The Blackfriars property Shakespeare agreed to buy in 1613 has now been located at 5 St Andrew’s Hill, London. But the discovery does not prove he lived there: archival evidence documents the purchase, while the London Archives says there is no evidence that Shakespeare ever took up residence in the building.
Where was Shakespeare’s Blackfriars property?
The site identified by researchers is at 5 St Andrew’s Hill in London, where a City of London plaque marks the location. The London Archives says the exact position was established by matching Shakespeare’s deed with another archival document; a newly identified plan also clarifies the property’s layout. The London Archives’ account of the deed and King’s College London’s report on the mapping describe the finding.
What did Shakespeare buy in 1613?
In March 1613, Shakespeare and three associates agreed to buy the Blackfriars Gatehouse for £140, according to the Folger Shakespeare Library’s record of the transaction. The property stood within the former Blackfriars precinct, once the site of a Dominican religious house dissolved in 1538. Part of the property was erected over a great gate. The Folger’s purchase record documents the date, price, and transaction.
Did Shakespeare live there?
That remains unproven. The deed establishes a purchase agreement, not that Shakespeare personally occupied the property. The London Archives says he may have intended to live there, but no evidence shows that he did. The site is therefore a documented Shakespeare-owned property, not a confirmed London residence or writing room.
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What happened to the building?
The London Archives reports that the building was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. The address identifies the historic site; no Shakespeare-era house survives there. The plaque’s wording, recorded in the King’s College London report, says the gatehouse was “located near this site.” That description predates the newly mapped exact location.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you visit the site?
Visitors can find the location at 5 St Andrew’s Hill and see the City of London plaque. The City of London Corporation also publishes a Shakespeare’s London self-guided route that includes the site. Check the City’s route information before setting out for current access details.
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