Final answer:
The period of time in London known for cold temperatures is referred to as the Little Ice Age, which spanned from 1550 AD to 1850 AD, and included the Maunder Minimum with exceptionally low temperatures in Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The period of time in London known for its cold temperatures was the Little Ice Age, which occurred between 1550 AD and 1850 AD. The Maunder Minimum, part of the Little Ice Age, was a time of exceptionally low temperatures in Europe, specifically during the seventeenth century. Europe experienced harsh winters with the River Thames freezing and low summer temperatures led to poor harvests. The impact of the Sun's activity on Earth's climate during this period remains a topic of debate among scientists.
The notable climatic anomalies during the Maunder Minimum underscore the intricate interplay between solar activity and Earth's climate, prompting ongoing scientific discourse and investigation into the complex mechanisms influencing historical temperature variations.