The Great Fire of York and the Fear of Medieval Cities

The Great Fire of York and the Fear of Medieval Cities

We have been finding out about major fires in the medieval period. Over the past few days we have talked about the great fires of London. Today I want to head north and I find out a little more about a forgotten medieval disaster, the Fire of York in 1137. When people think about devastating fires in English history, they usually imagine the Great Fire of London in 1666. But all medieval cities faced the same danger, and York suffered one of the worst urban fires of the 12th century.

In the early 1100s, York was one of the most important cities in England. It was crowded, busy, and built mainly from timber. Many homes had thatched roofs, the streets were narrow, just like most cities of the era. Fires were part of life. They burned constantly for cooking, heating, candle making, and blacksmithing. Blacksmiths were especially important to medieval life because they produced tools, horseshoes, nails, locks, and weapons, but their forges also carried huge risks. Sparks from their furnaces could easily cause fires to the nearby wooden buildings, especially if it was during dry weather or when it was particularly windy.

A fire tragically broke out in 1137 during the reign of King Stephen. Medieval chroniclers sadly did not leave behind a detailed record, which was common for the period, but they did describe a disaster that spread rapidly through the city. Many historians believe that it may have started accidentally in one of the densely packed districts where workshops and homes were side by side.

People who lived in medieval cities had very few ways to fight a large fire. There were no organised fire brigades and no modern pumps. Residents often formed bucket chains from wells or the River Ouse, but with strong fires this would have achieved very little. Panic must have spread quickly. Bells rang out across the city. People would have rushed to save children, animals and whatever possessions they could carry in their arms.

The fire is believed to have burned for many hours and possibly longer in some areas as smaller fires continued to spread through debris and timber. Chroniclers claimed that much of York was destroyed. Homes, workshops, storehouses, and churches were all lost. Some accounts suggest that York Minster itself may have suffered terrible damage. Markets and trading areas were devastated, which would have affected livelihoods for a long time after.

The death toll is unknown, which is often the case with medieval disasters. Records were not always kept.

Compared to later fires like the Great Fire of London in 1666, the Fire of York happened at a time when it was far less prepared for disaster. But both fires revealed similar weaknesses, overcrowding, timber buildings, narrow streets, and open flames. Medieval cities across Europe suffered similar catastrophes repeatedly because everyday survival depended upon fire.

Do you think medieval people would have eventually become numb to disasters like these, or would every great fire have felt like the end of the world to them?

Image info: York Minster Modern day