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The Great Fire of London

Society and politics

The social context of the fire and its repercussions across the country and beyond.
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Chapter 01

A city and country full of tension and fears

London was still recovering from the Great Plague the year before. Wars and religious tensions added to people’s fears.
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Before the fire

London was recovering from the Great Plague of 1664-65.

Before the fire: war

England was at war with France and the Netherlands. English and Dutch ships were on the brink of battle at the beginning of September 1666.

Before the fire: religious tensions

Most people in England were Protestant, and prejudice against the Catholic minority was common.

Chapter 02

Scapegoats and recovery

Faced with the enormity of the fire’s devastation, a fearful population tried to find someone to blame. However, getting London back on its feet was a more immediate concern.
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During the fire

With little news from London, the whole country wondered what might be happening in the capital.

After the fire: trade relations

Merchants across the country and overseas were concerned about how the fire would affect trade.

After the fire: a financial centre

It was important to get the City of London, a centre for trade, on its feet again.

22 January 1667

War and religious tensions had bred mistrust. An official investigation presented evidence on who was to blame for the fire.

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The fire
People’s lives
Streets and buildings
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Wars at home and overseas

Wars at home and overseas

In 1666 England was still feeling the effects of the English Civil War. The war had started in 1642 and years of violence and instability between those loyal to the Crown (Royalists) and those who supported Parliament (Parliamentarians) had followed. After the Commonwealth government (1649-60) collapsed, King Charles II had been restored to the throne. However, old rivalries and loyalties still divided people, both religiously and politically.

At various times in the 1600s, England had been at war with the Netherlands, France and Spain. In 1666, the country was fighting both France and the Netherlands and English troops burned down the Dutch town of West-Terschelling in August 1666.

The context of all these wars cuts through the story of the Great Fire. As a result of the conflicts there was much mistrust and prejudice against foreign residents in London.

Hostility was particularly strong against the French, as France was a Catholic nation and seen by many Protestant Londoners as a real threat. As the fire took hold of London, false rumours spread that it had been started as part of a foreign attack.

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