Below your feet as you stand in a certain spot at Shakespeare’s New Place is the Shakespeare family’s service range, and something you might call a Tudor kitchen.
Re-imagining New Place gave us a unique opportunity for archaeological investigations. Staffordshire University’s Centre for Archaeology - led by Kevin Colls and Will Mitchell - undertook the excavations in areas that haven’t been touched since the last house was demolished in 1759. The dig revealed a great deal of information about the size and layout of New Place. It uncovered centuries-old foundation walls, and other finds from as early as the Bronze Age.
The finds that bring us closest to Shakespeare include the fireplace for the family’s service range, which would have been lit all the time, providing heat for washing, cooking and cleaning. Our favourite discovery is the Tudor ‘fridge’ - a stone lined pit. The stone lining and its situation below floor level would have kept the small chamber cool: perfect for storing perishables like cheese!
Shakespeare’s New Place opens Summer 2016. Come and walk in Shakespeare's footsteps and meet the man behind the works in a fascinating new exhibition. Discover beautiful gardens and specially-commissioned artworks.
Find out more about Shakespeare's New Place.