The first book ever to deal with all of the places linked with the life of the Bard ? from cottage to mighty castle, royal palace to battlefield, country village to vibrant metropolis, author J. Keith Cheetham investigates the locations that informed some of the greatest plays and poetry the world has ever known. Packed with religious persecution, assassination plots, wars, plagues, amorous encounters, blood, flames, shotgun weddings, stagecraft, political upheaval and tours of famous buildings, On the Trail of William Shakespeare is the essential handbook for anyone who wants to follow in the footsteps of the greatest writer England has ever known.