Stage where Shakespeare performed discovered, claims theatre

William Shakespeare is thought to be one of the most talented playwrights and poets in history and a theatre in Norfolk believes it has discovered a stage on which he performed.

St George's Guildhall in King's Lynn is the oldest working theatre in the UK, dating all the way back to 1445.

During recent repair work at the theatre, floorboards dating back to the 15th century were found under the existing auditorium.

They had been covered up for 75 years after a replacement floor was installed.

The theatre says documents show Shakespeare acted at the venue more than 400 years ago in 1592 or 1593.

At the time, acting companies left the capital when theatres in London were closed due to the plague.

It's believed Shakespeare was part of an acting group known as the Earl of Pembroke's Men who visited King's Lynn.

"We have the borough account book from 1592-93, which records that the borough paid Shakespeare's company to come and play in the venue," said Tim FitzHigham, the Guildhall's creative director.

Dr Jonathan Clark, who is an expert in historical buildings, was brought in to research the venue.

"We wanted to open up an area just to check, just to see if there was an earlier floor surviving here. And lo and behold, we found this," he said, pointing at the uncovered stage.

He used a combination of a practice called tree-ring dating, which is also known as dendrochronology, and a survey of how the building was assembled to date the floor to between 1417 and 1430, when the Guildhall was originally built.

"We know that these [floorboards] were definitely here in 1592, and in 1592 we think Shakespeare is performing in King's Lynn, so this is likely to be the surface that Shakespeare was walking on," he said.

Dr Clark believes this is a huge discovery because not only is it the largest 15th century timber floor in the country, but it would also be the sole surviving example of a stage on which Shakespeare acted.

"It's the only upper floor, which is in something of its original state, where he could have been walking, could have been performing," he explained.

There have been lots debate over whether Shakespeare did actually perform in King's Lynn, but experts say the discovery is still a significant one.