An Exact Representation of the Ice at London Bridge on the 5th Feb 1814

View showing a scene at London Bridge where the River Thames had frozen over. Throughout the 17th and 18th century the Thames periodically froze over and the surface was often solid enough to walk on. This was because the old London Bridge impeded the flow of the River, which meant that if there was a prolonged spell of cold weather, ice patches formed around the bridge and banks. The ice expanded and gradually joined up, creating a continuous sheet of ice over the River. Sometimes great fairs, known as Frost Fairs were held on the river. In 1813-4 there was the greatest frost fair of the century with a wide avenue of stalls running from Blackfriars Bridge.