London Before The Great Fire: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:20, 21 May 2013

London´s Situation

In 1666 London was England´s largest city with a population of over 500.000. The overcrowded town was mainly populated by merchants and manufacturers. It was England´s largest market and most important port and it was therefore known as economic powerhouse. The centre encompassed about 2.833 km² and 80.000 inhabitants and was sourrounded by a defensive city wall. Several slums were situated beyond this city wall. The Great Fire in 1666 destroyed four fifths of London´s city including most medieval buildings.

Architecture

Most of London´s former architecture reached back to the Middle Ages. There were still narrow and winding paved alleys. The typical timbered houses, which were up to four stories high, dominated the city´s appearance. These tenements were made of wood and thatch and the lower stories were overhung by the upper ones so that they decreased distance between the different buildings and could block the sun.

Famous Buildings

There were also some famous buildings standing in London before 1666:

The London Guildhall which was built in 1411 is the only secular stone structure which still exists. The interior was completely demolished by the fire but the outer stone framework remained nearly untouched.

The Old St Paul´s Cathedral had one of Europe´s tallest church spires. People already had to rebuild it after a fire in 1087. The fire in 1666 destroyed the wooden roof and much of the stonework.

-The Newgate Prison was completely destroyed as well as the Royal Exchange.

References and Further Reading

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/londonfire.htm

http://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Origins-1.htm

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/visiting-the-city/walks-tours-and-architecture/historic-architecture/Pages/default.aspx?page=all

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Fire_of_London

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_St_Paul%27s_Cathedral

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 == London´s Situation ==
-In 1666 London was with a population of over 500.000  England´s largest city. The overcrowded town was owned by trading and manufacturing classes. It was England´s largest market and most important port and it was therefore known as economical powerhouse. The centre encompassed  about 2.833 km² and 80.000 inhabitants and was sourrounded by a defensive city wall. Several slums were situated beyond this city wall.
+In 1666 London was England´s largest city with a population of over 500.000. The overcrowded town was mainly populated by merchants and manufacturers. It was England´s largest market and most important port and it was therefore known as economic powerhouse. The centre encompassed  about 2.833 km² and 80.000 inhabitants and was sourrounded by a defensive city wall. Several slums were situated beyond this city wall.
 The Great Fire in 1666 destroyed four fifths of London´s city including most medieval buildings.
@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == Architecture ==
-Most of London´s former architecture reached back to the Middle Ages. There were still narrow and winding paved alleys. The typical up to four stories high timbered houses dominated the city´s appearance. These tenements were made of wood and thatch and the lower stories were overhung by the upper ones so that they decreased distance between the different buildings and could block the sun.
+Most of London´s former architecture reached back to the Middle Ages. There were still narrow and winding paved alleys. The typical timbered houses, which were up to four stories high, dominated the city´s appearance. These tenements were made of wood and thatch and the lower stories were overhung by the upper ones so that they decreased distance between the different buildings and could block the sun.
-== Areas ==
-'''Centre'''
-The wealthy centre of London was the only area mostly consisting of stone-buildings. Merchants and brokers had their houses with land there. Financial services and small-scaled industries were also located there.
-'''West'''
-In the west was some space for squares like Convent Garden and for noble houses as well as for the government and service industries.
-'''East'''
-Normal houses and small industrial concerns mixed up in the east.
-'''Riverfront'''
-Poorer districts with cardboard shacks lined up at the riverfront.
 == Famous Buildings ==
-There were also some nowadays famous buildings standing in London before 1666:
+There were also some famous buildings standing in London before 1666:
--The London Guildhall which was built in 1411 is the only secular stone structure which still exists. The interior was completely demolished by the fire but the outer stone framework remained nearly untouched.
+The London Guildhall which was built in 1411 is the only secular stone structure which still exists. The interior was completely demolished by the fire but the outer stone framework remained nearly untouched.
--The Old St. Paul´s Cathedral had one of Europe´s tallest church spires in former times. People already had to rebuilt it after a fire in 1087. The fire in 1666 destroyed the wooden roof and much of the stonework.
+The Old St Paul´s Cathedral had one of Europe´s tallest church spires. People already had to rebuild it after a fire in 1087. The fire in 1666 destroyed the wooden roof and much of the stonework.
 -The Newgate Prison was completely destroyed as well as the Royal Exchange.