Shakespeare Globe

Bankside Gates

The beautiful Bankside Gates have been an eyecatching feature of Shakespeare’s Globe ever since they were installed in 1997.

The Gates were conceived by the Globe Theatre architect Theo Crosby in 1989 as the main Bankside entrance to the Theatre. In that year he approached architectural metalworker Richard Quinnell to lead the project.

Iron gates were a rarity in Elizabethan England and therefore Theo and Richard were not required to meet the same extraordinary levels of authenticity necessary for the Globe Theatre itself.

Theo died in September 1994 before the final designs were confirmed but Richard was ‘determined that the spirit of his concept should be respected’. Richard commissioned Brian Russell, an artist blacksmith from Darlington, to translate the original designs into a practical form suitable for forging in wrought iron. After which they were cleaned, rust-proofed and painted at Richard’s gallery in Leatherhead.

The designs were created by 130 professional, amateur and student blacksmiths from 12 countries around the world, and comprise of 125 unique, individual, decorative motifs. Each motif is inspired by a line from Shakespeare’s work. For example:
Mermaid (motif 11)
King Henry VI Part 3, III.ii
Richard Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile,
And cry ‘Content!’ to that that grieves my heart,
And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,
And frame my face to all occasions.
I’ll drown more sailors that the Mermaid shall.
Designed by Liam Denevan, Sebastopol, CA, USA

The Bankside Gates were set in place on 19 and 20 April 1997, and were officially opened for the first time on 12 June 1997 to admit the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh when they celebrated the opening of the Theatre itself.

Sponsored by Ford Motor Company Limited.

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