Description:William Congreve (1672-1729), playwright and poet, was born in Bardsey, Yorkshire and educated in Dublin. He was the son of William Congreve, army officer, a younger son of Richard Congreve (1609-1675) of Congreve and Stretton. The Congreves moved back to Stretton, near Penkridge around 1689 during the exodus of Protestants from Ireland. His Restoration comedies 'Love for Love' and 'The Way of the World' and a tragedy ''The Mourning Bride' are regarded as important landmarks in English literature. He died in London after a carriage accident in January 1729.
Mezzotint by Johann Faber after a painting by Godfrey Kneller painted in 1709.