Two Historic Freezes of the River Thames: 1814 and 1963

The River Thames has frozen solid on rare occasions, enabling frost fairs and pedestrian crossings:

• January 11–14, 1814: The last great frost fair. Ice thick enough for walking between Westminster and Waterloo, though tidal flow prevented complete freezing.
• January 2 – March 5, 1963: The "Big Freeze of 1963." Prolonged sub-zero temperatures (down to −8.3°C in London) froze the tidal Thames for weeks. Ice broke up in early March.

Since 1963, warmer winters and increased river flow have prevented full freezes.