The Great Fire of London in 1666

September, 1666; carried by a strong east wind, in just four days Shakespeare’s London would disappear forever, consumed by a towering inferno.

Seventeenth century London was a scandalously populous city; scant care was given to the poor, and their dwellings were waterproofed solely by pitch.

It was only a matter of time before tragedy struck, and as a result a hundred thousand were left homeless, with many more imperilled through speculation and circumstance.

A landmark text upon its original publication, within its evocative pages Bell uses Samuel Pepys’ Diary along with other documentation to offer an appreciation of what the Great Fire was, what it meant for London, for the people who lived there … and how she endured.