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Home » Arts and Culture » Literature » Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

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  • Dr Owen, an American doctor, came to Britain in 1909 with the intention of trying to find Shakespeare's manuscripts. Dr Owen believed that they had actually been written by Francis Bacon and that Bacon had used the name Shakespeare as a 'nom de plume'. Owen came to this conclusion whilst 'decoding' secret messages in Shakespeare's plays. Though many were dubious of such conclusions, Owen managed to secure the Duke of Beaufort's permission to excavate between Chepstow Castle and the Wye's river bed. Unfortunately, he found nothing. This plan shows exactly where he had been excavating in a cave below Chepstow Castle.
Dr Owen's search for Shakespeare beneath Chepstow Castle, 1910
  • Dr Owen, an American doctor, came to Britain in 1909 with the intention of trying to find Shakespeare's manuscripts. Dr Owen believed that they had actually been written by Francis Bacon and that Bacon had used the name Shakespeare as a 'nom de plume'. Owen came to this conclusion whilst 'decoding' secret messages in Shakespeare's plays. Though many were dubious of such conclusions, Owen managed to secure the Duke of Beaufort's permission to excavate between Chepstow Castle and the Wye's river bed. Unfortunately, he found nothing. This plan shows exactly where he had been excavating in a cave below Chepstow Castle.
Dr Owen's search for Shakespeare in the bed of the River Wye, 1910
  • Dr Owen, an American doctor, came to Britain in 1909 with the intention of trying to find Shakespeare's manuscripts. Dr Owen believed that they had actually been written by Francis Bacon and that Bacon had used the name Shakespeare as a 'nom de plume'. Owen came to this conclusion whilst 'decoding' secret messages in Shakespeare's plays. Though many were dubious of such conclusions, Owen managed to secure the Duke of Beaufort's permission to excavate in Chepstow Castle. Unfortunately, he found nothing. Owen returned to his research and came to the conclusion that the manuscripts had been buried under the river Wye. He decided to resume excavating, and it is this story that is told in this article from the 'Illustated London News'. Once again, however, no manuscipts were found.
'London Illustrated News' report of Dr Owen's search for Shakespeare in Chepstow, 1911 [image 1 of 3]