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A suburban neighbourhood located just north of Moorfields and outside Londonʼs City Wall, Shoreditch was a focal point of early modern theatrical culture. Following a boom in Londonʼs population
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Located just north of Moorfields and outside of the City Wall, Shoreditch was a suburban neighbourhood that grew considerably during a boom in Londonʼs population in the
Even the origins of the name
Soerdig) to
In the all Persons
(Strype 4: 34).
continual Building of small and base Tenements, for the most Part lately erected,
lining the way from the former St. Mary Spital towards Shoreditch, as well as many small cottages
below (Stow 2:73). Further up from Holywell, summer houses
in the neighbouring suburb of Moorfields (Stow 2:77). In addition, numerous almshouses were founded by the various guilds and livery companies for their aging members.
Evidently the Queen’s decree was largely ignored, as it was reissued in bad commodities
and false and insufficient wares
(Strype 3: 32), though this is a common complaint in times of mass migration.
The above accounts depict a district beginning to teem with activity in a city that was becoming, in the words of stranger, and newer, and chang’d every hour
(Jonson 1.1.102). Elegant properties nestled cheek by jowl with smaller houses and tenements and emerging businesses. The building of the Theatre in
Prostitution (historically associated with the theatre) became notorious in Shoreditch, having spread out to other suburbs
following great swarms of these women
there (Platter 175).
It is thus highly likely that Shoreditch was one of the suburbs London, what are thy suburbs but licenced stews?
(Nashe 80).
Drinking was also a particularly popular pursuit in early modern London. never seen more taverns and alehouses
(Platter 189). Shoreditch was no exception, boasting plenty of taverns and alehouses, which greatly proliferated during this period (Clark 41). Evidently players themselves were known to be a regular feature of the drinking and social culture; was visited by players almost daily
(Platter 170). Of the great many inns, taverns, and beer-gardens,
much amusement may be had with drinking, fiddling and the rest
(Platter 170).
As one would expect with a strong drinking culture, there was a somewhat rowdy atmosphere. One particularly noteworthy event was the duel between quarrelsome disposition of the time
(Stopes 72). Only the year previously,
An environment such as Shoreditch evidently drew its share of criticism and disapproval. Official complaints against the drinking culture and the general rowdiness of Shoreditch were frequent and lamented not only the great number of dissolute, loose, and insolent people harboured in such and the like noisome and disorderly houses, as namely poor cottages, and habitations of beggars and people without trade
but al’sso the stables, inns, alehouses, taverns, garden-houses converted to dwellings, ordinaries, dicing houses, bowling alleys, and brothel houses
(Schoenbaum 126).
Besides the Curtain and the Theatre, one of the notable sites of Shoreditch was St. Leonardʼs Church. It occupied more or less the same spot as the current building, at the intersection of two Roman roads, Old Street and what is now Kingsland Road/Shoreditch Highstreet. The earliest traceable reference to the original church is some time in the
Though outside the borders of Shoreditch, the nearby hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem in neighbouring Bishopsgate Ward was another important landmark of early modern London. Popularly known as
Urbanization of the Shoreditch area increased throughout the
Shoreditchʼs early theatrical history has not been forgotten. While there is currently no local theatre scene, there were popular playhouses up until the