N.W. View of the Fair on the River Thames during the Great Frost 1683/4 from an Original Drawing by Wyke in the British Museum. Taken near Temple Stairs
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From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
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From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This print shows Londoners skating on the frozen River Thames in 1683/4. It’s based on an earlier drawing of a Frost Fair, when the river froze hard enough for streets of booths and fires on the ice. The old London Bridge helped trap icy water upstream, making these fairs possible. People partied for weeks—skating, trading, and even roasting meat on the ice. Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum to see this print in person.
