WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS: Oh goodness me!!! Shakespeare's Skull 'Was Probably Stolen', Archaeologists Have Claimed

William Shakespeare's skull has probably been stolen, archaeologists have claimed.

An underground survey of the Bard's final resting place, using ground-penetrating radar, showed "an odd disturbance at the head end".

The finding backs up a story that the skull had been stolen by trophy hunters in 1794.

Mr Colls, archaeological project manager at Staffordshire University, said: "We have Shakespeare's burial with an odd disturbance at the head end and we have a story that suggests that at some point in history someone's come in and taken the skull of Shakespeare.

"It's very, very convincing to me that his skull isn't at Holy Trinity at all."

A worn tombstone inside the Holy Trinity Church, in Stratford-upon-Avon, marks the place where Shakespeare is thought to rest.

It bears the inscription: "Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear, to dig the dust enclosed here.

"Blessed be the man that spares these stones, and cursed be he that moves my bones."

Experts were allowed to carry out the survey because the technology meant it could be done without disturbing the grave.

Mr Colls concluded that evidence of a significant repair at the head end of the grave may have been needed to correct the sinking floor, which in turn was triggered by an historic disturbance - possibly grave robbers.

Following on from the tomb study, researchers were also granted access to a skull in St Leonard's Church in the Worcestershire village of Beoley, 17 miles from Stratford, which is said to have been that of the playwright.

A scan of that found it belonged to an unknown female - aged in her 70s when she died.

However, the local vicar is unconvinced of Mr Colls' theory.

Patrick Taylor, of Holy Trinity in Stratford, said: "We now know much more about how Shakespeare was buried and the structure that lies underneath his ledger (grave) stone.

"We are not convinced, however, that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that his skull has been taken.

"We shall have to live with the mystery of not knowing fully what lies beneath the stone."

The survey findings coincides with the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death.

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