Dorina Neave in her book Romance of the Bosphorus, claims that Pepys watched the Great Fire of London from Dagnams. In fact his only documented stay at Dagnams was in 1665, (see below) The great fire in September 1666 is well documented in the diary and Pepys states that he was in London for the whole period of the fire. The myth was started by Dorina and has often been repeated since. Del.

July 1665

13th. Above 700 died of the plague this week.

14th. I by water to Sir G. Carteret's, and there find my Lady
Sandwich buying things for my Lady Jem's wedding: and my Lady
Jem is beyond expectation come to Dagenham's, [ Dagenhams near
Romford, now belonging to Sir Thomas Neave, Bart. This estate
was devised by Mrs. Anne Rider, only surviving child of Sir Henry
Wright, to her relative and friend Edward Carteret, Esq.,
Postmaster-General; whose daughters in 1749 sold it to Henry
Muilman, Esq.; in 1772 it was again disposed of to Mr. Neave
father of the present proprietor, who pulled down the old house
built by Sir H. W., and erected the present mansion on a
different site, Vide LYSONS'S ENVIRONS.] where Mr. Carteret is
to go to visit her to-morrow; and my proposal of waiting on him,
he being to go alone to all persons strangers to him, was well
accepted, and so I go with him. But Lord! to see how kind my
Lady Carteret is to her! Sends her most rich jewells, and
provides bedding and things of all sorts most richly for her.

15th. Mr. Carteret, and I to the ferry-place at Greenwich, and
there staid an hour crossing the water to and again to get our
coach and horses over; and by and by set out, and so toward
Dagenhams. But Lord! what silly discourse we had as to love-
matters, he being the most awkerd man ever I met with in my life
as to that business. Thither we come, and by that time it begun
to be dark, and were kindly received by Lady Wright and my Lord
Crewe. And to discourse they went, my Lord discoursing with him,
asking of him questions of travell, which he answered well enough
in a few words; but nothing to the lady from him at all. To
supper, and after supper to talk again, he yet taking no notice
of the lady. My Lord would have had me have consented to leaving
the young people together to-night, to begin their amours, his
staying being but to be little. But I advised against it, lest
the lady might be too much surprised. So they led him up to his
chamber, where I staid a little, to know how he liked the lady,
which he told me he did mightily: but Lord! in the dullest
insipid manner that ever lover did. So I bid him good night, and
down to prayers with my Lord Crewe's family, and after prayers,
my Lord and Lady Wright, and I, to consult what to do; and it was
agreed at last to have them go to church together, as the family
used to do, though his lameness was a great objection against it.

16th (Lord's day). I up, having lain with Mr. Moore in the
chaplin's chamber. And having trimmed myself, down to Mr.
Carteret; and we walked in the gallery an hour or two, it being a
most noble and pretty house that ever, for the bigness, I saw.
Here I taught him what to do: to take the lady always by the
hand to lead her, and telling him that I would find opportunity
to leave them together, he should make these and these
compliments, and also take a time to do the like to Lord Crewe
and Lady Wright. After I had instructed him, which he thanked me
for, owning that he needed my teaching him, my Lord Crewe come
down and family, the young lady among the rest; and so by coaches
to church four miles off: where a pretty good sermon, and a
declaration of penitence of a man that had undergone the
Churche's censure for his wicked life. Thence back again by
coach, Mr. Carteret having not had the confidence to take his
lady once by the hand, coming or going, which I told him of when
we come home, and he will hereafter do it. So to dinner. My
Lord excellent discourse. Then to walk in the gallery, and to
sit down. By and by my Lady Wright and I go out, (and then my
Lord Crewe, he not by design,) and lastly my Lady Creme come out,
and left the young people together. And a little pretty daughter
of my Lady Wright's most innocently come out afterwards, and shut
the door to, as if she had done it, poor child, by inspiration:
which made us without have good sport to laugh at. They together
an hour, and by and by church-time, whither he led her into the
coach and into the church, where several handsome ladies. But it
was most extraordinary hot that ever I knew it. Anon to supper,
and excellent discourse and dispute between my Lord Crewe and the
chaplin, who is a good scholler, but a nonconformist. Here this
evening I spoke with Mrs. Carter, my old acquaintance, that hath
lived with my lady these twelve or thirteen years, the sum of all
whose discourse and others for her, is, that I would get her a
good husband; which I have promised, but know not when I shall
perform. After Mr. Carteret was carried to his chamber, we to
prayers and then to bed.

17th. Up all of us, and to billiards; my Lady Wright, Mr.
Carteret, myself, and every body. By and by the young couple
left together. Anon to dinner; and after dinner Mr. Carteret
took my advice about giving to the servants 10l. among them.
Before we went, I took my Lady Jem apart, and would know how she
liked this gentleman, and whether she was under any difficulty
concerning him. She blushed, and hid her face awhile; but at
last I forced her to tell me. She answered that she could
readily obey what her father and mother had done; which was all
she could say, or I expect. So anon took leave, and for London.
In our way Mr. Carteret did give me mighty thanks for my care and
pains for him, and is mightily pleased.