Rolling back centuries of speculation and digging deep into the private life of Stratford's favourite son. The soil, untouched for 400 years, and it's hoped - the key to understanding more about William Shakespeare's final days. By the time he moved to New Place, Shakespeare was already a household name. But little is known about how he spent the six years he lived here and that's what this latest dig is aiming to change.

Kevin Colls, University of Birmingham:

"I think we can learn little bits on what he was eating, what he was drinking, so his lifestyle. We can learn a little about his hobbies in terms of what he was doing with his time, but the great mystery has to be where he actually lived. Did he live in the grand house along the front of the street or did he live in the very secluded cottage as documentary evidence suggests, hidden away from view to get on with his work?"

Previous digs all found evidence of Shakespeare's high-status household, including smoking pipes and pottery. The first almost 150 years ago, was recorded in extraordinary detail but stopped short at the foundations.

It's hoped excavating deeper than ever before, will reveal even more about William Shakespeare's habits and shed new light on what inspired some of the most famous words ever written.

speculation

guessing, assuming, creating theories without evidence

private life

the way he spent his time at home with family and friends

dig

here, careful scientific searching, studying and recording of objects found buried underground or under buildings

his hobbies

the things he liked to do when he wasn't working

very secluded cottage

small house that is very far away from other properties

high-status household

place lived in by someone with wealth and a respected position in society

the foundations

the main blocks beneath the ground that a house is built on

excavating

digging, removing earth

habits

regular, repeated actions

shed new light on

find new information about, make clearer