The Swan was the second purpose-built playhouse on the S bank of the Thames, conveniently placed near Paris Garden stairs for playgoers arriving from the City. It was located in the manor of Paris Garden on the W side of the parish of St Saviour, Southwark. Built in the amphitheatre style with 3 galleries and an open yard, the playhouse was seen as the grandest of its era and was used as a model for the construction of the Hope theatre in 1614.
1595--6 Performances mounted at the Swan by unidentified companies.
1596/7, 20 February Pembroke's men signed an agreement with Langley to perform there for one year.
1597, July The Isle of Dogs (now lost) by Thomas Nashe opened.
1597, 28 July Privy council ordered closure and demolition of playhouses in and around London because of 'disorders'.
1597, August The earl of Pembroke's players were reported to privy council for performing a seditious play (Isle of Dogs), leading to the arrest of 3 players and the retreat to the country of Thomas Nashe.
Long demolished and not excavated. The site has been located on the E side of Hopton Street 'occupied by Sampson House, a large modernist block built in 1976--9. Crucially, the complex has deep and extensive basements which will have removed any archaeological deposits' (Bowsher, Shakespeare's London Theatreland, 81).
1589, 24 May Francis Langley, citizen and draper of London, purchased the deed to the manor and lordship of Paris Garden in the parish of St Saviour's, Southwark from Thomas Cure the Younger for £850.
ca. 1595 Langley built the Swan Theatre, not far from the River Thames in the liberty of Paris Garden.
1601, December Langley sold the manor to Hugh Browker and his son Thomas. Subsequent management of the theatre unknown although it is on record to have been used sporadically until the early 1620s.
ca. 1606 Alexander Walshe, fruiterer of London, held the sub-lease of the Swan.
1610--15, 1620--1 Overseers of the Poor accounts for Paris Garden record payments from unidentified players at the Swan (Norman, 'Overseers of the Poor').
1632 Described in Holland's Leaguer (sig F2v) as 'now fallen to decay, and like a dying Swanne, hanging downe her head, seemed to sing her owne dierge.'
1655, 30 April Manor sold by Thomas Browker and his wife Mary to Richard Taverner and William Angell the younger, both of London. The theatre had probably been demolished previously.
REED Swan Theatre records (forthcoming)
