For ages, the precise whereabouts of William Shakespeare’s sole known London residence remained one of literature’s most enticing unsolved mysteries. Now, a breakthrough by a scholar from King’s College London has pinpointed the location of the house the Bard acquired in the Blackfriars area in 1613, potentially rewriting the narrative of his final years. This discovery, enabled by a previously unseen seventeenth-century map, not only confirms the exact address but also unveils the dimensions and layout of the property for the first time.
The revelation was made by Professor Lucy Munro of King’s College London while conducting research for a broader project within the archives. It has long been established that Shakespeare owned property in Blackfriars, the site once occupied by a significant thirteenth-century Dominican priory. Yet, its specific location evaded certainty. The dark blue City of London plaque at 5 St Andrew’s Hill, erected in 2013, vaguely states Shakespeare “acquired a dwelling in the Blackfriars gatehouse structure near this spot”—the very phrase “near this spot” attesting to four centuries of historical ambiguity.
Professor Munro’s investigation entirely altered this perception. By uncovering three previously overlooked documents—two from the London Archive and one from The National Archives—she was able to map the area with high precision. The pivotal piece of evidence is a detailed plan of a section of the Blackfriars precinct, drafted in 1668, shortly after the Great Fire of London, which authenticates the exact position and scale of Shakespeare’s house.
The 1668 plan, housed in the London Archive (reference CLC/522/MS14570/001), illustrates that Shakespeare’s property stood opposite what is now the eastern part of Ireland Yard, at the foot of Burgoigne Street and parts of the late nineteenth-century buildings at 5 Burgoigne Street and St Andrew’s Hill. This implies that the current blue plaque is not just “near” the site of Shakespeare’s London home, but is situated precisely upon it.
Although the section connecting to the “Great Gate” of the old priory is unlabeled on the post-fire map—perhaps due to a lack of foundation—the remainder measured approximately 45 feet across east-to-west and stretched from 13 to 15 feet north-to-south. The structure was significant enough that by 1645, it had been subdivided into two separate dwellings. Its surroundings included other repurposed monastic buildings and possibly the nearby tavern known as the ‘Sign of the Cock’—a pub named ‘The Cock’ still occupies the location today.
“This finding challenges the narrative that Shakespeare simply retired to Stratford and ceased spending time in the city,” stated Professor Munro. “It has sometimes been assumed he bought his Blackfriars property purely for investment, but we don’t truly know if that was the case, or if he never used it for himself.”
The established view holds that Shakespeare abandoned his London theatrical career shortly after acquiring the Blackfriars house in 1613, returning to his family home in Stratford-upon-Avon to live as a gentleman. However, the size and placement of the newly charted property suggest he may have spent considerably more time in London during his concluding years than previously supposed.
The house was conveniently situated close to his workplace at the Blackfriars Theatre. Historical records confirm Shakespeare remained professionally active in London post-purchase; in 1613 he co-authored the play The Two Noble Kinsmen, and his presence in London was also noted in November 1614. “He could have bought investment property anywhere in London, but this house was near his workplace at the Blackfriars Theatre,” Professor Munro added. “This new evidence that the Blackfriars house was quite substantial suggests that part of his playwriting may have occurred right there.”
Dr. Will Tosh, the Education Director at Shakespeare’s Globe, warmly endorsed the finding, remarking: “Professor Munro’s fantastic discovery proves that archival human labour is irreplaceable, and her diligence is rewarded with a dazzling new appreciation of Shakespeare as a London writer. She has helped us understand how much this city meant to our greatest dramatist of all time, as both a professional and personal home.”
Additional documents unearthed by Professor Munro also detail the subsequent history of the estate. It remained in Shakespeare’s lineage until 1665, when it was sold by his granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall Nash Barnard—daughter of Shakespeare’s eldest child, Susanna. The documents precisely identify, for the first time, how and when the property left family hands and for what sum it was exchanged.
Tragically, just one year following the sale, the house was obliterated during the Great Fire of London in 1666, sharing the fate of countless other structures across the metropolis. Over the ensuing century, the site hosted various businesses, including a printing house, manufacturers of printing ink, wholesale carpet dealers, and later, converted flats. Professor Munro described the moment of discovery with palpable excitement: “I was researching for a wider project and could scarcely believe my eyes when I realized I was looking at the map of Shakespeare’s Blackfriars house. It was thought that no more evidence could be gathered, so research on the subject had quieted down for a while.”
The full specifics of Professor Munro’s investigation have been detailed in The Times Literary Supplement. The findings introduce a vibrant new chapter to our appreciation of Shakespeare’s life in London, presenting the tantalizing prospect that some of the jewels in the English literary canon may have been penned within the house that stood on the now-identified quiet Blackfriars street, finally confirmed after more than 400 years.
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