We discover what happened after The Fire was finally put out - how London was rebuilt and how we remember The Fire today.
3. What happened after The Great Fire of London?
The Fire blazed for four days but by the fifth day had mostly been extinguished. Only a small number of people died but around 13,000 houses and 87 churches were burnt down, including the original St Paul's Cathedral.
Much of the city was redesigned by Sir Christopher Wren, who rebuilt St Paul's with a dome instead of a steeple.
Wren also designed The Monument to The Great Fire of London, which was built close to Pudding Lane to commemorate The Fire and to celebrate the rebuilding of the city.
Further resources
Download / print the notes including activities templates and worksheets (pdf)
Be the news reporter – interview a character and find out what happened! (pdf)
Design your own dream city on this London map (pdf)
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A gallery of images showing artefacts and paintings connected to The Great Fire of London
Teachers’ Notes
Before the video
Ask pupils what their favourite possession is.
What would they do if they lost it?
How do you think the people of London felt as their houses burned down?
During the video
Who is Christopher Wren? (A 17th century architect, designer, astronomer and mathematician.)
What is a 'monument'? (A statue, building, or other structure erected to commemorate a notable person or event.)
Why was The Great Fire a significant event? (London was a major city and The Fire destroyed a large part of it. The rebuilding of the city helped to shape modern London and building regulations across the country.)
After the video
Sequence the events of The Fire. This could be done using drama / freeze-framing.
Write from Maureen the rat’s point of view and explain what she sees.
Children to write to The King and show him their designs and persuade him to pick their vision of a rebuilt London.
Compare London – now and then activity, research images.
Make Tudor houses. Recreate The Fire - put the houses together and (safely!) burn to show how The Fire spread. See cross-curricular links.
Use De Bono hats to discuss all aspects of The Fire. Discuss the ‘cause and consequence’ of a historical event.
Create a new monument to commemorate this event. Explain your design.
Curriculum Notes
This film is relevant for teaching History at KS1 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 1st Level in Scotland.
Songs
Consolidate pupils' learning about The Great Fire of London with these three catchy songs from our Music pages.
1. Here in Pudding Lane
Life in the busy streets of London before The Great Fire.
2. Fire, fire, everywhere!
A fast tempo song as The Great Fire rages through London.
3. Let’s get building!
A song about rebuilding London following The Great Fire.
Additional songs about The Great Fire of London - including 'London's burning!' sung as a round.
More from this series
1. Why did The Great Fire of London happen?
We go back in time to find out the causes of The Fire, meet key individuals involved and witness how Londoners responded to The Fire.
2. What happened during The Great Fire of London?
We learn how the fire spread across the city and how the Lord Mayor, Samuel Pepys and King Charles II were involved alongside ordinary citizens.
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View the main characters in The Great Fire of London
See also...
The Gunpowder Plot. collection
Three short animations exploring The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 - why it happened, the main events of the Plot, and the consequences for Guy Fawkes and the other plotters.
The Great Fire of London: Music, Dance and Drama activities (audio) audio
The audio programmes in this series explore The Great Fire of London and its aftermath through Music, Dance and Drama activities.
Castles and Knights. collection
A series of six animations exploring the topic 'Castles and Knights' with additional photos, illustrations and worksheets.
