The Monument to the Great Fire of London is a towering 202 ft tall column designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Dr. Robert Hooke. Completed in 1677, the Monument is a tribute to the Great Fire of 1666, and a testament to the resilience of London and its citizens. The height of the Monument is significant, representing the distance between its base and the site of the bakery on Pudding Lane, where the fire started. The fire destroyed 87 parish churches, the Royal Exchange, the Guildhall, and the original St. Paul's Cathedral. Amazingly, only six deaths are recorded as directly related to the fire.
The original site of Thomas Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane is no longer a standing building. On September 2, 1666, a small fire broke out in the bakery due to a neglected oven. The fire spread quickly through the narrow, wooden buildings that populated the city at the time. Most buildings were covered by pitch for preservation against the elements and roofed with thatch. The unusually dry summer and strong winds from the east contributed to the rapid spread of the flames on the tinderbox housing.
St. Paul's Cathedral, as we know it today was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The original St. Paul's Cathedral, built in the Gothic style, was one of the most significant buildings destroyed during the Great Fire. Following the fire, Wren was commissioned to design a new cathedral, which stands today as an iconic symbol of London.
The historic Guildhall, which served as the city's administrative center, was also partially destroyed by the fire. However, it was later restored and continues to be an essential landmark in London's history. The Lord Mayor of London at the time was Thomas Bludworth. His staff woke him during the night to tell him of the conflagration. The story goes that Bludworth's reaction was dismissive of the seriousness of the situation. His indecisiveness and failure to take adequate measures to contain the fire likely contributed to the severity of the disaster.
At the time, there were no organized fire brigades nor any systemized way of firefighting. Efforts were made to extinguish the fire, but without adequate water delivery and equipment to spray the flames, efforts were largely ineffective. Samuel Pepys, the Clerk to the Royal Navy, recommended to King Charles II that buildings be pulled down to prevent the spread of flames. He used gunpowder and firehooks to tear down buildings in the path of the fire to retard its progress. The fire raged for four days, from September 2 to September 6, 1666.
The fire had a devastating impact on London's population, with an estimated 70,000 of the city's residents losing their homes. Despite the massive destruction, the death toll was surprisingly low, with only six recorded deaths. However, the actual number may have been higher, as many poorer victims may not have been documented. The River Thames played a crucial role in fighting the fire, providing water for firefighters and serving as an escape route for many residents.
The fire led to tremendous financial losses for the city and its residents. Consequently, the disaster prompted the development of modern insurance practices, with many insurance companies emerging in the years following the fire.
Left: Monument to the Great Fire in London
The Rebuilding of London Act of 1666, mandated the use of brick and stone for new buildings to reduce the risk of future fires. The act also led to the creation of a more organized city layout, with wider streets and more open spaces. The Great Fire transformed London into a more fire-resistant and well-planned city.