The Great Fire of London: Private Half-Day Walking Tour
Explore the heart of the city of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, and Pudding Lane where a small fire in a bakery led to what became known as "the Great Fire of London" in September 1666. It was one of the capital's most historically significant and devastating events, leaving destruction and despair in its wake. The fire led to the modernisation of housing and infrastructure in London, forcing huge attitude changes toward the safety and poverty of the people.
On your private half-day walking tour you will:
- Begin where it all started, at a little bakery on Pudding Lane, where a few loose embers led to the Great Fire that destroyed so much of the city;
- Learn about a momentous event in London's history – the effects of which are visible today;
- Trace the path of the fire, from Pudding Lane to St Paul's Cathedral;
- Stop by the plaque of St. Mary Colechurch, and then to Guildhall;
- Walk through the fire path toward the Royal Exchange;
- See other key Great Fire sites like Monument and piece together pictures and archive material;
- Get personalised suggestions for post-tour reading, documentaries to watch, and other interesting sights to visit;
- Visit a medieval tavern, frequented by Charles Dickens, that survived the fire;
- End with a one-hour guided tour of the 'new' St Paul's Cathedral which was completely destroyed during the Great Fire of London.
In the early hours of September 2nd, 1666, a small fire broke out at a bakery on Pudding Lane. The conditions were optimal for disaster – the timber and thatch houses were situated in extremely close proximity to one other, one witness reported that you could wake up in the morning, open the window and shake hands with your neighbour.
The city had also been plagued by drought for about 6 months, meaning that the timber was particularly dry. The fire escalated rapidly, burning down around 13,000 homes and 87 churches over four days and severely damaging St Paul’s Cathedral. What happened and how did the fire wreak so much havoc?
On this private walking tour, you will learn about how the fire began and how it spread. Debate some of the key issues surrounding the topic with your expert guide. If not for Baker Thomas Farriner’s carelessness with a few dying embers, would London have remained a medieval city? Or was this a tragedy waiting to happen?
Did the fire paradoxically cause more good than bad, or do we underestimate the scale of the fire’s damage? What about the people who lost their homes, livelihoods, and even their lives? Hear some historic eyewitness accounts.
You and your guide will trace the key sites of the Great Fire with a walk around the City of London: from Pudding Lane, Monument, and old local churches to alleyways and pre-1666 taverns. See how the area has been transformed, and what remains of it and explore some archival materials to build up an accurate picture of London at the time, and the events that would reshape the city forever.
End with a fascinating hour-long guided tour of the majestic St Paul's Cathedral - rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren and Hawksmoor after the Great Fire largely destroyed it. Inspired by Michelangelo's Dome for St Peter's Basilica in Rome, it was for many years the tallest building in London.
It has been the backdrop to numerous royal occasions including the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Admire its magnificent architecture, and hear about the process of rebuilding.
