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 believed. It also means that the blue plaque for Shakespeare on St Andrew's Hill is not near the site of his London house, but on the spot it used to exist. Shakespeare's Blackfriars property was thought to have been part of the Great Gate over the entrance to the Blackfriars precinct, a major 13th-century Dominican friary. Munro uncovered three documents – two from the London Archives and one from the National Archives – that provided more information. Munro said: I was doing research as part of a wider project and couldn't believe it when I realised 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 Blackfriars house. This house was close to Shakespeare's workplace at the Blackfriars theatre, where he co-authored his later work with John Fletcher. The property covered what are now the eastern end of Ireland Yard, the bottom of Burgon Street, and parts of the late 19th-century buildings at 5 Burgon Street and 5 St Andrew's Hill.
Discovery Reveals Exact Location of Shakespeare's London Home
Discovery Reveals Exact Location of Shakespeare's London Home
After the unearthing of an unknown floorplan, Shakespeare's only London residence has been precisely located, reshaping our understanding of his later years.
Shakespeare's once 'missing' London home has been accurately mapped to a street in Blackfriars, aided by a recently discovered floorplan. This revelation suggests he may have spent more time in London than previously thought, contradicting past assumptions about his retirement to Stratford-upon-Avon. The property dates back to 1613 and was believed to occupy part of the Blackfriars precinct, an area with historical significance. Documents from London Archives helped confirm its location and size, and the findings may open new avenues for understanding Shakespeare's work and life.
