Christine Webb from the Thames Explorer Trust presented a fascinating talk about mudlarking and some of her finds. Mudlarking is searching the banks of rivers, in this case the Thames, for the artefacts that are revealed when the tide goes out. Objects from the thousands of years of London’s occupation such as pottery, clay pipes, coins, toys and buttons can all be found. Some of the most important archaeological finds, such as the Battersea Shield, have come out of the mud of the River Thames. Every low tide is a new opportunity to discover more about the history of London. Christine explained that following the publication of Lara Maiklem’s book Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames and the Covid lockdowns, mudlarking saw a growth in popularity and as a result good finds are becoming harder to spot and the permits required to legally mudlark are currently no longer being issued. Some of Christine’s most interesting finds included a Frozen Charlotte Doll, a pipe with the head of Ally Sloper – an early example of merchandising a Victorian cartoon character, a Roman jawbone, tiny garnets and trade tokens.
There are several exhibitions of mudlarking finds coming up as part of the Thames Festival: Guildhall Art Gallery 31 August & 1 September 2024, St Paul’s Cathedral (14 & 15 September) and the Museum of London Docklands (28 & 29 September).
Meanwhile, we’re looking forward to our own adventure on the foreshore on 30 June!
You can find out more about the Thames Explorer Trust here.