Frost Fair
Between 1600 and 1814 it was not uncommon for the River Thames to freeze over for up to two months at a time. Britain and the entire Northern Hemisphere was in the grip of what is now called the ‘Little Ice Age’. This was due to a period of geological climate change, volcanic eruptions and a change in the sun’s behaviour.
Although these harsh winters were dreaded by many, plenty of resourceful Londoners decided to make the best of it by setting up the Thames Frost Fairs. Over 200 years there were a total of seven major fairs and many smaller ones.