Sheldonian Theatre Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Sheldonian Theatre
East façade of the Sheldonian Theatre from Clarendon Quad
Location	Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AZ United Kingdom
Built	1664–1669
Architect	Christopher Wren
Architectural style(s)	English Baroque
Owner	University of Oxford

Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: The Sheldonian Theatre
Designated	12 January 1954
Reference no.	1047350

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The Sheldonian Theatre is a famous building in Oxford, England. It was built between 1664 and 1669. The design was created by the well-known architect Christopher Wren for the University of Oxford.

The theatre is named after Gilbert Sheldon. He was a leader at All Souls College and later became the head of the University. Sheldon gave most of the money to build the theatre. Today, the Sheldonian Theatre is used for music shows, talks, and special University events. For a long time, plays were not performed here. But in 2015, a student group put on a play called The Crucible.

Building the Sheldonian Theatre
- Wren's Design Challenges
- The Beautiful Ceiling Painting
What Happens at the Theatre Today?
Images for kids
See also

Building the Sheldonian Theatre

Inside the Sheldonian Theatre

The Sheldonian Theatre was one of the first big projects by Christopher Wren. It was asked for by Gilbert Sheldon, who was a very important church leader. After a time of big changes in England, the University wanted a new building. This building would be only for graduation and degree ceremonies.

Before this, these events were held in a church. But they often became very noisy. University leaders felt it was not right to have such loud events in a church. So, they asked Gilbert Sheldon for help. He was happy to support the idea.

Sheldon first gave a large sum of money. He also promised to find more people to donate. But he didn't have much luck with that. In the end, he paid almost all of the building costs himself. This was a huge amount of money for that time.

Wren's Design Challenges

Wren's early plans for the theatre might have included a stage like those in modern theatres. But the final building looked very different from older Gothic styles. Wren based his design on an old Roman theatre. This Roman theatre was shaped like a "D" and had no roof.

However, Oxford in the 1600s was not like ancient Rome. The Sheldonian Theatre needed a strong, permanent roof. The "D"-shaped roof needed to cover a space over 70 feet (21 meters) wide. There were no single pieces of wood long enough for this. Wren did not want a traditional Gothic roof.

Instead, he used a clever design created by an Oxford professor named John Wallis. This design used many shorter wooden pieces. These pieces were put together to form strong supports called trusses. They held each other up with their own weight. Metal bolts and plates also helped keep them in place.

This roof was so strong that for nearly 100 years, the University stored its books on it. For a long time, it was the largest floor of its kind without extra support. In 1720, people checked the roof because they heard it might not be safe. They were amazed at how well it was built. They said it would last for another 100 or 200 years!

The Beautiful Ceiling Painting

The ceiling painting by Robert Streater

In 2008, a four-year project finished restoring the theatre's ceiling painting. This painting is made of 32 oil panels. It was painted by Robert Streater, who was a painter for King Charles II.

During the restoration, the panels were carefully taken down and cleaned. Any holes in the canvas were fixed. Old paint that had been added later was removed. The painting tells a story. It shows Truth coming down to help the Arts and Sciences. It also shows how ignorance is pushed away from the University.

What Happens at the Theatre Today?

The Sheldonian Theatre has a special eight-sided dome on its roof. You can climb stairs to reach this dome. From there, you can see amazing views all over central Oxford. Visitors are welcome to go up and enjoy the view.

The theatre is used for many different events. These include music concerts and important talks. It also hosts University ceremonies like graduations. In 1733, the famous composer Handel led the first performance of his music piece Athalia here.

Today, local music groups often perform at the theatre. This includes the Oxford Philomusica. The band Stornoway was the first pop band to play here. They performed in 2009 and again in 2014.

The building can hold between 800 and 1000 people. It is located next to the Bodleian Library and Broad Street. Nearby buildings include the Clarendon Building and the Old Ashmolean Building. Behind the theatre is the Divinity School.

The Sheldonian Theatre is a very important historic building. It was first listed as a Grade I building on January 12, 1954. This means it is a building of special interest.

The theatre is mentioned in the 1911 book Zuleika Dobson by Max Beerbohm. It was also used in the 1980 movie Heaven's Gate.