View of the Frost Fair on the Thames looking downstream towards London Bridge during the Great Frost of 1683-4 when the river was completely frozen for two months. It was the worst recorded frost in England and similar conditions affected much of Europe as well. The period between the 15th and early 19th century was known as the Little Ice Age because of the severity of the climate, particularly the winters. As the Thames was then wider and flowed more slowly, it froze over on numerous occasions with impromptu fairs often being set up, offering a wide variety of activities and amusements.