Nash's House and New Place

Here's where the Shakespeare story ended with the dramatist's death in 1616 at his final beloved home, New Place - now a picturesque garden and location of a fascinating new archaeological dig. Nash's House adjoins the site of New Place, Shakespeare's Stratford home for the last 18 years of his life, which was later demolished in the 18th century. The two buildings were closely associated through being owned by relations of Shakespeare's family. Nash's House belonged to Thomas Nash, a wealthy property- owner who married Shakespeare's granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall ten years after the bard's death. At this time New Place was occupied by the bride's parents, Shakespeare's daughter, Susanna and her husband, John Hall. I

In a bid to find out more about how Shakespeare lived, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, in conjunction with Birmingham Archaeology, is undertaking excavations on the site of New Place. "Dig for Shakespeare" is a hugely significant project for 2010/2011 that could unearth some important new evidence in the piecing together of Shakespeare's life story.

Many of Shakespeare's earliest plays were comedies, followed by tragedies including Hamlet, King Lear and Macbeth which are considered to be some of the finest work in the English language being performed more often than those of any other playwright. His plays remain highly popular today and they are performed throughout the year at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.
For more information visit the Shakespeare's Birthplace Trust website