View of the Thames off Three Cranes Wharf when frozen, Monday 31st January to Saturday 5th February 1814, on which a Fair was held, attended by many Hundred Persons

Since the 16th century, frost fairs on the River Thames were a popular subject for artists. This print is of particular importance as it records the last time that the river completely froze over.

Between 1620 and 1814, the river froze twenty-three times. The first Frost Fairs was held on the Thames in 1565, when Queen Elizabeth I was in attendance, and they were held quite regularly during both the 17th and 18th centuries. Booths were set up on the ice, as people and vehicles negotiated cracks and holes, sometimes using planks of wood to bridge the gap. A range of activities took place during the fairs, including skating, sliding, snowballing and even shooting.

During the severe winter of 1813 and 1814, Old London Bridge was subjected to dangers resulting from the pressure of the ice on the structure. It was partly for this reason that the bridge was pulled down and its replacement was designed so that the water could flow freely around the arches.