In 1814, Robert Bell Wheler was recording and discussing rumours about Shakespeare's life, and Edmund Kean was saving Drury Lane Theatre with his performances.
1664 marked one hundred years since Shakespeare was born. During this time, the Civil War had ended, the theatres had been reopened, and the Third Folio was published.
1614: William Shakespeare was 50 years old, 'Purchas His Pilgrimage' printed the story of a shipwreck, and Welcombe enclosures caused controversy in Stratford.
What was life like when William Shakespeare was born in 1564? This is the first in a series of blog posts that discovers what life was like in 1564, and in years since.