Guildhall

The sight of Guildhall was a fearful spectacle, which stood the whole body of it together in view for several hours together, after the fire had taken it, without flames (I suppose because the timber was such solid oake), like a bright shining coal, as if it had been a palace of gold, or a great building of burnished brass.
Thomas Vincent, 1667


Together with the loss of St Paul’s and the Royal Exchange, the Fire debilitated London by destroying the political, religious, and commercial centres of the City. The 15th century Guildhall was badly damaged. All its roofs and the buildings around it were burnt.

Tradesmen hauled rubble from its ruins to create a makeshift structure in the Royal Exchange courtyard and work quickly began on repairs in November 1666.