Table of Contents
What started the fire of London?
On 2 September 1666, an event started that would change the face of London. The Great Fire broke out from a baker’s house in Pudding Lane. By the time it was over four days later, much of the medieval city lay in smoking ruins. These objects from our collections tell the story of the Great Fire.
What happened to the man who started the Great Fire of London?
French watchmaker Robert Hubert confessed to starting the blaze and was hanged on October 27, 1666. Years later it was revealed he was at sea when the fire began, and could not have been responsible.
Who stopped the London fire?
The battle to put out the fire is considered to have been won by two key factors: the strong east wind dropped, and the Tower of London garrison used gunpowder to create effective firebreaks, halting further spread eastward.
Why was the Great Fire of London in 1666 so devastating?
Following a long, dry summer the city was suffering a drought. Water was scarce and the wooden houses had dried out, making them easier to burn… it was a recipe for disaster.
Is Pudding Lane still there?
Today Pudding Lane in the City of London is a fairly unexciting little street but there’s still a plaque marking the spot where the fire began – or at least ‘near this site’.
How did the Great Fire of London end?
On September 5, the fire slackened, and on September 6 it was brought under control. That evening, flames again burst forth in the Temple (the legal district), but the explosion of buildings with gunpowder extinguished the flames.
Who did the baker blame for the start of the fire?
It was decided the Catholics were to blame and for 150 years this was commonly believed in England. However, it is now decided that even though Thomas Farriner was so definite he had dampened down his stove fires in his bakery, the fire more than likely started in Pudding Lane after all.
Are there any medieval buildings left in London?
Much like the houses on Cloth Fair, Long Lane was protected from the flames of 1666 by the priory walls of St Bartholomew’s. The two remaining 16th century structures are now at number 74 and 75, although their facades date from the Victorian and Georgian eras respectively.
Which famous building was destroyed in the Great Fire of London?
Many of the City of London’s most iconic buildings were consumed: St Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Exchange, Newgate Prison, Christ’s Hospital, even Whittington’s Longhouse, one of the biggest public toilets in Europe, in the Vintry.
What was lost in the Great Fire of London?
“Oh the miserable and calamitous spectacle!” wrote John Evelyn in 1666, “mine eyes … now saw above 10,000 houses all in one flame.” The conflagration he witnessed from 2-5 September destroyed much of the medieval metropolis, swallowing 400 streets, 13,200 houses, 87 churches, and 44 livery halls.
Is there any evidence of the Great Fire of London?
A variety of artefacts and architectural fragments have been found in amongst burnt debris in chalk-lined wells, privies and stone-built cellars. This material accumulated as buildings above collapsed and as a result of the subsequent tidy up of debris post-Fire.
Who was King of England during the Great Fire of London?
King Charles II’s
In the early morning hours, the Great Fire of London breaks out in the house of King Charles II’s baker on Pudding Lane near London Bridge. It soon spread to Thames Street, where warehouses filled with combustibles and a strong easterly wind transformed the blaze into an inferno.
What’s the oldest thing in London?
The Tower of London – 1078 AD.
Did St Paul’s survive the Great Fire of London?
Although the Great Fire of London destroyed over 13,000 houses, almost 90 churches and even the mighty St Paul’s Cathedral, a handful of survivors managed to escape the flames and can still be seen to this day.