The exact location of William Shakespeare's only London property has been pinpointed to a Blackfriars street, after an unknown floorplan was discovered. Shakespeare expert Prof Lucy Munro from King's College London identified the location and size of the property he bought in 1613. It had been thought that Shakespeare retired from his theatre career not long after he bought the house and returned to Stratford-upon-Avon. However, academics believe the discovery could indicate that the playwright spent more time in London than previously thought.
The blue plaque for Shakespeare on St Andrew's Hill is not merely 'near' the site of his London house but marks the exact spot it used to exist. Shakespeare's Blackfriars property was thought to have been part of 'the Great Gate' over the entrance to the historic Blackfriars precinct.
Prof Munro uncovered three documents – two from the London Archives and one from the National Archives – that provided more information about the property. Munro stated, I couldn’t believe it when I realized what I was looking at - the floorplan of Shakespeare's Blackfriars house. It had been assumed that there wasn't much more evidence to gather about it, so research on it has laid dormant for a while.
One of the documents was a plan of part of the Blackfriars precinct, drawn up in 1668, confirming the precise location and size of Shakespeare's residence. This house was close to Shakespeare's workplace at the Blackfriars theatre. We know he co-authored 'Two Noble Kinsmen' with John Fletcher later in 1613; thus, this evidence suggests he may have written some of his work in this very property.
The other documents relate to the sale of the Blackfriars property by Shakespeare's granddaughter in 1665. The property encompassed what are now the eastern end of Ireland Yard and parts of the modern buildings on Burgon Street and St Andrew's Hill.
The blue plaque for Shakespeare on St Andrew's Hill is not merely 'near' the site of his London house but marks the exact spot it used to exist. Shakespeare's Blackfriars property was thought to have been part of 'the Great Gate' over the entrance to the historic Blackfriars precinct.
Prof Munro uncovered three documents – two from the London Archives and one from the National Archives – that provided more information about the property. Munro stated, I couldn’t believe it when I realized what I was looking at - the floorplan of Shakespeare's Blackfriars house. It had been assumed that there wasn't much more evidence to gather about it, so research on it has laid dormant for a while.
One of the documents was a plan of part of the Blackfriars precinct, drawn up in 1668, confirming the precise location and size of Shakespeare's residence. This house was close to Shakespeare's workplace at the Blackfriars theatre. We know he co-authored 'Two Noble Kinsmen' with John Fletcher later in 1613; thus, this evidence suggests he may have written some of his work in this very property.
The other documents relate to the sale of the Blackfriars property by Shakespeare's granddaughter in 1665. The property encompassed what are now the eastern end of Ireland Yard and parts of the modern buildings on Burgon Street and St Andrew's Hill.
