Plans for the rebuilding of London

EVELYN, John.

London Redivivum. Presented by me to his Majesty, a Week after the Conflagration, together with a Discourse now in the Paper Office. JE.
London: Society of Antiquaries, 1748. Coloured. 475 x 350mm.

Two proposals put forward by John Evelyn (1620-1706, famed for his diaries) for the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire of 1666, engraved by George Vertue from manuscript originals. The first, presented to Charles II a week after the catastrophe, shows his suggested road layout with an extensive key of buildings within a border decorated with flames. The second is a more detailed road map, without a key as there had not been one on the original plan. Both plans feature straight roads through the city.
Christopher Wren also put forward a map, but all the systematic rebuilding plans were rejected by Charles as impossible due to the complexities of land ownership.


Stock ID : 18275