Date/Time: Thursday, 5th June 2025 at 14:30 - 16:30
Location: New Crane Place, Wapping, London, E1W 3TS
Price: £14 per person. Member and guest £28.
Event Organiser: Alan Jarvis. 28 The Drive, Amersham HP7 9AA
For much of its history the Thames was used by the people of London as a convenient place to dispose of their rubbish. Over the centuries, artefacts from all eras were deposited in the foreshore of the river. As the mud of the Thames is anaerobic (without oxygen), objects thrown into it are well-preserved. The Thames foreshore is regarded as one of the richest archaeological sites in Britain, and perhaps one of the largest in the world.
The mudlarks of the 18th century were interested in scavenging for small objects of value that had been dropped into the river, or cargo that had fallen off passing boats. These finds were then sold, and although this was normally for a meagre sum of money, mudlarking was a means of making a living at that time. In fact, mudlarking was recognized as a legitimate occupation until the early 20th century.
Originally, mudlarking was a job done by children, normally aged between 8 and 14 or 15. Most mudlarks were boys, but girls also partook in this activity. The mudlarks were a peculiar class of people, and were identifiable by their filthy appearance, ragged clothes, and strong stench. They were confined to the river and would begin work when the tide went out. They would scavenge the foreshore until the tide came back in.
The Thames Explorer Trust is a charity that raises awareness of the River Thames through a range of educational activities. They will provide us with a guide who will escort us on this two hour exploration of the river foreshore. The guide will help us find and identify artefacts located on the surface. This is a chance to find evidence of thousands of years of history – who lived here and how they lived.
Please note:
- All attendees must ensure that they are sufficiently fit and healthy to come on the walk and must ensure that they have proper clothing, footwear and equipment on the day of the tour.
- It is illegal to take artefacts away from the foreshore. You may take photographs of artefacts.
- You must not engage in any form of digging or scraping on the foreshore. There are a great many surface artefacts to discover.
- The walk will start promptly at 14:30; please arrive in good time.
- This tour is subject to the charity’s terms and conditions. Please read them!
Optional Extra
You may like to visit the famous Prospect of Whitby pub either before or after the tour. If so, you may wish to book a table in advance.
Event Booking
Please note that all bookings are subject to our Event Booking Rules.
The standard, printable event booking sheet is downloadable here.