Shakespeare’s mark can be found all over London, from The Globe Theatre, which still performs his plays today, to modern productions like Sadie Sink’s West End production of Romeo and Juliet, which has garnered rave reviews.
A new discovery deepens the link between Shakespeare and London, as a map pinpointing the exact location of his London home has come to light. This new information also paints a different picture of where Shakespeare spent the latter years of his life.
Shakespeare’s Blackfriars house
For many years, since the eighteenth century in fact, the exact location of the playwright’s house has remained a mystery. The blue plaque that sits on the site where his house is supposed to have been even reads “near this site,” as the exact location is never really known.
However, new documents discovered by King’s College London’s Shakespeare expert Professor Lucy Munro, identify the precise location and layout of the property he bought in 1613.
The documents show that the property covered what is now the eastern end of Ireland Yard and the bottom of Burgon Street, so the blue plaque hung at 5 St Andrew’s Hill is actually in the exact location of the property, not just “near the site.”
What this tells us about Shakespeare’s later life in London
It was previously thought that Shakespeare retired from playwriting and his London life soon after the purchase of his Blackfriars property, opting to return to Stratford-Upon-Avon. Yet, this news seems to point to a different story.
Professor Lucy Munro says “After all, he could have bought an investment property anywhere in London, but this house was close to his workplace at the Blackfriars theatre.” This points to The Bard continuing his work for longer than originally thought.
As well as the plans of the property, other documents reveal more information about the sale of the property.