The Golden Boy of Pye Corner is a small gilded statue set high on a wall at the corner of Giltspur Street and Cock Lane in London. It marks the point where the Great Fire of 1666 came to a stop. Look up to spot the figure, then read the plaque below it, which links the fire to gluttony. Its modest scale and position among newer buildings make finding it part of the visit. The entrance is wheelchair accessible.
The plaque beneath the statue
The inscription connects the Great Fire with gluttony. Its wording presents the figure as a memorial to the fire and its supposed cause, giving this small monument a strikingly different account from a simple marker of the fire’s route.
A surviving marker at Pye Corner
The Golden Boy once stood beside the Fortune of War pub, which no longer occupies the site. The statue remains on the wall at the corner of Giltspur Street and Cock Lane, where modern buildings make it easy to overlook unless you look up.
FAQ
Where is the Golden Boy of Pye Corner?
It is on a wall at the corner of Giltspur Street and Cock Lane in London.
What does the Golden Boy mark?
It marks the point where the Great Fire of London stopped in 1666.
What does the plaque say about the fire?
It attributes the fire to gluttony.
Is the statue easy to spot?
It can be easy to miss because it sits high on a wall. Look up as you reach the corner.
