William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright and actor. He wrote plays, sonnets and verse and is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English Language. Son of a glove maker, he was born here in 1564 in Stratford Upon Avon and was educated at King Edward VI school. Many of Shakespeare's plays were performed at the Globe Theatre in London which has ben recreated - see here. Shakespeare died in 1616 and is buried in Holy Trinity Church in the town of his birth.