London in the Time of the Stuarts

A vivid portrait of London’s seventeenth‑century life unfolds as this guide follows the city’s fortunes from the reign of Charles I through the upheavals of the Civil Wars and the Restoration. It shows how the capital’s streets, markets, and institutions were inextricably linked to the nation’s political storms, while everyday citizens navigated shifting loyalties, religious tensions, and the growing desire for self‑governance.

The narrative also delves into the city’s most dramatic crises—the recurring plague and the catastrophic fire of 1666—and the ways these disasters reshaped urban planning, sanitation, and domestic comfort. By weaving together pamphlets, sermons, and personal accounts, the work reveals how London’s architecture, commerce, and public spaces evolved, laying foundations for the modern metropolis that would emerge from the ashes.