When Did The Great Fire Of London Start?

The Great Fire of London was one of the greatest catastrophes in the city's history, and yet it is often credited with ending the Great Plague and therefore saving many thousands of lives.

The Great Fire began on 2nd September 1666, in Pudding Lane. Here lived Thomas Fraynor, a baker to the King who, it would seem, left his oven on overnight by accident. The fire spread rapidly, as a result of the materials from which much of London was built ~ wood and straw. The progress of the fire could have been easily stopped were it not for the actions of the Lord Mayor, who refused to order the demolition of building without the owners' consent. The destruction caused eventually totalled around £10 million, roughly equivalent to £1 billion today. 13,200 houses were destroyed, along with 87 churches.

Many people claim that the Great Plague was stopped by the Fire. However, the accuracy of this statement is questionable; the Fire raged across generally wealthy areas, while the rat-infested slums were largely unaffected.

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