The Great Fire of London in 1666 is well documented and a part of English history with which many people are famiiar.  But did you know there was a fire much nearer home which predated the London Fire?

On September 15th 1654, a terrifying fire broke out which destroyed half of the village of Swarkestone, of the 29 houses in the village 15 were lost to the blaze. Also destroyed were many barns bursting to the rafters with harvest produce, along with 16 pigs and 100 chickens. Equipment such as ploughs, scythes and carts, together with 53 loads of coal ready for winter, all added to the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown but the summer of 1654 was described as “hot and scorching” suggesting everywhere was parched, so the fire must have been fast and furious.

A remarkable inventory of the losses survives in the Derbyshire Record Archive in Matlock. The greatest loss was suffered by Thomas Wright who lost half of his house and household effects, barns with grain and other buildings. The modern equivalent value of his loss is hard to calculate, but an estimate of over £800,000 has been suggested. Other residents who had significant losses were businessmen Edmund Parker, Gilbert Bould, and Thomas Draper. Some of these family names are still found living in the local area. Businesses such as the smithy, brewhouse, shoemaker, weaver and cheesemaker were all listed as suffering losses.

A sad tale which would have been a disaster for all involved as life had just been returning to normal after the Civil War. Swarkestone had been a Parliamentary garrison until 1649. The village recovered despite the devastation and went on to prosper and develop into what we have today.

(Thanks to Barbara Foster and Melbourne Village Voice who published her original article in September 2015)