Books
Phase
Great Fire of London
1666 CE
The Great Fire began in September 1666 and spread rapidly through the crowded wooden city. It destroyed churches, homes, shops, guild halls and public buildings, including old St Paul’s Cathedral. Although deaths were relatively few compared with the plague, the destruction was enormous.
The fire mattered because it forced London to rebuild and rethink its urban fabric. It also generated rumours, anti-Catholic suspicion and political blame. The rebuilt city became a symbol of resilience, but many lives and livelihoods were permanently altered.
Andrew Taylor’s Marwood and Lovett series uses the aftermath of the fire as a central setting, making ruined and rebuilding London part of the plot. The event suits novels about architects, clerks, refugees, criminals, servants, booksellers and people trying to profit from or survive disaster.
Related people for Great Fire of London
Non-Fiction
1 Best Non-Fiction Book About the Great Fire of London
Histories, biographies and reference works are listed separately from the historical novels above.