed as part of a Channel 4 documentary later in the spring.”
