The Theatre (Shakespeare's first playhouse)
the playhouse that became the globe
Plaques and preserved foundations in Shoreditch marking The Theatre, the playhouse whose very timbers became the Globe.
Free to visit · Shoreditch · Shoreditch High Street · EC2A 3PE
Opening: Viewable any time
Long before the Globe, Shakespeare's company performed in Shoreditch at a playhouse simply called The Theatre, built in 1576 and one of the first purpose-built theatres in England. When a rent dispute turned sour in 1598, the company famously dismantled the whole building one winter night, carried its timbers across the frozen Thames and used them to build the Globe on Bankside.
The site was rediscovered by archaeologists, and its foundations are now preserved and marked with plaques near New Inn Broadway. It is free to visit, a quietly thrilling spot where English theatre as we know it was born.
Getting there: On New Inn Broadway in Shoreditch, a short walk from Shoreditch High Street station.
Best time to go: Daytime, on a walk through Shoreditch.
Insider tip: Look for the plaques and the glimpse of preserved foundations around the development on New Inn Yard. Pair it with the nearby curtain-theatre site, another Shakespearean playhouse uncovered in Shoreditch.
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide