‘The saddest sight of desolation that I ever saw’ Samuel Pepys
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
This one’s ablaze with great guiding.
And don’t just take it from us. Here’s what walker David Morley said about Catherine (and the walk) in his February 19, 2025 review: “Catherine was an absolute delight: knowledgeable, friendly and a great communicator. We knew next to nothing about this subject but Catherine brings the subject to life. The tour provides a great insight into Stuart London, the progress of the fire and Samuel Pepys. Highly recommended!”
Short read: Let’s join Samuel Pepys, Special Correspondent for Posterity. Sam’s on the scene. We’re beside him.
Long Read: The Great Fire of London. An iconic event in the city’s history. It may have happened over 350 years ago but thanks to the famous diarist Samuel Pepys, we still have an essentially ‘live’ hour-by-hour report of the Great Fire as it spread through London in September 1666.
This walk follows the progress of the Great Fire from east to west, landmark by landmark, as Pepys experienced it. His home near the Tower of London from where he first saw the Fire in the middle of the night and thought it not worth bothering about.
The Tower of London which he climbed to get a better view of the Fire. A secret little courtyard where a church once stood whose burning spire caused panic among the onlookers. The street where the Lord Mayor ‘cried like a fainting woman’, as Pepys savagely described it.
We will discover what remains of Pudding Lane where the Fire began, examine the famous Monument* commemorating it…
And see the first church to burn down, rebuilt and still standing today.
We pass St Paul’s Cathedral (famously burnt down and rebuilt by the great Sir Christopher Wren)…
And end within sight of the place where the Fire was finally halted after raging for four days, burning down 13,200 houses and 87 parish churches.
And of course we’ll hear the intriguing story, which every British schoolchild knows, of what Samuel Pepys buried in his garden!
*Learning to read this image – decipher it – is, all by itself, worth the price of admission!
Vivienne –
A very illuminating walk. Catherine dealt with a large group extremely well, had a real passion gor the subject and was both informative and interesting.
Susan Searle –
The use of Samuel Pepys diaries to help to tell the story of the fire works really well – Catherine brings the story to life, a fun walk with a very clearly spoken guide – I will be recommending to lots of friends – it’s a key part of londons history and should not be missed !