Shakespeare’s Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse for which William Shakespeare wrote his plays. The building is located on the south bank of the River Thames, in the London Borough of Southwark. Construction took place between 1993 and 1996 and was opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1997. The original Globe Theatre was built in 1599 by Shakespeare’s playing company but was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613. Artisan Plastercraft were commissioned to carry out a survey of the lime plaster walls, both internal and external, at Shakespeare’s Globe to document their current state and fully understand their present condition. The site inspection took place over the course of several visits and covered the whole building.
Our scope: The purpose of the survey was to assess and provide an experienced opinion on the following:
- Inspect and ascertain the condition and structural integrity of lath and plaster panels making up the interior and exterior walls.
- To create a record of each individual panel, comprising of current condition, any previous repairs and required remedial work.
- To make overall recommendations as to what remedial works are required and how these would be achieved.
Our solution: We carried out the survey over the course of 4 months attending weekly site inspections. The external walls were examined first via a visual and tap test and a written and photographic report was recorded. The internal panels were also inspected by a visual and tap test. Survey samples were taken of the lime plaster and sent away for analysis to establish the exact specification and composition used in the construction.
Client: The Shakespeare Globe Trust
Location: Southwark, London
Budget: £15,000
Duration: 4 months
