Repro ID: H3681
Title: Charred wood from the Great Fire of London.
Description: This piece of timber was charred during the Great Fire of London of 1666. This destroyed a huge area of the City, including St Paul's Cathedral, 87 churches and 13,200 houses. In all this destruction, it is incredible that only six people are definitely known to have been killed. However, it seems likely that the actual death toll was much higher. The fire started in the house and shop of Thomas Farynor, baker to Charles II in Pudding Lane (the site of Farynor's house is marked today by the Monument). Farynor forgot to douse the fire in his oven on the previous night and embers set light to firewood stacked nearby. The wholesale rebuilding of the City, under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren, took several decades to complete.
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1666
Credit line: National Maritime Museum, London
