NEN Gallery

New Place was built by Hugh Clopton, Lord Mayor of London, opposite the Guildhall in Stratford. The house was sold by the Cloptons in 1567.

In 1597, Shakespeare bought the house, which was his family's home and also where he lived when he was not in London. He died at New Place in 1616.

It is thought that Shakespeare paid around �120 for the house, the second largest in Stratford. This shows what a financially successful man he was, as houses could be bought for around �25 at that time.

The house was a five bay timbered structure with buildings behind it forming a courtyard with a well in the centre.

There were also gardens, orchards and land stretching down to the river Avon.