London Before The Great Fire
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. 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 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.
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:
-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 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