Archaeologists working in the United Kingdom believe they have found London’s oldest purpose-built theater beneath a construction site in the capital city.
The ruins were recently uncovered by a team of archaeologists who say the building’s remains date back to 1567, according to a statement released by Archaeology South-East, part of University College London’s Institute of Archaeology. The team believes the site was home to the Red Lion, an Elizabethan playhouse.
Dig director Stephen White told CNN on Wednesday that he was “97% sure” the remnants are the Red Lion, and he heralded builder John Brayne as the “godfather” of the building, which marked a shift from inn-yard performances to dedicated performance spaces.
White and his team found the structure while digging around a housing development at 85 Stepney Way in London’s East End. Almost 500 years later, the timbers are in an advanced state of decomposition.
“The fact they survived at all is nothing short of a miracle,” said White, adding that he thinks the timbers would have disappeared had the site been excavated 10 years later.
Artifacts including mugs, Germanic cups, and drinking glasses from the 15th and 16th centuries were uncovered at the site.
