War, Plague & Fire (1550s-1660s)
War, Plague & Fire tells the story of London from the Elizabethan times, through the ravages of the English Civil Wars and covers the cataclysmic disasters of the Great Plague of 1665, and the Great Fire of 1666.
During this turbulent period, London expanded beyond the bounds of the Roman city wall and, through the enterprise of trading companies, began its transformation into a truly world-class city. Rich displays of artefacts and documents enliven the key events of the period of:
- the Civil Wars and the execution of King Charles I
- the Great Plague which killed around 100,000 Londoners
- the Great Fire, which destroyed a third of London over five days
Highlights include:
- a fabulous collection of delftware pottery
- a detailed model of the Rose Theatre where Shakespeare himself performed
- printing plates of London’s earliest known map (the Copperplate map)
- Oliver Cromwell’s death mask
- collection of rare documents and objects from the time of the Great Plague
- evocative paintings of the Great Fire of London
For more information on the Great Fire of London, please visit our special London’s Burning website.