This account was diametrically at variance with the accepted conclusions respecting the site of the theatre, which all previous writers had placed due south of Maid Lane. The newly-discovered document mentions the north side of the theatre as being bounded by the Park and the south side by Maid Lane. The stumbling block in the new theory was the placing of the theatre north of the lane bounded by the Park; the only Park known was Winchester Park, consisting of about sixty acres, which lay south of Maid Lane. For the solution of this difficult problem we must thank Mr. Hubbard, who has pointed out that the northern boundary named “The Park” had no connexion with the well-known Winchester Park, but refers to a strip of land called “The Park” abutting on the shore of the Bankside. Professor Wallace notes that: “What the Park was is not certain, possibly an inn or a little garden, for this district boasted several such little plots variously named. In any case, this so-called ‘Park’ was in no way connected with the great Winchester Park.”
Further proof is shown in an entry in one of the token books, which is preserved at Southwark Cathedral, dated 1598, in which occurs the following memorandum: “From the Park.” The collector of the rents for Nicholas Brend, the owner of the property on which the playhouse stood, makes several similar entries in the “Token Books,” all dealing with property in the neighbourhood.
In another of these Sacrament Token Books is a further entry: “Globe Alleye Brend Rents, 1612.” “Globe Alleye Brende’s Rents nowe Bodley’s” is an entry for the year 1613.
Mr. Hubbard thus comments on these entries: “The name Globe Alley is first inscribed in a marginal note under the heading of Brand’s Rents, on page 61 of the Token Book for the Clerk Liberty for the year 1619. This alley was not apparently known as Globe Alley until that year.” This statement is not quite accurate, as Globe Alley is already recorded in the year 1612. This alley lay north of Maid Lane, easily identified in the old maps of London; although unnamed, the outline of this thoroughfare is clearly discernible in the map of Ralph Aggas, and also in that of Braun and Hogenberg, engraved by Hofnagel. Both these views were issued in 1572, from their similarity, one engraver must have copied the other. In Norden’s Map of London, published in 1593, this way or lane can be distinctly traced. In Rocque’s Map, dated 1745, a Globe Alley is marked on a London map for the first time. This alley is there shown on the south side of Maid Lane, this insertion causing all the trouble and confusion. The writers of the annals of the early London theatres blindly concluding that this alley marked the entrance to the old Globe Theatre; it does nothing of the kind. What most likely occurred is that when the second Globe Theatre was demolished the original Globe Alley of the Token Books was also destroyed. In later years a new Alley of the same name appears, perhaps in commemoration of the Globe Theatre, whose exact site was quite forgotten.
Mr. Martin adopts the fanciful view that the draftsman had before him a rough sketch, in which the top edge of the plan lay towards the south and Maid Lane towards the north, thus agreeing with Mr. Martin’s own conclusions.
The exact spot where the Globe stood should be sought for between Red Lion Wharf and Southwark Wharf, both wharves being marked in the Ordnance Survey. The early Globe Alley will be found facing Clink Street, on a plot of ground now called Ironworks Yard, situated on Bankside, which in former times led to the famous Globe Theatre.
The maps of Aggas and Hofnagel depict two amphitheatres, one marked “The Bolle bayting” and the other further east, “The Bear bayting.” On turning to Norden’s map we find that the “Bear bayting” has vanished and the old “Bolle bayting” sport is now marked the Beare house. Now let us cast a glance at Visscher’s beautiful engraved view of London, 1616; there we notice in the foreground two distinct amphitheatres, the one towards the west marked the Bear Garden, the other The Globe. From the position of these two structures, no one, after carefully reading the above details, can mistake the position of the Globe which stands in Visscher’s view on the site of the original Bear House, so named in the old maps, the site corresponding with the vacant space in Norden’s map, and now definitely named the Globe.
The importance of locating the exact site of the most celebrated theatre in the world has led me into a somewhat lengthy discussion on the subject. There now remains for the Shakespeare Reading Society the duty of removing their handsome plaque to the opposite side of the road without further delay.
The Globe theatre was opened in the spring of 1599 with a probable production of “Henry V.” “Within this wooden O” is mentioned in the prologue. The Globe was round in form, and built chiefly of wood. Another reference in the same play clearly proves that “Henry V” was acted sometime in the year 1599.
“But now behold