The Animal-Baiting Arenas on Bankside

This talk by David Saxby from Museum of London Archaeology will give a glimpse of life at Bankside in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Bankside was not only famous for its Shakespearean theatres, but it had a much more sordid past. Even more popular than the theatres were the animal-baiting arenas located either end of Bear Gardens. Recent archaeological excavations have uncovered evidence of these arenas including the last bear-baiting arena on Bankside, Davies' bear-baiting arena (1662 to 1684). Combined with documentary evidence this compelling talk will examine Bankside's more illustrious past.