A Nice and Accurate
History of Frost Faires

Frost faires were held on the River Thames, outside of London, between the 15th and 19th centuries when severe English weather caused the river to freeze. One of the earliest accounts of the Thames freezing comes from AD 250, when it was frozen solid for nine weeks. In 1410, the river froze for 14 weeks. It also froze several more times between that date and 1608.

When the river froze, kings and nobles, peasants and merchants ventured on the ice to celebrate the novelty of walking on water with food and games. During the winter of 1536, King Henry VIII traveled from London to Greenwich by sleigh on the river. In 1564, Queen Elizabeth ventured out on the ice, and boys played games on the ice. Later Frost Fairs featured games, food and shopping at various stalls.

The most detailed descriptions of Frost Faires are for events held after the Renaissance. A 17th-century chronicler wrote, “Coaches plied from Westminster to the Temple, and from several other stairs to and fro, as in the streets, sleds, sliding with skates, bull-baiting, horse and coach races, puppet plays and interludes, cooks, tippling and other lewd places, so that it seemed to be a bacchanalian triumph, or carnival on the water.”

Sources: Wikipedia, janeaustensworld.wordpress.com