Common Misconceptions
Part of The Great Fire of London — GCSE History
This common misconceptions covers Common Misconceptions within The Great Fire of London for GCSE History. Revise The Great Fire of London in Restoration England 1660-1685 for GCSE History with 9 exam-style questions and 4 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 14 of 17 in this topic. Use this common misconceptions to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 14 of 17
Practice
9 questions
Recall
4 flashcards
⚠️ Common Misconceptions
Misconception 1: "The Great Fire of London killed thousands of people"
The official death toll recorded at the time was just six people. This is one of the most surprising statistics in the whole of GCSE history. The fire spread slowly enough at first for most Londoners to escape, and it mostly burned at night when people were fleeing rather than in the path of the flames. However, historians believe the real number was higher — the deaths of the very poor, the homeless, and those who fled into the countryside were simply not recorded. Examining the figure critically shows historical thinking: official statistics reflect what authorities chose to record, not necessarily reality.
Misconception 2: "Samuel Pepys was just a bystander who wrote a diary"
Samuel Pepys was not just a witness — he was a senior government official serving as Clerk of the Acts to the Navy Board, one of the most powerful administrative posts in Restoration England. During the Great Fire, he personally rode to Whitehall and woke Charles II to report the scale of the fire, urging the King to order firebreaks. He buried his valuables (including a Parmesan cheese) in his garden to save them. His diary is one of the most detailed and immediate primary sources for the fire, but it matters because it comes from someone at the centre of power, not from an ordinary citizen. For exam purposes, always note Pepys's official position when using his account as evidence.
Misconception 3: "London was rebuilt according to Wren's grand plan"
Christopher Wren submitted an ambitious plan for a completely redesigned London with wide boulevards radiating from key buildings, similar to Paris. It was never implemented. The reasons are instructive: property rights in the City of London were extremely complicated — thousands of private landowners and the City's guilds refused to give up their existing plots, even for a grander scheme. Rebuilding a completely new street layout would have meant years of legal disputes. In practice, London was rebuilt largely on its existing street plan, but with the new construction standards of the Rebuilding Act 1667. The result was a city that looked safer but was not fundamentally redesigned. Wren did, however, rebuild St Paul's Cathedral (completed 1711) and 51 churches — a genuine architectural legacy.