Royal Mail stamps out Great Fire of London

The six stamps depict scenes documenting the start, spread and aftermath of the fire, which raged across the city in 1666, destroying more than 13,000 houses and 87 churches.

The stamps were designed by renowned comic book artist and writer John Higgins, who has contributed to titles such as Judge Dredd, 2000 AD and Watchmen.

This is the first time Royal Mail has used a graphic-novel style of illustration on its stamps, which re-imagine the fire and locate the action within a street map design.

Philip Parker of Royal Mail, said: “Despite the terrible devastation caused by the Great Fire, it provided the opportunity for the regeneration of large swathes of the city and shaped the London we know today. It was the catalyst of the building of iconic landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and dozens of parish churches.

“It is fitting that we mark the anniversary of the fire with an innovative set of stamps that re-imagine the events.”