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Secondary sourceArtifact1795

Shakespeare's House at Stratford-upon-Avon

Samuel Ireland · 1795

A 1795 aquatint imagining the appearance of Shakespeare's house, New Place, in Stratford-upon-Avon, created long after the real building was demolished.

An imagined, inaccurate depiction of Shakespeare's house, showing how his legacy and status were pictured long after his death.

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Sepia aquatint of a Tudor-style timber and stone street scene in Stratford-upon-Avon. Left, a gabled half-timbered house with mullioned bay windows and a columned doorway. Center, a church with a tall tower, a weathervane, and a gatehouse. Right, a row of low buildings and a hanging sign. Two figures and a dog stand in the street; another man stands at far right. Caption: Shakspeare's House, New Place, Chapel, & Grammar School. Signed Sam. Ireland delt.
After Samuel Ireland, Shakespeare's House, New Place, Chapel & Grammar School, 1795. Wellcome Collection, London.

About this source

What it is

This aquatint, made after a drawing by Samuel Ireland in 1795, shows an imagined view of Shakespeare's house, New Place, in Stratford-upon-Avon, along with a nearby chapel and grammar school. It is held by the Wellcome Collection, London.

Why it matters

The real New Place, which Shakespeare bought with his earnings as a playwright, was rebuilt in 1700 and demolished in 1759, so by the time this image was made the building no longer existed. According to the Wellcome Collection's own record, the depiction is "completely inaccurate" and shows more about how later generations imagined Shakespeare's social status than what his house actually looked like.

Look closer

  • Why might an artist draw a building that no longer exists, and why was it made to look grand?
  • What does the publication of this image show about public interest in Shakespeare over a century after his death?
  • How can we tell this image is imagined rather than a true record of the real house?

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