London's oldest playhouse the Red Lion - which paved the way for Shakespeare and 'marked the dawn of Elizabethan theatre' - is found in Whitechapel
- Archaeologists found the Red Lion during excavations at a site in Whitechapel
- Site is in Stepney Way at the former location of a SafeStore self-storage site
- Red Lion created by John Brayne who went on to build The Theatre in Shoreditch
Archaeologists believe they have discovered the location of London's first Elizabethan playhouse, the Red Lion, in the East End.
The Red Lion, considered the earliest known purpose-built theatre of Shakespeare's era, is thought to be have been built around 1567, but its exact location has long been debated.
Now excavations at a site destined for luxury flats have yielded convincing evidence - including timber structures and artefacts - that the Red Lion was in Whitechapel.
The Red Lion is thought to have closed after just one year, with just one play known to have been performed there, The Story of Sampson.
But its creator, John Brayne, went on to build The Theatre in Shoreditch, which staged Shakespeare's plays in the 1590s.
The earliest playhouse in London may have been discovered at a site in Whitechapel, by a team of archaeologists from UCL. The elusive remains of what is thought to be the earliest Elizabethan playhouse, known as the Red Lion, were discovered
Pictured, a map of where the Red Lion was in the 16th century in Whitechapel
Archaeologists found the playhouse while excavating the site of a former SafeStore self-storage company in Stepney Way which was due to be built upon for a new block of luxury flats. Left, map of where the Red Lion was in the 16th century and right, its location in modern London
The Theatre, which Brayne built with his brother-in-law, famed actor James Burbage, father of Elizabethan actor Richard Burbage, was also the first permanent home for theatre troupes.
Stephen White, who directed the excavation of the Red Lion for Archaeology South-East, part of UCL's Institute of Archaeology, said the site is 'one of the most extraordinary' he has worked on.
'After nearly 500 years, the remains of the Red Lion playhouse, which marked the dawn of Elizabethan theatre, may have finally been found,' he said.
'The strength of the combined evidence - archaeological remains of buildings, in the right location, of the right period, seem to match up with characteristics of the playhouse recorded in early documents.
'It is a privilege to be able to add to our understanding of this exciting period of history.'
Experts have long suspected the site of the theatre was in Whitechapel due to records from two lawsuits filed in the 16th century.
The first details 'scaffolds', or galleries, around the stage.
The second lawsuit includes dimensions of the stage, revealing it to be 40ft (12.2m) north to south and 30ft (9.1m) east to west. It also claims the height of the outdoor stage was 5ft (1.5m).
Archaeologists at UCL's Archaeology South-East were excavating the site as it is due to be built upon for a new block of luxury flats.
They found timber structures, artefacts and buildings on the former SafeStore self-storage site in Stepney Way.
A total of 144 timbers were unearthed which had survived half a millenniumThey found that the stage measured 40.25ft (12.27m) north-south and 30.4ft (9.27m) east-west, almost exactly the same as described in the 1569 lawsuit.
Th Red Lion paved the way for William Shakespeare and 'marked the dawn of Elizabethan theatre'. Pictured: The 'Cobbe Portrait', thought to be the only portrait of Shakespeare painted during his lifetime, circa 1612
Postholes around the timber structure were also found and appear to correspond with the 'scaffolds', or gallery seating.
The dig also uncovered what the archaeologists think were beer cellars, according to UCL Archaeology South-East's historic buildings specialist Dr Michael Shapland.
'Tudor period inns needed somewhere cool and secure to store their drink, as beer would have gone off much more rapidly than it does today,' he explains.
A range of beakers, drinking glasses and cups, bottles and tankards have also been found at the site.
One complete late-17th century tavern mug has a royalist medallion of Charles II, and other tankards feature tavern or landlord names.
In the north-east corner of the site, excavations revealed 15th or 16th century buildings that developed into a sprawling complex in the 17th century, which could be the Red Lion inn itself.
Excavations at a site in Whitechapel in central London yielded convincing evidence that the Red Lion has been discovered. Pictured, Shakespearean-era playhouses in London
A range of beakers, drinking glasses and cups, bottles and tankards have been found at the site. One complete late-17th century tavern mug has a royalist medallion of Charles II (pictured), and other tankards feature tavern or landlord names
Pictured, archaeologists excavating inside one of the beer cellars at a site in Whitechapel, which a team from UCL believe may have been the earliest playhouse in London
After the Red Lion shut, John Brayne and James Burbage went on to construct The Theatre in Shoreditch which, unlike its predecessor, was a success.
The Theatre was the first permanent home for acting troupes and oversaw the flourishing of drama in Elizabethan London.
When The Theatre was demolished in December 1598, its timbers were taken to build one of the most famous Elizabethan theatres, the Globe theatre.
In recent years, a flurry of construction activity in London's East End has uncovered several previously lost theatres in what was something of a theatre district.
In 2012, the remains of the Curtain Theatre, which opened in 1577, were found behind a pub in Shoreditch.
And in 2019, the Boar's Head theatre, which dates to 1598, was uncovered during construction of a block for student accommodation.
Emily Gee, from government heritage agency Historic England, said: 'This tantalising find follows the exciting recent discoveries of The Theatre and The Curtain playhouses in Shoreditch, and of the Boar's Head in Aldgate, which together have immensely improved our understanding of the beginnings of English theatre.
'We will continue to work closely with the developer to interpret these archaeological remains and display them so the public will be able to understand them within the finished development and appreciate the rich history of this site.'
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