The Alleys that Survived the Great Fire of London

When the Great Fire of London destroyed most of the city in 1666, ambitious plans were drawn up to rebuild it with straight streets and wide boulevards. They failed. In this video, we explore the medieval alleys that survived the fire — not through preservation, but through property law, compensation disputes, and the simple need to rebuild quickly. These narrow backstreets reveal why London still follows its medieval geometry today. --- Main sources Tinniswood, A. (2003). By Permission of Heaven, the Story of the Great Fire of London. London: Random House. Field, J.F. (2018). London, Londoners and the Great Fire of 1666. New York: Routledge. Porter, S. (1996). The Great Fire of London. Stroud: Sutton Publishing Ltd. Coffman, D, Sussman, N & Stephenson, J (2020). Financing the Rebuilding of the City of London after the Great Fire of 1666. London: CEPR. --- Image credits "The Great Fire of London" via Wikimedia File:Great_Fire_London.jpg "Tittle-Tattle; Or, the several Branches of Gossipping" via Wikimedia File:Tittle-Tattle;_Or,_the_several_Branches_of_Gossipping._(BM_1973,U.216).jpg "The royal navy - a history from the earliest times to the present (1897)" via Wikimedia File:The_royal_navy_-_a_history_from_the_earliest_times_to_the_present_(1897)_(14762825211).jpg Hardtack - Infrogmation via Wikimedia File:PensacolaWentworthAug2008Hardtack.jpg Jan Brueghel the Younger: "Allegory of Law and Violence" via Wikimedia File:Jan_Brueghel_the_Younger_-_Allegory_of_Law_and_Violence_(Allegory_of_King_Charles_I_of_England).jpg Firehooks (1612) via Wikimedia File:Firehooks.1612.png "The old farmer and his almanack" via Wikimedia File:The_old_farmer_and_his_almanack_-_being_some_observations_on_life_and_manners_in_New_England_a_hundred_years_ago_suggested_by_reading_the_earlier_numbers_of_Mr._Robert_B._Thomas%27s_Farmer%27s_Almanack,_(14775016711).jpg Keeling fire engine - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:1614151470 Keeling fire engine model - Steven G. Johnson via Wikimedia File:Keeling-fire-engine-model.jpg Street scene - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:1345820001 Benjamin Cole: Water wheel at London Bridge - Wellcome Collection via Wikimedia File:Water-wheel_at_London_Bridge,_for_supplying_water_from_the_T_Wellcome_V0020239.jpg John Hayls: Samuel Pepys - via Wikimedia hFile:Samuel_Pepys.jpg Peter Lely: Charles II - via Wikimedia File:Charles_II_horse_(Peter_Lelly).jpg Peter Lely: James II - via Wikimedia File:Sir_Peter_Lely_(1618-80)_-_James_II_(1633-1701)_when_Duke_of_York_-_RCIN_405673_-_Royal_Collection_-_3.jpg Great Fire engraving - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:579279001 Map of Great Fire - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:579328001 Rebuilding Act - UK Parliament "1666-act-to-rebuild-the-city-of-london" Christopher Wren's plan - Wellcome Collection via Wikimedia - File:Sir_Christopher_Wren%27s_plan_of_London_as_reproduced_by_Gwynn._Wellcome_M0003248.jpg John Evelyn's plan - Wellcome Collection via Wikimedia - File:Sir_John_Evelyn%27s_plan_for_rebuilding_London_after_the_fire._Wellcome_M0003249.jpg Valentine Knight's plan - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:250630001 John Michael Wright: Charles II - via Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... Christopher Wren & Charles II - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:1076622001 Parliament - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:254602001 Faithorne & Newcourt map - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:1183267001 John de Critz: James I - via Wikimedia File:John_de_Critz_-_James_VI_and_I,_1566_-_1625._King_of_Scotland_1567_-_1625._King_of_England_and_Ireland_1603_-_1625_-_PG_561_-_National_Galleries_of_Scotland.jpg Hendrik Hondius I: Battle of Sesimbra Bay 1602 - via Wikimedia File:Sesimbra.1602.jpg Tudor house - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:625193001 Ogilby Morgan map - © The Trustees of the British Museum - Asset:665838001 The church of St. Bartholomew the Great and surrounding area - Wellcome Collection via Wikimedia - File:The_church_of_St._Bartholomew_the_Great_and_surrounding_area_Wellcome_V0029991.jpg; File:The_church_of_St._Bartholomew_the_Great_and_surrounding_area_Wellcome_V0029990.jpg A.& J. Bool: Old houses in Cloth Fair - via Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... John Betjeman - via Wikimedia File:John_Betjeman_Reads_William_Horton%27s_Petition_to_Save_Lewisham_Town_Hall,_1961.jpg Verwoestingen na luchtaanval op Londen - Anefo via Wikimedia File:Verwoestingen_na_luchtaanval_op_Londen,_Bestanddeelnr_935-3523.jpg Anderson shelter - via Wikimedia File:An_Anderson_shelter_remains_intact_amidst_destruction_in_Latham_Street,_Poplar,_London_during_1941._D5949.jpg