Rebuilding the City after the Great Fire

After the Great Fire several designs were put forward for the redevelopment of London. Nearly 3,000 houses were built within three years. 

Men such as John Evelyn, Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke saw the opportunity to create a new modern City, but complex problems such as property ownership led to rebuilding using the original medieval layout. A tax on coal raised £736,000 for public works to be carried out.

A committee of 6 men, known as 'Commissioners for Rebuilding' including Christopher Wren, surveyed ruined properties, designed new buildings and made alterations to the streets. 

Narrow roads (as seen above) were widened to reduce the risk of fires spreading in the future. Over 100 streets were widened and two new wide streets - King Street and Queen Street were laid out. 

New buildings had walls of stone or brick instead of timber, and guidelines were issued for the height of houses, according to the type of street in which they were built.

High and principle streets - neither more or less than 4 storeys 

Streets and lanes of note - 3 storeys

By lanes - 2 storeys

Houses which lay back from the street, with courtyards and gardens - limited to 4 storeys

Post fire houses in Laurence Pountney Hill