ST. GEORGE'S GUILDHALL

The largest remaining ancient guildhall in the nation is the Grade I registered Guildhall of St. George. After beginning as a tight meeting place, it went on to establish an unparalleled history as a dramatic setting, making it the only location on earth where it is certain that Shakespeare himself acted there. There are more than 600 years of history to investigate, with its development dating back to the middle of the sixteenth century.

A tight cooperation from the Middle Ages known as the Organization of St. George was founded around 1376. For the construction of its conference center, which was operational by 1428, it acquired land recovered from the Waterway Ouse in 1406.

The Guildhall became the property of Lynn Partnership after the Disintegration of the Organizations in 1547; they retained ownership of it until 1814. In the 1640s, the building began to fill in as a municipal hall, traders' guild, French school and, strangely, an ordnance and explosive store.

The hall has been utilized as a theater since 1445, making it the country's oldest theater that is still in use. The Guild produced plays on a regular basis until their dissolution in 1547, at which point acting companies, including the Queen's Players, the preeminent playing company founded on Queen Elizabeth I's orders, began to use the hall.

In order to stop crowds from spreading the disease, London theaters were shut down in 1593 due to the plague outbreak. According to legend, William Shakespeare appeared at the guildhall as a member of the Earl of Pembroke's Men, an acting group supported by Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke.

Shakespeare was paid by the corporation to perform, as evidenced by a note in the King's Lynn corporation's account book. Shakespeare's historical period was covered in a contemporary novel that tells the story of a woman who confessed to killing her husband while viewing Shakespeare at King's Lynn after becoming so overcome with remorse over the play's theme of murder.

Oak floors dating back 600 years were found under the 1960s and 1950s flooring after recent renovations. The find, which is said to be "the largest expanse of timber medieval flooring in the country," is made up of oak boards that were joined together with pegs and date from between 1417 and 1430. Scientific examination of the building has revealed that the floor was in use during Shakespeare's performances in 1592–1593 and is a complete example from the 15th century.

Tim FitzHigham, Creative Director at the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, said: "When I went back as an adult it seemed people had forgotten about the story that Shakespeare had performed at the Guildhall. I first heard it as a child."

The Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, along with the Norfolk Museums Service, Norfolk County Council, and the National Trust, who own the building, have begun a project to renovate and redevelop St. George's Guildhall and related buildings thanks to funding from the UK Government's Towns Fund, as part of its Levelling Up agenda, said FitzHigham.

It affirms the guildhall's status as a historical building of national significance, according to Cllr. Simon Ring, cabinet member for tourism, events, and marketing for the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk. It gives us another chance to highlight its historical significance and solicit additional funding in order to finish the restoration to a level that will not only withstand the test of time but also produce an attraction that will propel King's Lynn and West Norfolk's heritage into the world of "must visit" British destinations.