William Shakespeare - Born 23rd April 1564 - Died 23rd April 1616 Born at Stratford Upon Avon in the county of Warwickshire, it is likely he was educated at Stratford Grammar School. He probably began writing plays around 1592 and of the 38 plays that comprise the Shakespeare Canon, 36 were published in the First Folio of 1623. Shakespeare wrote for nearly 20 years and at his height he probably completed as many as 2 or even 3 plays a year. Shakespeare probably retired from writing plays in 1613. He died in 1616 at the age of 53 and was buried in the Church of the Holy Trinity. His gravestone which is thought to be the last thing he wrote bears the inscription