Nash's House and New Place

Nash's House and New Place sit on a busy street in Stratford, both constant reminders of the importance of not only Shakespeare, but also of Shakespeare's extended family, in the history of the city.

Nash's House was home to Shakespeare's granddaughter Elizabeth Hall (daughter of Shakespeare's daughter Susanna and her husband John Hall of Hall's Croft) and her wealthy landowner husband Thomas Nash. However, the couple did not really live in this house. Instead, they lived right next door with Susanna and John Hall in New Place.

New Place was the sort of status symbol Shakespeare purchased in Stratford after earning recognition -- and relative wealth -- in London as a playwright and actor. Shakespeare bought New Place in 1597 when he was 33 years old; it was one of the largest, most expensive homes in Stratford and thus quite a display of fame and fortune.

William Shakespeare died in New Place. In 1702, the house was either completely demolished or almost completely remodeled, and then this new version of New Place was destroyed in 1759. All that remains of the home in which Shakespeare lived and died is a small portion of the foundation, some brickwork, and some wells.

Across the grounds of New Place now spread magnificent gardens bearing many of the plants and flowers mentioned in Shakespeare's plays. In Shakespeare's time, New Place boasted multiple gardens and orchards. It is not hard to imagine Shakespeare taking refuge in his gardens after returning from the crowded, dirty, busy streets of London.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.