Susanna Hall

Susanna Hall, born Susanna Shakespeare, was the oldest child of the famous writer William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway. She was born in 1583 and baptized on May 26 of that year. Susanna grew up with her younger twin siblings, Judith and Hamnet Shakespeare.

In 1607, Susanna married a local doctor named John Hall. Together, they had one daughter named Elizabeth, who was born in 1608. Elizabeth later married a man named Thomas Nash, the son of Anthony Nash, on April 22, 1626, at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. Susanna Hall lived until 1649, passing away on July 11 of that year.

Birth and early life

Susanna was baptized in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon on Trinity Sunday, a special church day, on 26 May 1583. Her name comes from an old story about Susanna and the elders in the Book of Daniel, meaning purity and cleanliness. It was a name that some people liked at the time.

She grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon with her younger twins, Hamnet and Judith. Since girls were not allowed to go to school back then, Susanna probably learned from tutors her family hired. We know she could write her name because we have seen her signature in old documents.

Marriage to John Hall

Susanna married John Hall, a respected doctor, on June 5, 1607, at Holy Trinity Church. She was 24 years old, and he was about 32. John wrote a book called Select Observations about his patients, which was published in 1657, long after he passed away. Their only child, Elizabeth, was born in 1608. Elizabeth was the only grandchild William Shakespeare knew, because his other daughter’s children were born after he died.

Suit for slander

In 1613, a man named John Lane accused Susanna of untrue rumors about her behavior. Susanna and her husband took him to court for spreading false information. The court found Lane guilty and took away his right to join the church community. Later, Lane was found guilty again of spreading false rumors about others and was known for causing trouble while drunk.

Inheritance

When William Shakespeare passed away in 1616, he left most of his property to his daughter Susanna and her future sons. This included his main home, New Place, two houses on Henley Street, and lands around Stratford.

If Susanna passed away, the property would go to her first son, then his sons, and so on. If she had no sons, it would go to her daughter Elizabeth Hall and her sons, or to her sister Judith and her sons. John Hall helped manage the property after Shakespeare's death.

Later, Susanna's daughter Elizabeth married Thomas Nash, and they lived in New Place. After Thomas died, Susanna and Elizabeth made sure they still owned the property, even though Thomas had wanted to leave some of it to his cousin. The court agreed with Susanna and Elizabeth.

Death and burial

Susanna passed away at the age of 66, just a few weeks after her sister Elizabeth got married for the second time to John Bernard (MP for Northampton).

She was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford, close to her parents. Her tombstone says:

Here lyeth the body of Susanna, wife of John Hall, gent., the daughter of William Shakespeare, gent. She deceased the 11 day of July, Anno 1649, aged 66.

It also includes a poem that speaks kindly of her and mentions her connection to William Shakespeare.

Fictional portrayals

Susanna Shakespeare has been a character in many stories and shows. In 1996, a play called The Herbal Bed told a made-up story about her. In 2006, a novel named Swan Town: The Secret Journal of Susanna Shakespeare featured her as the main character. She also appeared in the 2016 sitcom Upstart Crow, played by Helen Monks. In the 2017 drama Will, Phoebe Austen played Susanna. The 2019 film All Is True featured Lydia Wilson as Susanna, and in the 2025 film Hamnet, she is played by Bodhi Rae Breathnach.