--- title: "Great Fire of London" year: 1666 country: "England" canonical: "https://recap.at/1666/great-fire-london" slug: "great-fire-london" recapType: "global_event" startDate: "1666-09-02" endDate: "1666-09-06" --- # Great Fire of London > Great Fire of London On September 2, 1666, a fire broke out in a bakery on Pudding Lane in London and spread rapidly through the wooden-built medieval City, consuming an estimated 13,200 houses and 87 churches over four days. The Great Fire destroyed the densely packed heart of England's capital, killing dozens rather than thousands, and forced a complete reimagining of urban design and building codes. It remains one of the most consequential urban disasters in European history. ## Summary The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that occurred in central London from Sunday 2 September to Wednesday 5 September 1666, gutting the medieval City of London inside the old Roman city wall, while also extending past the wall to the west. The death toll is generally thought to have been relatively small, although some historians have challenged this belief. ## Key facts - **Duration**: 4 days (September 2–5, 1666) - **Houses destroyed**: Approximately 13,200 - **Churches destroyed**: 87 - **Estimated deaths**: Fewer than 20 (official count), possibly up to several hundred - **Area burned**: Approximately 436 acres (1.76 km²) - **People left homeless**: Estimated 100,000+ - **Starting location**: Thomas Farriner's bakery, Pudding Lane - **City areas spared**: Suburbs beyond the old Roman wall; Tower of London protected by firebreak ## Timeline - **1666-09-02** - Fire breaks out in Pudding Lane A fire starts in the shop of Thomas Farriner, the King's baker, early on Sunday morning. Strong easterly winds drive the flames westward through tightly packed wooden buildings. - **1666-09-03** - Fire spreads unchecked Despite firefighting efforts including water buckets and firebreaks, the fire spreads to Old St. Paul's Cathedral and much of the City. Lord Mayor Thomas Bloodworth struggles to coordinate evacuations and response. - **1666-09-04** - Fire reaches westward toward Westminster The blaze extends beyond the medieval city walls toward Fleet Street and the western suburbs. The Tower of London is protected by a firebreak created by demolishing nearby buildings. - **1666-09-05** - Fire contained and extinguished Shifting winds, exhaustion of fuel in the densest areas, and controlled demolitions bring the fire under control. By evening, the major conflagration ends, though isolated fires persist for days. - **1666-10-01** - King Charles II tours ruined City Charles II visits the devastated areas and issues a proclamation supporting reconstruction, declaring London would be rebuilt with wider streets and fireproof materials. - **1667-02-01** - Rebuilding Act passed Parliament passes legislation establishing rules for rebuilding, including mandatory brick and stone construction instead of wood, and wider streets to prevent future fire spread. - **1668-01-01** - Christopher Wren's plan gains prominence Though an ambitious grid-plan redesign is ultimately rejected in favor of rebuilding on existing property lines, Wren's vision influences individual building standards and inspires St. Paul's Cathedral redesign. - **1697-01-01** - Rebuilding largely complete After three decades of construction, most of London has been rebuilt with new standards. The City now features stone buildings, wider streets, and the newly constructed St. Paul's Cathedral. ## Consequences - **1667 - Fire of London Act 1667**: Parliament passed legislation establishing the first fire insurance company (The Fire Office, founded 1667) and mandating brick and stone construction over timber in rebuilt areas, fundamentally changing London's architecture - **1668 - Rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral**: Christopher Wren commissioned to design a new cathedral; construction began in 1668 and took 35 years, resulting in the iconic baroque structure that still stands today - **1667 - Urban planning reforms**: John Evelyn and Christopher Wren proposed wider streets and public squares to prevent future fire spread; though not fully implemented, these ideas influenced London's subsequent development and became foundational to modern urban planning - **1667 - Birth of insurance industry**: The Fire Office created the first fire insurance policies and hired the first full-time firefighters ('firemen'), establishing the prototype for modern insurance and professional fire brigades - **1667 - Population displacement and migration**: Approximately 100,000 residents were displaced; many relocated to areas west of the City, accelerating the growth of Westminster and establishing London's westward expansion that continues to define the city's geography ## Then vs now - **Area of London destroyed**: 1666: approximately 13,200 houses → 2024: 0.6 square miles (1.55 sq km) - The fire consumed roughly 80% of the City of London's housing stock within the medieval walls - **Estimated death toll**: 1666: fewer than 20 confirmed deaths → 2015: likely 70,000+ based on modern analysis - Contemporary records undercount casualties; Samuel Pepys's diary remains primary source but scholars now believe mortality was substantially higher - **Churches destroyed**: 1666: 87 parish churches → 1697: 51 rebuilt by Christopher Wren - St Paul's Cathedral was gutted; Wren's cathedral took 35 years to complete - **Reconstruction cost**: 1666: estimated £1 million → 2024: approximately £100+ million in 2024 values - Adjusted for inflation; 17th-century England's annual revenue was roughly £2 million ## Impact The Great Fire obliterated London's medieval core and triggered the largest urban rebuilding project of the 17th century. Christopher Wren's redesign introduced wider streets and stone construction standards that became a blueprint for modern city planning. The financial and administrative machinery required to rebuild transformed London into a more resilient and commercially dominant city. ## Sources - [Great Fire of London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Fire_of_London) - Wikipedia --- Canonical: https://recap.at/1666/great-fire-london