Deadman's Place
Deadman's Place was in 1621 the site of the old Brownist meeting-house, built by Henry Jacob in 1616, in the register of which is the entry, under 1770, of the burial of Mr Cruden, the author of the celebrated Concordance. In 1732 in Deadman's Place was an alley, called Globe Alley, leading to the renowned Globe Playhouse. In 1651 partly in Maid Lane, but close upon the site and foundations of this playhouse, the Globe Alley Chapel was built, and was in use well on to the last century [18th]. In 1676-77 Richard Baxter, of the "Saints' Rest," occupied the pulpit.The playhouse was burnt in 1613, but a second erected upon the same site, and that which was pulled down in 1644 will always have a world-wide repute, from its connection with Shakespeare, and the very land is of sacred import to the whole English-speaking world. The Globe Theatre was built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and James I granted a patent to Shakespeare and his associates to play plays "as within theire then usuall house, called the Globe, in the countie of Surrey, as elsewhere." Ben Jonson calls it "the glory of the Bank and the fort of the whole parish." The land is all included in the great anchor Brewery of Messrs Barclay and Perkins. It was this brewery that, upon the death of its owner, Mr Thrale, was sold by Dr Johnson and the other three executors for £135,000; and upon this occasion the often-quoted words were used, that "they were not there to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice," words which the later history of the brewery has proved to be more than mere rodomontade. --[R. and N.] |
