Shakespeare’s Globe to replace 30-year-old roof with 14,000 reed bundles in £10m project

About 600 oak trees were eventually used to build the Globe. Shakespeare’s Globe in London is preparing for a major roof replacement nearly 30 years after the reconstructed theatre opened. The work will use traditional thatching methods rather than modern roofing materials, keeping the building’s historic character intact.The project will require about 14,000 bundles of reed for the new roof. The use of thatch is significant because Shakespeare’s Globe already has a thatched roof and has special permission to have one. According to the Globe, London has had a law against thatched buildings since the Great Fire of 1666.The reconstruction of the Globe was the idea of American actor Sam Wanamaker, rather than London’s mayor or the government. The theatre was built using traditional materials and methods, with more than 1,000 English oak trees measured during construction. About 600 oak trees were eventually used to build the Globe.The roof is therefore not simply a covering for the theatre. Thatch is part of how the reconstructed Globe was designed to reflect the appearance and construction of the original building. The replacement project will continue that approach, using reed inste...