Discover fascinating Great Fire of London facts for children, from how the fire started and why it spread so quickly to what happened to London afterwards. These facts are ideal for children learning about the Great Fire of London at KS1, as well as teachers looking for useful information to support a History topic.
If you're teaching this topic in the classroom, explore our Great Fire of London KS1 resources and teaching ideas, or take a look at our ready-to-teach Great Fire of London KS1 planning.
When did the Great Fire of London start?
The Great Fire of London started in the early hours of Sunday 2nd September 1666. It began in a bakery on Pudding Lane in the City of London.
How long did the Great Fire of London last?
The Great Fire of London burned for almost five days. The main fire was brought under control by Thursday 6th September 1666, although smaller fires continued to burn afterwards.
Where did the Great Fire of London start?
The fire started in a bakery on Pudding Lane. The bakery belonged to Thomas Farriner, who was a baker to King Charles II.
How did the Great Fire of London start?
The exact cause of the fire is not known for certain, but it is believed to have started accidentally in Thomas Farriner's bakery. The fire broke out during the night and quickly spread from the bakery to neighbouring buildings.
Who started the Great Fire of London?
Thomas Farriner is often associated with the start of the Great Fire because it began in his bakery. However, there is no evidence that he deliberately started it. The fire is believed to have been an accident.
Why did the Great Fire of London spread so quickly?
Several factors helped the Great Fire spread rapidly through London. The summer of 1666 had been hot and dry, leaving timber buildings particularly vulnerable to fire. Many houses were built very close together in narrow streets, making it easy for flames to move from one building to another.
Wood and other flammable materials were widely used in buildings and businesses, and a strong wind helped carry the flames across the city. London also had no organised fire brigade like those we have today.
What happened during the Great Fire of London?
The fire spread from Pudding Lane through much of the City of London. People tried to escape with their possessions while others attempted to fight the flames using buckets of water, hooks and other equipment.
Buildings were also pulled down to create firebreaks. These gaps were intended to stop the flames spreading from one building to another.
One of our most important sources of information about the fire is the diary of Samuel Pepys, who witnessed the events and recorded what he saw.
How much of London was destroyed in the Great Fire?
The destruction was enormous. More than 13,000 houses were destroyed, along with dozens of churches and other important buildings. The old St Paul's Cathedral was among the famous buildings lost in the fire.
Thousands of people were left homeless and large areas of the City of London had to be rebuilt.
How many people died in the Great Fire of London?
Official records suggest that relatively few people died in the Great Fire of London. However, historians cannot be certain of the true number of deaths because records from the period were incomplete and some deaths may never have been recorded.
Who was Samuel Pepys?
Samuel Pepys was a Londoner who kept a detailed diary during the 1660s. He witnessed the Great Fire and wrote about what he saw as the flames spread across London.
His diary is an important historical source because it gives us an eyewitness account of the fire. Children studying the Great Fire of London can use sources such as diaries, pictures, maps and artefacts to investigate what happened and consider how we know about events from the past.
How did the Great Fire of London change London?
The Great Fire caused enormous destruction, but the rebuilding of London also brought significant changes to the city.
- Thousands of Londoners lost their homes.
- Large areas of the City of London had to be rebuilt.
- New regulations encouraged buildings to be constructed from materials such as brick and stone rather than timber.
- Streets and buildings were redesigned as London was rebuilt.
- The old St Paul's Cathedral was replaced by the cathedral designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
- New approaches to preventing and fighting fires developed in the years that followed.
- The Monument was built to commemorate the Great Fire.
What is the Monument to the Great Fire of London?
The Monument was built to commemorate the Great Fire of London. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke, the column stands near Pudding Lane and is 202 feet tall.
Its height is significant: the Monument is approximately 202 feet from the site on Pudding Lane where the Great Fire began.
Great Fire of London facts for children
Here are some key facts to remember:
- The Great Fire of London started on 2nd September 1666.
- It began in a bakery on Pudding Lane.
- The bakery belonged to Thomas Farriner.
- The fire burned for almost five days.
- More than 13,000 houses were destroyed.
- Samuel Pepys recorded his experiences of the fire in his diary.
- The old St Paul's Cathedral was destroyed.
- London was extensively rebuilt after the fire.
- The Great Fire happened during the reign of King Charles II.
Teaching the Great Fire of London at KS1?
The Great Fire of London is a fantastic topic for developing children's understanding of chronology, historical sources and events beyond living memory.
Explore our Great Fire of London KS1 teaching resources and topic guide for more ideas, or save planning time with our Great Fire of London KS1 History scheme, featuring five ready-to-teach lessons with complete planning, teaching slides, activities and printable resources for Years 1 and 2.
