On this day, 450 years ago, the medieval spire of St Paul's is destroyed by fire...

Where would this series by without a disaster to two?

Here we are, then…on this day, in 1561, the magnificent medieval building of St. Paul's Cathedral in London is badly damaged by fire and the spire is destroyed after being struck by lightning. Of course, this would not be the last time the building would succumb to fire, the next time being a somewhat more fatal event.

However, this is in many ways the first event that took place in London to destroy the old medieval city and convert it into the soulless mass of aesthetically displeasing junklets, lego blocks and cigars that adorns its dirty streets today.