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Was a Family Rift Caused by This Secret? Found in Court Documents

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A testament that caused a legal dispute regarding William Shakespeare’s residence in Stratford-upon-Avon has come to light.

The paper, created in 1642, was discovered among a collection of Chancery records from the 17th century. It had remained unseen by contemporary scholars until now.

It was created by Thomas Nash, who was married to Elizabeth, Shakespeare’s granddaughter.

They resided at New Place – the ancestral house of Shakespeare’s family since 1597 up until his passing in 1616.

It was said to be the second biggest estate in Stratford during the period when Nash created his will, which designated it to his cousin, Edward Nash.




However, Nash had no authority to pass on the house since it had been willed by Shakespeare to his oldest daughter, Susanna, who was still alive during that period and resided in New Place along with Nash and her daughter Elizabeth.

The uncertainty surrounding Nash’s last wishes led Susanna and Elizabeth to secure a legal paper stating that they continued to own Shakespeare’s properties at the time Thomas Nash passed away before either of them in 1647.

This angered Edward Nash, who took Elizabeth to court the next year, claiming she needed to abide by the conditions set forth in Thomas’ will.

It is thought that Elizabeth, who eventually became Lady Barnard, resolved the issue outside of court and resided in the property until she passed away in 1670.

In 1759, the building was destroyed and has since become a commemorative park managed by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Dr. Dan Gosling, Head of Legal Documentation Experts at The National Archives, who uncovered the will, stated: “This is an extremely thrilling find, highlighting that the implementation of Shakespeare’s will was not completely straightforward.”

Elizabeth was required to present her husband’s will in court and justify why she did not follow its provisions.

In the court case, however, Elizabeth confronted Edward Nash, asserting that her deceased husband was not entitled to transfer New Place, explicitly stating that it had been inherited by her mother Susanna Hall from her grandfather William Shakespeare.

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