Take a rare chance to tour the excavation site of a Shakespearean-era playhouse this Saturday.
MOLA archaeologists have just begun excavation works on the Boar's Head in Whitechapel, ahead of the site being used for the construction of a new student housing block.
The 16th century playhouse is referenced in one of the earliest accounts of theatre in London, and functioned as an inn before being converted to a playhouse in 1598. Even before it officially became a playhouse, theatrical productions were hosted in its open-air spaces as far back as 1557 — before William Shakespeare was even born, and more than 40 years before construction on the original Globe Theatre began.
The dig, funded by Unite Students and monitored by Historic England, hopes to reveal more about the history of the site, which is often overlooked in favour of better-known theatres associated with Shakespeare, such as The Rose and The Globe.
For one day only, the public can take prebooked tours of the site, and see the exposed remains of the playhouse building, as well as some of the artefacts that have been discovered during excavations.
Boar's Head Playhouse tours take place between 10am and 2.45pm on Saturday 5 October. Tickets are £2.99 and need to be booked in advance. Find out more about the project here.
