PrepWisePrepWiseThe Great Fire of London
Restoration England 1660-1685Introduction

Setting the Scene

Part of The Great Fire of London — GCSE History

This introduction covers Setting the Scene 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 2 of 17 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Topic position

Section 2 of 17

Practice

9 questions

Recall

4 flashcards

📖 Setting the Scene

2am, Sunday 2nd September 1666. Thomas Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane catches fire. Just a year after the plague, London is about to face another catastrophe. The summer had been hot and dry. Houses were timber-framed, built close together, with overhanging upper floors. Fire spread quickly. By the time it burned out four days later, 13,200 houses, 87 churches, and St Paul's Cathedral were destroyed. Amazingly, only 6 deaths were officially recorded — though the true number may be higher. The fire would transform London and create opportunities for a grand rebuilding.

▶ The Great Fire of London 1666 - History Matters (4 mins)

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in The Great Fire of London. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

The Great Fire of London 1666Why Did It Spread So Far?Key StatisticsResponse During the Fire

Practice Questions for The Great Fire of London

Where did the Great Fire of London begin on 2 September 1666?

  • A. A candle factory on Cheapside
  • B. Thomas Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane
  • C. The Royal Exchange on Cornhill
  • D. A timber yard near the River Thames
1 markfoundation

Which of the following best explains why Lord Mayor Bludworth's response to the Great Fire made the situation worse?

  • A. He ordered too many buildings demolished, creating gaps the fire jumped across
  • B. He fled London, leaving no authority in charge during the crisis
  • C. He dismissed the fire as minor and delayed ordering demolitions to create firebreaks
  • D. He ordered the docks sealed, preventing water supplies from the Thames
1 markfoundation

Quick Recall Flashcards

How many houses were destroyed?
13,200 houses and 87 churches, including the medieval St Paul's Cathedral. The fire burned for four days, destroying about one-third of the City of London. Remarkably, only 6-8 deaths were officially recorded.
Where did the Great Fire start?
Thomas Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane, in the early hours of Sunday 2 September 1666. An unextinguished oven overnight started the blaze that spread rapidly through dry wooden buildings.

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Why Did It Spread So Far?