When the Thames Froze Solid

What did winter really feel like in Tudor England?
Spoiler: nothing like the winter we know today.

Hello, I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s Tudor Christmas Advent episode we’re stepping into a world of bone-deep cold, frozen rivers, and incredible resilience, the world of Tudor winter during the Little Ice Age.

Between the 14th and 19th centuries, Europe and North America endured some of the coldest winters in recorded history. And the Tudors? They lived right in the middle of it.

In this episode, discover:

• What Tudor winters were really like — without heating, forecasts, or modern comforts
• The astonishing times the River Thames froze solid
• How Henry VIII and Elizabeth I reacted to the deep freeze
• The extraordinary celebrations that took place on the ice
• Why London’s legendary frost fairs eventually disappeared

At the end, I’d love to hear from you: What’s the coldest winter you remember, and how did you cope?

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