For all of you who love London and its history, a reminder that today is the anniversary date of The Great Fire Of London.
For those who will be in London in the month of September, the Museum Of London has a special exhibit this month about The Great Fire Of London. A wonderful museum.
This month's issue of BBC History Magazine had an interesting article I wanted to share with you.
"10 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About The Great Fire Of London."
http://www.historyextra.com/article/united-kingdom/10-facts-great-fire-london?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=HistoryEXTRA-merge-02.09.16_46658_BBC%20History_Newsletters
Excerpts from the book by writer Rebecca Rideal, "1666: Plague, War and Hellfire". Submitted to BBC History Magazine by Emma Mason.
Quoted directly from the article, the following two paragraphs:
During the early hours of 2 September 1666, a fire broke out in Thomas Farriner’s bakehouse on Pudding Lane, which blazed and spread with such ferocity and speed that within a few days the old City of London was reduced to a charred ruin. More than 13,000 houses, 87 churches and 44 livery halls were destroyed, the historic city gates were wrecked, and the Guildhall, St Paul’s Cathedral, Baynard’s Castle and the Royal Exchange were severely damaged – in some cases, beyond repair.
On 5 September 1666, the 33-year-old Samuel Pepys climbed the steeple of the ancient church of All Hallows-by-the-Tower and was met with the “the saddest sight of desolation that I ever saw; everywhere great fires, oyle-cellars, and brimstone, and other things burning”. Leaving the church, he wandered along Gracechurch Street, Fenchurch Street and Lombard Street towards the Royal Exchange, which he found to be “a sad sight” with all the pillars and statues (except one of Sir Thomas Gresham) destroyed. The ground scorched his feet and he found nothing but dust, ash and ruins. It was the fourth day of the Great Fire of London and, though some parts of the city would continue to burn for months, the worst of the destruction was finally over.
What’s more, the burning lasted months, not days: Pepys recorded that cellars were still burning in March of the following year.
If you want an interesting read, pick up a copy of Samuel Pepys' Diaries. He writes in great detail about the Great Fire Of London, and his life and times in London.