Shakespeare North

The Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, Merseyside, in the north of England is a cultural and educational venue that opened in 2022. The development includes a 420-seat main auditorium, a modern studio space, outdoor performance garden, exhibition and visitor centre. The theatre opened on 15 July 2022.

1. Shakespeare North Trust

The Shakespeare North Trust was founded by Richard Wilson and David Thacker. Its patron is Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby. In 2007 it submitted a £20 million National Lottery bid to fund the complex, but was unsuccessful.

1. Playhouse

In April 2016, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council granted planning permission for the playhouse. Funding is being provided by the council, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and a governmental contribution of £5 million was announced in the 2016 Budget, with other funding to be provided by private investors. The widow of comedian Ken Dodd provided £700,000 in funding to the theatre to create an outdoor performance garden. The historical Prescot Playhouse, the inspiration behind the project, existed between the mid-1590s and 1609, probably on Eccleston Street. No architectural plans of that theatre survive, however. The new theatre's layout is based on the 1629 design by Inigo Jones for the Cockpit-in-Court theatre in the Palace of Whitehall, London. The architects are Helm Architecture and Austin-Smith:Lord.The lead artist is Simon Watkinson.

1. Educational centre

Shakespeare North Playhouse will have an educational centre that will offer opportunities for life-long learning.

1. Location

The four-storey complex was built on the site of Mill Street car park, to the north of Prescot Parish Church. Knowsley Council and the Earl of Derby provided land for the complex.

1. References


1. External links

Official website

Nearby Places View Menu

Prescot

Prescot is a town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, Merseyside, England. It lies about 8 miles (13 km) to the east of Liverpool city centre. At the 2001 Census, the civil parish population was 11,184 (5,265 males, 5,919 females). The population of the larger Prescot East and West wards at the 2011 census totalled 14,139. Prescot marks the beginning of the A58 road which runs through to Wetherby, near Leeds in West Yorkshire. The town is served by Prescot railway station and Eccleston Park railway station in neighbouring Eccleston.

Neighbourhood

Prescot Parish Church

Prescot Parish Church, also known as St Mary's Church, is in the town of Prescot, Merseyside, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is an active Anglican parish church.

Church

Prescot Museum

Prescot Museum is a local museum in Prescot, England. The museum focuses on topics relating to the history of Knowsley, its people and local industries such as coalmining and watchmaking. In 2012 the museum building was purchased by the Shakespeare North Trust and its contents now reside in Prescot Shopping Centre.

Museum

Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph Church, Prescot

Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in Prescot, Merseyside. It was built in 1856-57 by the Society of Jesus, and is now in the Knowsley deanery of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. It is a Grade II listed building, designed by Joseph Aloysius Hansom, and is next to the Church of St Mary on Vicarage Place in the centre of Prescot.

Church Landmark