The team vicar and churchwardens sought a faculty to carry out various works at St Leonard, Beoley, including the temporary removal from the vault beneath the Sheldon Chapel of ‘a skull, possibly that of William Shakespeare’ for detailed archaeological investigation, including laser scanning, radiocarbon dating and an anthropological assessment. The impetus for the proposal came from a film company, which was to fund the proposed works and investigations together with the University of Staffordshire. The chancellor concluded that, on the facts, there was no scholarly or other evidence that came anywhere near providing any support for the truth of the story that Shakespeare's skull had been taken to Beoley and that there was nothing to link the skull to Shakespeare. The curiosity about the skull at Beoley had no factual base whatsoever to justify exhumation, removal or investigation. The whole enterprise was entirely speculative. The petition was refused. [David Pocklington]