In memory of Sir Christopher there is an inscription in the Cathedral, which reads, Si Monumentum Requiris Circumspice. Some houses were at once blown up by gunpowder, and thus the fire was finally mastered. 'Blowing up houses stopped the fire when it was done, bringing down the houses in the same places they stood, and then it was easy to quench what little fire was in it'. Dolphins use baby voices too, Football transfers: Keep across the biggest moves. The fire was a softening of the city ahead of an invasion, or they were already here, whoever they were. The last major fire was in 1633, destroying 42 buildings at the northern end of London Bridge and 80 on Thames Street, but there were smaller fires all the time. A fire could easily get out of control. Long Lane, Smithfield. Officials were in the strange position of trying to prove he hadnt done what he said he did, but Hubert was adamant and everyone else simply thought he was, to put it in contemporary terms, mad. The houses were made of wood and very close together. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. When was the Great Fire of London? The fire started in the early hours of the morning of September 2 on Pudding Lane in the bakery of Thomas Farriner. One of the most famous disasters in London's history, the Great Fire of London in 1666 devastated the heart of England's capital, destroying more than 13,000 houses and badly damaging landmarks including St Paul's Cathedral and the Royal Exchange. Would you fancy 'living on Mars' for a year? London was also a refuge for foreign Protestants fleeing persecution in their majority Catholic homelands, including the Flemish and French Huguenots. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Guildhall Library & Art Gallery/Heritage Images/Getty Images, https://www.history.com/news/when-london-burned-1666s-great-fire. The London Gazette's reporting of the disaster says it began 'in a quarter of Town so close built with wooden pitched houses'. This, combined with the dry, dusty air, was known to be particularly effective in carrying plague. The lead roof melted and flowed down Ludgate Hill, and stones exploded from the building. Fetch the ketchup,. The London Gazette, the citys twice-weekly newspaper, ran a small item about the fire in its Monday edition, among gossip about the Prince of Saxes unconsummated marriage to the Princess of Denmark and news of a storm in the English Channel. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. But the fire spread quickly - a combination of a strong wind, closely built properties and a warm summer which had dried out the wood and thatch used to construct homes meaning an area mile and a half wide along the River Thames was almost completely destroyed. 95.313. We need to blamethem, whoever they are.. Hysteria had raged as fiercely as the flames, as frightened fingers fell on foreigners. The acres of lead on the roof melted and poured down on to the street like a river, and the great cathedral collapsed. Several factors contributed to the fires slow but unstoppable spread: Many of the residents of Pudding Lane were asleep when the fire began and slow to react, not that they could have done much beyond throw buckets of whatever liquid beer, milk, urine, water was on hand. This picture shows people escaping the flames. Your Privacy Rights A French womans breasts were cut off by Londoners who thought the chicks she carried in her apron were incendiaries. Pepys described a most horrid malicious bloody flame that stretched for over a mile. Video Transcript Rat: How did The Great Fire of London start? The Great Fire of London Was Blamed on Religious Terrorism People loaded their things onto carts and tried to leave town. But by Monday evening, Londoners began to suspect that this fire was no accident. Not only that, but Londoners' hoped that the cathedral churchyard would be safe and inadvertently made the damage even worse. Nevertheless, Wrens great work was the erection of St. Pauls Cathedral and the many churches ranged around it as satellites. London was, but is no more, Evelyn lamented. The summer of 1666 had been particularly dry, with drought making it more likely that fires would spread. When London Burned: 1666's Great Fire | HISTORY Some said foreigners caused it. The numbers of people dying from plague were already in decline from the winter of 1665 onwards. A blacksmith felled a Frenchman in the street with a vicious blow with an iron bar; a witness recalled seeing his innocent blood flowing in a plentiful stream down his ankles. Not only were houses made of wood in 1666, but so were water pipes, and much of the water supply infrastructure was destroyed. In the early hours of 2 September 1666, a fire started in London. It came hot on the heels of the Great Plague and left the world's third largest city of the time a shadow of its former self. As the fire raged, many people took refuge in St. Pauls Cathedral, a medieval church whose 500-foot spire had long dominated the London skyline. Although he claimed to have extinguished the fire, three. The English had just burnt the Dutch port city of West-Terschelling to the ground just two weeks earlier. Royal proclamations dating back over 60 years demanded that new buildings be built from brick. We strive for accuracy and fairness. A Swedish diplomat was nearly hung, saved only by the Duke of York who happened to see him and demand he be let down. Before heading to bed that night, Farriner had made a final inspection of his bakery and raked the spent coals in his ovens, which were still warm from a day of making ships biscuit for King Charles IIs navy. Why Hubert said he did it remains unclear, although there is a significant body of literature on why people confess to things they couldnt possibly have done. Fire! | READ MORE. The idea is that there was a silver lining to the tragedy of the fire, as it ended the great plague that swept the city from 1665-66. This was provided at the house of Thomas Farynor, the king's baker in Pudding Lane, near London Bridge. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Thomas Farriner was the owner and operator of a bakehouse just off the aptly-named Pudding Lane. Watch: Why did the Great Fire of London happen? Lord love a psychopath. He would later swear that the ovens were extinguished when he retired to his upstairs apartment, but it seems that a smoldering ember escaped and started a fire. Its very real A lot of what the authorities are doing is trying to damp down that sort of panic., But extinguishing the rumors proved almost as difficult as putting out the fire itself. It's thought that the fire started in a baker's shop early in the morning. As the fire raged on, people tried to leave the city and poured down to the River Thames in an attempt to escape by boat. Background notes also provide contemporary views on the causes of the fire, based on original documents at The National Archives. That evening, it roared through the Royal Exchange before engulfing Baynards Castle, a centuries-old fortress. Architect Sir Christopher Wren was involved with improvements to the pre-fire cathedral and had submitted designs just weeks before the fire, including cladding it in Portland stone and putting a dome on top of the existing tower. Finally, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade was formed, bringing with it new fire stations, a new uniform and a new rank system. A second report on the fire that week, however, was not forthcoming. The Farriners manservant, Teagh, raised the alarm, climbing to the upper floors where Thomas, Hanna, and their maid slept. ID no. Buildings that Survived the Great Fire of London. Uptake was slow, however, and later proclamations repeated this demand several times, such as in October 1607, when King James stated that new brick or stone buildings would both adorne and beautifie his said City, and be lesse subject to danger of fire'. Updated: May 17, 2023 | Original: September 2, 2016. Three myths about the Great Fire of London | Museum of London London had already burned several times in its history, most notably in 1212, but in September 1666 the conditions were present for an inferno of epic proportions. But thats the point of it: nobody knew.. It did so again: only a third of the bridge was burned, saving Southwark from destruction and confining the fire to the City of London, on the north bank. A18148, Samuel Pepys saw a cat being pulled from the ruins of a burnt-out building by the Royal Exchange on 5 September. St Pauls Cathedral (Clue: from above it looks like a cross, not a dome), Pudding Lane (Clue: north of the river, near the bridge). It was not until 1831 that the inscription on the fire's commemorative Monument, blaming 'the treachery and malice of the Popish faction', was removed. As the day wore on, the wind continued to feed the fire and blow it west across the homes, halls and churches of central London. Great Fire of London 1666 - Historic UK And 1681 was a big year for anti-Catholic rhetoric, prompted in part by the dragonnades in France that forced French Protestants to convert to Catholicism and, closer to home, by the so-called Popish Plot, a fictitious Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Charles II entirely invented by a former Church of England curate whose false claims resulted in the executions of as many as 35 innocent people. Inside their homes, people used candles for light and. James Dalton, from the Association of British Insurers, said: "The Great Fire of London led to the modern insurance industry we know today.". The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The causes of the fire and. What losses did Russia suffer in the Wagner revolt? In fact, records show that there were even brick houses on Pudding Lane, that notorious street where the fire began, before 1666. This is the myth that I hear people talking about most often. According to The Telegraph, though, we do know some of the important details. This lesson can be used with pupils at Key stage 1 for the history National Curriculum in year 2. Nine scenes from the 1665 plague that ravaged London. 2023 BBC. Although Charles II had returned to Whitehall in February 1666, London remained unsafe, with death carts still commonplace. However, the fire was most likely caused by chance rather than by a deliberate act. Also buildings were made out of using wooden timbers and were built closely together, so once they'd started it was pretty easy for fires to spread. Architects seized on the opportunity and presented ambitious building schemes, some of which called for boulevards and piazzas modeled after the great cities of France and Italy. Hookes task was the humbler one of arranging as city surveyor for the building of the houses. Six people were recorded to have lost their lives as a result of the fire but it's thought many more could have died. The Great Fire Of London Finally Explained - Grunge This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. Yet the blaze was moving so fast that it repeatedly overran the men as they worked. One man's extraordinary journey from west African prince through slavery to London high society. Some buildings did survive the conflagration, but only a handful can still be seen to this day. At the time, London was the third largest city in the Western world, behind Constantinople and Paris, and roughly 30 times larger than any other English town. Physician Nicholas Barbon capitalised on the business opportunity, setting up the first insurance company, the Fire Office, in 1667. The sky was red with huge flames from the fire. Several people judged to be foreigners were hurt during Wednesdays riot; contemporaries were surprised that no one had been killed. Demonstrably, the Dutch and the French hadnt invaded, so blaming a foreign power was no longer plausible. The wait was not a long one. In April 1665, Charles had warned the Lord Mayor of London of the danger caused by the narrow streets and overhanging timber houses. However, there are still some enduring myths and misconceptions that the Museum of Londons Fire! He was helped by a jury - that included three Farynors - and was hanged at Tyburn. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence An inventory from the same year shows the parish of St Botolph's, Billingsgate, half a mile from Pudding Lane, had 36 buckets and a ladder. Anyone found to be flouting the new rules would be punished by having their house pulled down. London had already burned several times in its history . This was the last major outbreak of the bubonic plague in London, and killed 100,000 Londoners- about 20% of the city's population. 2. Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn, the diarists, both gave dramatic, first-hand accounts of the next few days. A violent east wind encouraged the flames, which raged during the whole of Monday and part of Tuesday. People continued to die from plague in London after the Great Fire was over. Indeed, when the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Thomas Bloodworth was woken up to be told about the fire, he replied Pish! The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Buildings were largely made of wood; fires were common. The medieval regulations appear to have been successful in preventing large-scale fires. The Great Fire of London burned day and night for almost four days in 1666 until only a tiny fraction of the City remained. They may have read it in a childrens book or heard it at school. When Thomas went to bed, he did not put out the fire that heated his oven. Oil painting of the Great Fire, seen from Newgate. The fire still spread, helped by a strong wind from the east. How did Charles plan to stop fires spreading in London? His bones & keys were found in the ruins. By the end of Sunday the fire had begun to travel against the wind, towards the Tower, and Pepys had begun to pack. Who fell in love. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. The first is Samuel Pepys, who worked for the Navy. The flames spread through the house, down Pudding Lane and into the nearby streets. The Duke of York took control of efforts to stop the fire, with militias summoned from neighbouring counties to help the fight, and stop looting. Was this God's judgment on wicked King Charles II? Importantly, building materials also changed. More troubling, however, was that Londoners began to take vengeance into their own hands, says Tinniswood. Within a few days of the fire, three different plans were presented to the king for the rebuilding of the city, by Christopher Wren, John Evelyn, and Robert Hooke; but none of these plans to regularize the streets was adopted, and in consequence the old lines were in almost every case retained. Have a go at reading the original document first to spot familiar words, but all documents are transcribed and have simplified transcripts. Many interesting details of the fire are given in Samuel Pepyss Diary. Even if there were a small number of thatched buildings lurking in the densely-packed streets, they were not in significant numbers to be noted as a cause of the Great Fire by 17th-century authors. Any existing roofs with thatch had to be plastered. Samuel Pepys, one of the most famous chroniclers of the fire. Discover facts about the Great Fire of London which devastated the heart of England's capital in 1666. . That people believed that the city was under attack, that the fire was the plot of either the Dutch or the French, was logical, not paranoia. Great Fire of London, (September 25, 1666), the worst fire in Londons history. In 1678, during the Popish Plot, Titus Oates declared that Jesuit priests were to set fire to the city, prompting a Commons resolution declaring that 'the City of London was burnt in the year 1666 by the Papists to introduce arbitrary power and Popery into this Kingdom'. The fire left many areas that had been devastated by the plague untouched. The Great Fire of London game Engraving by Giovanni Antonio Canaletto. Read about our approach to external linking. These were meeting places for different kinds of craftsmen. Pie Corner is still marked with a statue of a plump golden boy, formerly known as the Fat Boy, which was intended as a reminder of Londons sinning ways. If anyone asks you about this, you can tell them that its not true. The overcrowded and disease ridden streets were destroyed and a new London emerged. Potential activities: The class could make a class mural of the Great Fire of London or pupils could do an individual drawing. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine "There are reports that local people brought their furniture to the churchyard as they thought it would be safe and stacked it high against the cathedral walls," said Simon Carter, head of collections at St Paul's Cathedral. This is the myth that I hear people talking about most often. A monument was erected in Pudding Lane on the spot where the fire began and can be seen today, where it is a reminder of those terrible days in September 1666. Pupils could read extracts (or simplified versions) from the diaries of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn. The Great Fire of London - BBC Bitesize Fireballs were made from animal fat (called tallow), set alight and used to start fires. The Pepys Diary website site publishes daily extracts from the diary. By Monday, 300 houses had burned down. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. London was a cramped, overcrowded city lighted by candles and fireplaces. The exhibition Fire! Drawing of a house made from combustible materials, built before the Great Fire. Eighty-nine parish churches, the Guildhall, numerous other public buildings, jails, markets and fifty-seven halls were now just burnt-out shells. By the afternoon of September 5, the fires were corralled and starting to burn themselves out. The Catholic conspiracy story persisted for years: In 1681, the local ward erected a plaque on the site of the Pudding Lane bakery reading, Here by the permission of Heaven, Hell broke loose upon this Protestant city from the malicious hearts of barbarous Papists, by the hand of their agent Hubert, who confessed. Ask your teacher for a map of London today. The plaque remained in place until the middle of the 18th century, when it was removed not because people had had a change of heart, but because visitors stopping to read the plaque were causing a traffic hazard. v3.0. What worried inhabitants most was the strong east wind. embers were falling on Kensington, and flames surrounded St Paul's Cathedral, covered in scaffolding. Updates? Linda Rodriguez McRobbie is an American freelance writer living in London, England. He was brought in for questioning and bizarrely, told authorities that hed set the fire, that he was part of a gang, that it was all a French plot. As a last resort gunpowder was used to blow up houses that lay in the path of the fire, and so create an even bigger fire-break, but the sound of the explosions started rumours that a French invasion was taking place. Sparks from the oven fell onto some dry flour sacks and they caught fire. The devastation meant Wren was able to completely redesign the building - but he did not have much concern for preserving any salvageable remains. even more panic!! Great Fire of London, (September 2-5, 1666), the worst fire in London 's history. London: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd (Chatto & Windus, 2000), A City Full of People: Men and Women of London 1650-1750 by P. Earle (1994), The London Encyclopaedia by Christopher Hibbert & Ben Weinreb (eds)(Macmillan, 1983), The Diary of Samuel Pepys by Samuel Pepys, edited by Robert Latham and William Matthews (1970-83), Restoration London by Liza Picard (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1997), The Rebuilding of London After the Great Fire by T.F. But with that came the chance to rebuild the city. It was also the first cathedral built in a Protestant England and Wren's design reflected the change from Catholicism. In the upper left-hand side the mythical phoenix suggests that London too would rise from the ashes. Long Lane, Smithfield. Two people have left us eyewitness accounts of the fire. To make matters worse, a months-long drought had created a water shortage and left most of the wood buildings kindling dry. Written by David Long, author of Hidden City: The Secret Alleys, Courts, Thank goodness for the National Health Service! By the 4th September half of London was in flames. The Spanish Ambassador opened his house to all foreigners in fear of their lives - Protestant Dutch as well as Catholic French - as religious bigotry and xenophobia, born in the Reformation and raised by the Gunpowder Plot, surfaced again. ", "The heat must have been intense because we have some medieval stones in the cathedral collections which have changed colour as a result of the fire, a witness described some of them as exploding like grenades.". The river swarmed with vessels filled with persons carrying away as many of their goods as they were able to save. The Great Fire of London | Royal Museums Greenwich A few neighbors formed a bucket brigade and began throwing water on the flames, but most simply stood idle or rushed home to secure their valuables. It started at a bakery belonging to the King's baker, Thomas Farriner. Charles II and his courtiers maintained that the fire was an accident, and though they were themselves involved in fighting the fire on the streets, there was only so much they could do to also stop the misinformation spreading. Museum of London registered charity number 1139250, Follow us on Twitter for news, views and conversation about London, Join us on Facebook and share your views on current London issues, Browse our YouTube videos of teaching resources, London history, fashion and more, See objects from our collection, snapshots of events and share your visits with us on Instagram, Great Fire only burnt about a quarter of the urban metropolis. The Church of St. Magnus the Martyr went up in smokeone of the first of the 84 churches lost in the fireas did dozens of riverside guildhalls and warehouses. We dont know for sure. A scapegoat was needed: the more foreign, the better. After the fire, there seems be a lot of paranoia that is was a Catholic plot, that Catholics in London would conspire with Catholics abroad and force the Protestant population to convert to Catholicism, Jeater explains.