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The Curtain Playhouse is a early modern theatre located in Shoreditch, Middlesex, built in 1577 as one of London's first permanent playhouses. Constructed as a wooden amphitheatre-style building, it served as a venue for dramatic performances during the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods and is recorded as having hosted plays by William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. The theatre remained in operation until its demolition in 1592, though some sources indicate continued use into the early seventeenth century. Archaeological investigation of the site has revealed structural evidence of the timber-framed building, contributing to understanding of early modern theatrical architecture and entertainment in London.
The Curtain Playhouse is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1463328. View the official record →
The Curtain Playhouse is a early modern theatre located in Shoreditch, Middlesex, built in 1577 as one of London's first permanent playhouses. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1463328.
The Curtain Playhouse is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1463328.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Abbey buildings, Bermondsey (2.9 km), The Jewel Tower (4.2 km), Tudor naval storehouse at Convoys Wharf (5.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of The Curtain Playhouse's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
The Curtain Playhouse stands on Thames Group, bedrock that formed in the Eocene. The rock here is clay, silt, sand and gravel.