Scenes from the Frost Fair
when the thames froze and london partied
Carved riverside reliefs under Southwark Bridge recalling the wild fairs Londoners once held on the frozen Thames.
Free to visit · Bankside · London Bridge · SE1 9DA
Opening: Riverside viewable any time
Set into the stone of the riverside walk under Southwark Bridge are a series of carved panels and verses remembering the frost fairs, the riotous festivals Londoners held on the Thames itself in the centuries when winters were cold enough to freeze the river solid. Stalls, fires, football, dancing and even an elephant once crossed the ice between the banks.
The fairs ended in the 1800s when a new bridge and embankments made the river flow too fast to freeze. The reliefs are free to find on a riverside stroll, a lovely and easily missed reminder of a colder, wilder London where the great river became the city's playground.
Getting there: Under Southwark Bridge on the south bank, a short walk from London Bridge.
Best time to go: Daytime, on a riverside walk along Bankside.
Insider tip: Look for the carved panels and the lines of poetry set into the wall as you pass beneath Southwark Bridge on the Thames Path. It is a short walk from the Golden Hinde and Borough Market for a longer free Bankside wander.
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide