In 1600 fires were quite common in London.  But on Sunday September 2nd 1666, in the King’s bakery in Pudding Lane near London Bridge a fire started shortly after midnight, and since that summer had been very hot and there had been no rain for weeks, the wooden houses and buildings were very dry.  So, the fire spread very fast, advancing north on Monday into the heart of the City, and on Tuesday, the fire spread over most of the City, burning down St Paul’s Cathedral.  

At that time fires were fought demolishing the houses downwind of a dangerous fire, but the Major refused stating that most premises were rented and the owners could not be found.  On Tuesday evening the wind dropped and the firebreaks finally began to take effect on Wednesday.  By the 6th September the fire had been extinguished altogether.

Although four fifths of London and all the civic buildings, as well as 13,000 private dwellings had been destroyed, only six people died.  The loss of property was estimated at £5 to £7 million.  After that, in 1675 Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt the City of London into the city we know today.