Shakespeare Southbank Stroll

A stroll along London's Southbank district, an area often referred to as the 17th c. Las Vegas of London,where the partying and entertainment happened. At this very moment, somewhere around the world someone is reading, listening to, studying, watching, rehearsing and adapting the words of William Shakespeare. After the Bible, he is the most read, , best selling author publishing between 2 and 4 billion copies of The Complete Works. However very little is known about his personal life. We will piece together and learn about what London would have looked like in the late 1500's to 1600s, hearing unsavoury tales of pirates and prisons, rogues and vagabonds, bear baiting and cockfighting. Together we will explore an area that today is full of wonderful buildings, shops and eateries, but used to have an unsavoury past, we will jump back in time and hear about how London used to be, when The Bard was walking the very same streets.

Meet outside The Southwark Tavern pub, Borough High Street We will walk in the footsteps of the Bard and along the way we will see: - Southwark Cathedral and (if possible) go inside and see the Shakespeare window and statue - place where Edmund Shakespeare is buried - The Golden Hinde Ship - Winchester Palace ruins - The Clink Prison - The site of Shakespeare's original theatre The Globe - The Sam Wanamaker indoor theatre (from the outside) - The Globe Theatre The tour will finish by St Paul's Cathedral