Did this door once lead to Shakespeare’s dressing room?

Britain’s oldest operating theatre is proving fertile archaeological ground. Following the discovery last year of Elizabethan-era floorboards on which Shakespeare himself may have stood, the door to a dressing room that the Bard probably frequented has now emerged in St George’s Guildhall.

“Finding a previously unknown door that began construction in the 1390s is super exciting,” the theater’s creative director, Tim FitzHigham, noted via email. “It’s like being a kid and getting a Christmas present.”

According to the Guildhall, FitzHigham had discovered “a strange shape in a wall on the ground floor of the theatre, hidden behind two layers of plasterboard.” Experts of all kinds were visiting the Guildhall during the extensive restoration and renovation work that was underway, so FitzHigham commissioned Jonathan Clarke and plaster specialist Paul Wooles to take a closer look at the building.

The team first removed a noticeboard – and found a second noticeboard behind it. When they removed the 18th-century brick wall underneath, they uncovered an archway. FitzHigham suspects this must date from the time the theatre was originally built, as it supports the roof.

Merchants, magistrates and students have used St George’s Guildhall throughout its centuries of use. King Henry IV built the venue to serve St George’s Guild. In its statement, the Guildhall stated that the newly discovered entrance once led to the Guild’s Robe Room, where senior officials changed before dining upstairs.

St. George’s Guildhall. Courtesy of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council.

Guilds were the social clubs of the Middle Ages. According to St. George’s Guildhall, this place was probably the site of entertainment events from the very beginning. In the late 16th century, it definitely became a major destination for tourists. Records show that Shakespeare and his actors played in King’s Lynn from 1592 to 1593 while London’s theaters were closed due to the plague. Local legends confirm that they performed at this very location.

Clarke believes that the Guild Robing Room became a dressing room for performers due to its modest size and location within the Guildhall. “It provided them with a private space where they could leave things, change and then go upstairs to perform in their costumes on the first floor,” he noted in a statement. In addition, Clarke believes the room never had a door. Instead, “it may have been made private by a simple hanging when required.”

The archway. Courtesy of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council.

However, theatergoers hoping to follow in Shakespeare’s footsteps will be disappointed for now.

“Unfortunately there is no full ceiling space there,” FitzHigham explained via email of the former premises. “The Georgians turned half of it into a wine cellar in the 18th century, so we need to think about that as part of our major project to renovate the theatre and surrounding buildings. It would be nice to have a tantalising glimpse of what is left, as you can see the original windows and walls.”

There may be more discoveries to come. FitzHigham still has some guesses. Archaeological work at St George’s Guildhall will continue next February.

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