Coat of arms was granted to John Shakespeare, William's father, in 1596. There is no record of it being used in the life-time of either, but it does appear on William's monument in the church, erected by 1623. The document by which the grant was made includes a rough drawing and the following technical description: 'Gold, on a bend [diagonal bar] sable [black], a spear of the first [i.e. gold], steeled argent [with a silver tip]; and for his crest... a falcon his wings displayed argent [silver], standing on a wreath of his colours supporting a spear gold, steeled as aforesaid, [i.e. silver] set upon a helmet with mantles and tassles'. Using the rough drawing and this description, the coat of arms can be reconstructed as shown here.