William
Shakespeare's London home 'identified by historian'PHOTO CREDIT:GOOGLE,B.B.C
such
sweet sorrow - Shakespeare moved out in 1598
It was previously known the
playwright lived close to the site of Liverpool Street station between 1597 and
1598.
But theatre historian Geoffrey
Marsh has cross-referenced various official records to pinpoint the exact
location.
Evidence suggests the Bard lived
at what is now known as 35 Great St Helen's - a site next to St Helen's Church
occupied by an office block.
Over a decade of research, Mr Marsh discovered that in
the 1590s, Shakespeare was a tenant of the Company of Leathersellers, the guild
that organised the Elizabethan leather trade.
His home was most likely in a
cluster of properties that overlooked the churchyard of St Helen's, yards from
where the Gherkin stands today, Mr Marsh said.
Mr Marsh, who is also the director of the Victoria and
Albert Museum's department of theatre and performance, said: "The place
where Shakespeare lived in London gives us a more profound understanding of the
inspirations for his work and life.
"Within a few years of
migrating to London from Stratford, he was living in one of the wealthiest
parishes in the city, alongside powerful public figures, wealthy international
merchants, society doctors and expert musicians.
"The merchants had
connections across Europe and the doctors were linked to the latest progressive
thinking in universities in Italy and Germany.
"Living in what was one of
the power locales of London would have also enhanced Shakespeare's status as he
developed his career, sought a family coat of arms and planned to buy an
impressive and expensive house in Stratford."
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