Alexandra Revill

London: A Tale of Two Cities with Dan Cruickshank

BBC Four

11/06/2012

BBC Four - London: A Tale of Two Cities with Dan Cruickshank

Dan Cruickshank explores how London survived the travails of the 17th century.

Dan Cruickshank follows in the footsteps of chroniclers John Stow and John Strype to explore London in the 17th century, one of the most dramatic times in the city's history.

Dan Cruickshank follows in the footsteps of John Stow and John Strype, two of London's greatest chroniclers, to explore one of the most dramatic centuries in the history of London. 

The 17th century saw London plunged into a series of devastating disasters. The Civil War, a murderous plague and the destruction that was the great fire should have seen the small medieval city all but destroyed. Yet somehow, London not only survived but emerged as one of the wealthiest and most influential cities in Europe. 

Using two remarkable surveys written at either end of this momentous century, Dan discovers how a unique combination of innovation, ambition and sheer spirit of enterprise saw Londoners thrive. His journey reveals the twists and turns of a century that laid the foundations of one of the most important cities on the planet.

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