River Thames frost fairs River Thames frost fairs River Thames frost fairs were held on the tideway of the River Thames at London in some of the winters between the 17th century and early 19th century, during the period known as the Little Ice Age, when the river froze over. During that time the British winter was more severe than it is now, and the river was wider and slower, further impeded by the medieval Old London Bridge. Even at its peak, in the mid-17th century, the Thames freezing at London was less frequent than modern legend sometimes suggests, never exceeding about one year
Dartford Crossing bridge piers were constructed in the Netherlands. Each caisson was designed to withstand a bridge strike of a ship weighing up to 65,000 tonnes and travelling up to The bridge deck is about high, and it took a team of around 56 to assemble its structure. During construction of the approach road, a World War II bomb was found in its path, which required closure of the entire crossing. The bridge was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 30 October 1991. The total cost of construction was £120 million (£ in ), including £30 million (£ million in ) for