The frost fair of 1683-1684Frost Fair of 1683 (1841 image)Contemporary painting by Abraham Hondius of the Frost Fair of 1683–84
The Great Frost of 1683–1684 was a frost across England, reported as the worst in its history.[1] During the Frost, the surface of the River Thames was reported as frozen to the depth of one foot (30 cm).[2] The Great Frost enabled one of the River Thames frost fairs.[1] Entertainment on the frozen Thames as result of the Great Frost began the career of Chipperfield's Circus.[2] A Great Frost Fair was also held in Leeds, when the River Aire froze solid for a month allowing a fair with an ox-roast and sports to take place, as described by Ralph Thoresby.[3]
References
^ a bWilliams, Rob (17 November 2013). "The 10 worst British winters ever - 1. The winter of 1684". The Independent. Retrieved 11 October 2014.