On 28 November 1582, the 18-year-old William Shakespeare married
a 26-year-old woman, Anne Hathaway. Six months later, their
daughter Susanna was born.
The bride was the eldest daughter of a family from Shottery,
on the outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon. Nothing is known about
the circumstances of their marriage and relationship, but we
may assume Anne stayed in the house in Stratford-upon-Avon while
Shakespeare forged his career in London.
Eighteen months after Susanna's birth, the twins Hamnet and
Judith were born (early 1585), and were also baptised in Stratford's
Holy Trinity Church.
