What is the Monument to the Great Fire of London?
The Monument to the Great Fire of London, usually referred to as simply The Monument, is a 200 ft tall Doric Column, on the north side of London Bridge, built to commemorate the destruction and the loss of life from the Great Fire of London in 1666.
What happened in the Great Fire of London?
In the 17th Century, London was a very different city to the one we know today. The roads, were narrow, the buildings were tall, and most were still made of wood. A devastating fire had been predicted for centuries, particularly as there was no fire service at the time, but little was done to prepare. The fire began in the bakery of Thomas Farriner on Pudding Lane, shortly after midnight on 2 September 1666, and because the buildings were so close together, the flames spread quickly. The hapless Mayor of the City of London, Sir Thomas Bloodworth was woken called to the scene to decide the best cause of action, but fearing the angry reprisals of residents, he opted against demolishing near-by homes to create a fire break and instead declared, “a woman might piss it our”. Needless to say, that is not how this story ends. The fire raged on for the next three days, destroying everything in its path, schools, churches, homes, even St Paul’s Cathedral were raised to the ground. It would not be until 5 September that the flames would be extinguished, and the great rebuilding of London could begin.
Precise information about the true destruction wrought on London was never recorded, but most historians estimate that 13,000 homes and more than 80 churches, were lost, as well as buildings of note, including Bridewell Palace, the the City gates of Ludgate, Newgate and Aldersgate. In short, what was left of Medieval London, inside its ancient Roman walls, was mostly wiped out. Surprisingly, estimates on the exact loss of life are as low as eight, although this remains a hotly debated topic.
Who designed the Monument to the Great Fire of London?
As the City was slowly rebuilt, it was decided a monument to the fire should be placed near the bakery where the fire began. Sir Christopher Wren, surveyor-general of the Kings works drew up the initial design, which was then added to by Robert Hooke, scientist extraordinaire who was then working with Wren to redesign the City. Their design was approved in 1671, but it would take another six years until the project was completed. The column was built on the site of St Margaret, New Fish Street, the first church to be destroyed by the fire, and at exactly 202 feet tall, if it were to be laid on its side, the tip would be in the bakery of Thomas Farriner, where the fire began. Initially Sir Christopher Wren wanted the column to be topped with a golden phoenix, which would become synonymous with the New St Paul’s Cathedral, but he adapted his plans, in favour of a 15ft statue of King Charles II. This plan was abandoned, in part as costs were beginning to spiral, and partly because the King protested that people would assume he had been involved in starting the fire. Eventually a simpler design was chosen, a flaming golden urn. As leading figures of the Scientific Revolution, Wren and Hooke’s masterstroke was to design the Monument so that it could double up as a telescope, with an underground laboratory nearby. Sadly, vibrations from local traffic meant that in practise the telescope was unusable. For centuries, an inscription on the side of the Monument lay blame for the fire squarely at the feet of the Pope and his Catholic followers, however after Catholic Emancipation in 1830 this was removed.
Can I go inside the Monument to the Great Fire of London?
The Monument has a viewing platform at the top, which is open to the public, and offers stunning views across the river. Entrance is £6 for adults and £3 for children, and can be purchased from the ticket booth outside.
If you would like to see the Monument to the Great Fire of London in person, you can join our Free Historic City of London Tour, or you can find all our Free London Walking Tours, here.
