Mudlarking on the River Thames

During one of our trips to London there was a River Thames foreshore event in front of the Tower of London and next to Tower Bridge. I loved it. When I returned home, I sorted out my permit from the Port of London Authority (PLA) and bought a Laser Scout metal detector that had been adapted for all the iron, on the foreshore.

The next couple of mudlarking trips down there brought just a few finds mainly pottery, a couple of coins as I didn't know where to go or what I was looking for. Soon though I started to get my eye in and pick out shapes and the finds started to get better. During one visit to the Thames I was using the Laser Scout but got frustrated due to the shear amount of iron and nails and so gave up on it and went back to using my trusty trowel when I found a Christmas chocolate coin wrapper - or so I thought. It was only upon closer inspection that I realised it was in fact a gold hammered coin, also my first ever hammered coin. The coin was taken to the Museum of London where it was recorded on the PAS database and then returned to myself.

The next day I returned to where I had found it and as I was walking to the area I spotted a gold wedding ring in a little rock pool. It was close to one of the river boat piers and path next to the river so it could have been thrown in after an argument, divorce or just lost by accident.

Over the years I've had quite a few nice finds. Hammered coins, trade tokens, buckles, silver cuff-links, rings and much more and all will have their own story to tell. I've also had a few more unusual items including false teeth, bone toothbrush and a Victorian mourning locket that still had hair in it.

I actually prefer mudlarking to metal detecting as there is much more history all around you on the river. Yes it can be very dirty, smelly and can be dangerous if you don't keep your eye on the incoming tide and passing boat traffic. I've just got the standard permit which allows me in to dig/scrape 3" down and most areas on the south side and a few on the north. I just love all the history down there as you can look up from the river and see the landmarks and just start to imagine what life was like back in medieval days and just how did these finds end up in the river.