June 29
Globe Theatre Burns Down During Performance
A misfired theatrical cannon during a performance of Henry VIII ignited the thatched roof of London’s Globe Theatre, reducing the wooden playhouse to ashes in roughly an hour.
Summary
By the early 1600s, London's theater scene thrived with companies like the Lord Chamberlain's Men performing works by William Shakespeare at purpose-built venues. The Globe Theatre, constructed in 1599 using timbers from an earlier playhouse, served as the primary stage for many of Shakespeare's plays including histories and tragedies. On June 29, 1613, during a performance of Henry VIII, a theatrical cannon fired to mark the king's entrance ignited the thatched roof. The fire spread rapidly through the wooden structure, destroying the entire building within about an hour, though no deaths occurred as the audience evacuated. The event ended the original Globe's run but led to its prompt rebuilding the following year.
Context
By the close of the sixteenth century, London had developed a vibrant commercial theater culture outside the strict oversight of city authorities. Acting companies performed in purpose-built outdoor amphitheaters on the south bank of the Thames in areas such as Bankside, drawing diverse audiences from groundlings standing in the yard to wealthier patrons in the galleries. The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later known as the King’s Men under royal patronage, emerged as one of the leading troupes; William Shakespeare joined as both actor and shareholder around 1594.
What Happened
In 1599 the company financed and erected the Globe on Bankside using timbers salvaged from an earlier playhouse called the Theatre. The circular wooden structure featured three tiers of galleries, a large thrust stage, and a thatched roof over the stage area. On the afternoon of June 29, 1613, the King’s Men staged a new history play, Henry VIII, before a full house. During a scene marking the king’s entrance, a cannon was discharged to produce a realistic salute.
Aftermath
The wadding from the cannon landed on the thatched roof and quickly set it alight. Flames spread through the dry timbers and thatch with alarming speed, consuming the entire building within about an hour. Contemporary accounts note that the audience and players escaped without serious injury, though some spectators lost cloaks or other belongings in the rush to exit. The company responded by rebuilding on the same site the following year, this time with a tiled roof to reduce fire risk.
Legacy
The 1613 fire underscored the vulnerability of thatched-roof theaters in a crowded urban environment and encouraged modest improvements in subsequent construction. The Globe’s prompt reconstruction allowed the King’s Men to continue presenting Shakespeare’s late plays and the works of other dramatists until the theaters were closed in 1642. Its story has become emblematic of the commercial vitality and material fragility of Elizabethan and Jacobean theater, inspiring later heritage efforts including the modern reconstruction that opened near the original site in 1997.
Why It Matters
The loss highlighted the fire risks of thatched-roof theaters in a densely built city and prompted safer reconstruction practices. The Globe's destruction and rebirth preserved a key site for Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, influencing English theatrical traditions and later heritage preservation efforts.
Related Questions
Which play was being performed when the Globe burned?
The King’s Men were staging Henry VIII, a new history play co-authored by Shakespeare and John Fletcher.
How did the fire start?
A cannon fired during the performance to salute the king’s entrance sent burning wadding onto the thatched stage roof.
Were there any fatalities?
No deaths were recorded; the audience and actors evacuated safely, although the building was a total loss.
What happened to the Globe after the fire?
The company rebuilt it the following year on the same foundations and continued performing there until 1642.
Where was the original Globe located?
On Bankside in Southwark, on the south bank of the River Thames just outside the City of London’s jurisdiction.
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Sources
- London’s Globe Theatre destroyed by fire | Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 2026-07-12.
- What Happened on June 29 | HISTORY, A&E Television Networks. Accessed 2026-07-12.