13. Mudlarking on the Thames in the City of London, 21 July 2023

 

Thirty City Consorts and a Consort’s Consort (me) gathered for an early morning briefing from experts on mudlarking, what to look for on the foreshore, and avoiding getting wet.  This was a fascinating overview of the history of the City of London.  It included Roman to modern: willow pattern pottery, eating habits – oyster shells, trade – coal, and pastimes – clay tobacco pipes.

After our safety briefing and allowing the tide to go out, we descended to the foreshore in search of valuable Roman brooches and coins.  Sadly not, but we did find a ‘time line’ of pieces of china, nails, mediaeval builders’ rubble, and bits of bones, probably not human.  The beach was remarkably clear of modern waste or litter so instead we were looking at previous generations’ waste.


We compared our ‘finds’ then crossed the river for a most enjoyable lunch with views of St Paul’s from the Founders Arms.  Our thanks to Georgina Drummond for organising a successful day, and to Marilyn and Aelwyn from the Thames Explorer Trust.

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