New Place - Definition and Overview

New Place is the name given to William Shakespeare's final place of residence in Stratford-upon-Avon during his retirement.

The house rested on Chapel Street. It was built in 1483 by Hugh Clopton, a wealthy merchant and future Lord Mayor of London. Shakespeare bought the house in 1597 for sixty British pounds. Shakespeare did not settle in the house until 1610, staying there until his death in 1616. The house was the second largest in Stratford, and the only house to be made of brick at the time.

After Shakespeare's death

After Shakespeare's death in 1616 the house passed to his daughter Susanna Hall, and then his granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall. Elizabeth Hall married Thomas Nashe, who owned the house next door. After Elizabeth died, the house returned to the Clopton family who had originally built the house. The next owner was one Reverend Francis Gastrell. In 1759, after becoming tired of the constant visitors to the house, attacked and destroyed a mulberry tree in the garden which was reported to have been planted by Shakespeare himself. In retaliation, the townsfolk destroyed New Place's windows. Gastrell then razed the house to the ground, destroying all that remained.

Today the foundations of New Place are accessible through a museum that resides in Nash's house, the house next door.

Sources

• Online Shakespeare Entry (http://www.onlineshakespeare.com/nash.htm)