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How did the Rebuilding Act of 1667 change London’s streets and houses?
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Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren, detail of an oil painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1711; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, the Rebuilding Act of 1667 was passed to address the widespread destruction of the City of London. While more ambitious proposals to redesign the city's layout were ultimately rejected in favor of retaining the original street lines, the 1667 act introduced several practical improvements to the urban environment.12
Specifically, the Rebuilding Act of 1667 changed London in the following ways:
- Street Improvements: It provided for the widening of certain streets to improve navigation and safety.1
- Construction Standards: It established mandatory standards for the construction of new houses, moving away from the precarious building practices that had contributed to the fire's rapid spread.1
- Infrastructure Funding: The act levied a tax on coal entering the Port of London to generate necessary revenue for reconstruction efforts.1
- Essential Buildings: It authorized the rebuilding of a limited number of essential civic structures.1
These measures focused on pragmatic recovery rather than the radical urban planning envisioned by architects like Christopher Wren.12