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Great Fire of London

Type Event Region England Time 1666

From 2 to 5 September 1666, a fire starting at a bakery on Pudding Lane in the City of London, fanned by strong winds, swept through the densely pack…

Timeline

  1. 1666Pudding Lane · Greater LondonIn the early hours of 2 September 1666, the oven fire of Thomas Farriner's bakery ignited surrounding timber buildings, and the blaze quickly spiraled out of control under dry weather and an easterly wind.
  2. 1666London · Greater LondonThe fire burned continuously for about four days, consuming most of the City of London, including the old St Paul's Cathedral; King Charles II and the Duke of York personally directed firefighting efforts, and the blaze was finally contained by demolishing buildings to create firebreaks.
  3. 1666London · Greater LondonAfter the fire was extinguished, officials surveyed the extent of the damage and resettled refugees; architects including Christopher Wren were commissioned to survey and propose rebuilding plans, laying the groundwork for the 1667 Rebuilding Act and the new St Paul's Cathedral project.

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