About William Stevenson
Lived 1530 – 1575 (aged 44–45). William Stevenson was a poet.
William Stevenson (1530–1575) was an English clergyman and presumed playwright of the early English language comedy Gammer Gurton's Needle.
Born in Durham, England, he studied at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1553, his Master of Arts degree in 1560 and his Bachelor of Divinity degree, also in 1560. Account books at Christ's College list him in 1550–1553 and again in 1559–1560 as involved in putting on plays, though they do not mention Gammer Gurton's Needle explicitly. He became a prebend at Durham Cathedral in 1561.
Famous quotation: "I am so wrapped, and throughly lapped of jolly good ale and old!" Gammer Gurton’s Needle: Drinking Song (attributed to Stevenson and to Still).
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Stevenson's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Stevenson?
poet
When was William Stevenson born?
William Stevenson was born in 1530.
When did William Stevenson die?
William Stevenson died in 1575.
What was William Stevenson's occupation?
William Stevenson was a poet.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: William Stevenson
· DBpedia: William Stevenson (poet)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Stevenson. https://biography.guide/william-stevenson-poet/
MLA: "William Stevenson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-stevenson-poet/.
Chicago: "William Stevenson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-stevenson-poet/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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