New Place
Encyclopedia
New Place is the name of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...

's final place of residence in Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...

. He died there in 1616. Though the house no longer exists, the land is owned by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is an independent registered educational charity based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, that came into existence in 1847 following the purchase of William Shakespeare's birthplace for preservation as a national memorial. It can also lay claim to be...

.

The house rested on the corner of Chapel Street and Chapel Lane and was apparently the second-biggest dwelling in the town. It was built in 1483 by Hugh Clopton
Hugh Clopton
Hugh Clopton was a Lord Mayor of the City of London.He was born at Clopton House, just outside Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.He was appointed a Sheriff of London in 1487 and elected Lord Mayor of London for 1491....

, a wealthy merchant and future Lord Mayor of the City of London. Built of timber and brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...

 (then a new innovation in Stratford) it had ten fireplaces, five handsome gables and grounds large enough to incorporate two barns and an orchard.

Shakespeare bought the house in 1597, nine months after the death of his son Hamnet, for sixty British pounds. Shakespeare was associated with London for much of his life, and tradition states that he retired to Stratford in his later years, though he still visited London as late as 1614. He bought the house in 1597 but didn't move into it until 1610.

After Shakespeare's death

In 1616 the house passed to his daughter Susanna Hall
Susanna Hall
Susanna Hall , née Shakespeare, was the eldest child of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway, and the older sister of Judith Quiney and Hamnet Shakespeare...

, and then his granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall, whose husband, Thomas Nash
Thomas Nash
Thomas Nash was the first husband of William Shakespeare's granddaughter Elizabeth Barnard. He lived most of his life in Stratford-upon-Avon, and was the dominant male figure amongst Shakespeare's senior family line after the death of Dr...

, owned the house next door. After Elizabeth died, the house was returned to the Clopton family, who had built the house.

In 1759 then-owner Reverend Francis Gastrell, having become tired of visitors, attacked and destroyed a mulberry tree in the garden said to have been planted by Shakespeare. In retaliation, the townsfolk destroyed New Place's windows. Gastrell applied for local permission to extend the property. It was granted, but upon completion of this work, the annual tax on the property was increased substantially. Rather than pay the increased tax, he demolished the house, choosing instead to live next door at Nash's House, which he also owned.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is an independent registered educational charity based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, that came into existence in 1847 following the purchase of William Shakespeare's birthplace for preservation as a national memorial. It can also lay claim to be...

 acquired New Place and Nash's House in 1891. Today the foundations of New Place are accessible through a museum that resides in Nash's House
Nash's House
Nash's House, Chapel Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England is the house next door to the ruins and gardens of William Shakespeare's final residence, New Place. It has been converted into a museum. The museum traces the history of Stratford-upon-Avon from the earliest settlers in the...

, the house next door.

External links

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