Foragers of the Foreshore

Modern mudlarks are a far cry from those Victorian scavengers, usually children, who trudged the tidal waters of the Thames in search of lumps of coal or scraps of metal to sell for a crust. Today, mudlarking has become a recreational pastime for history-hunters, artists, or simply individuals seeking solace from the hustle and bustle of the city. It is a way to connect with both our urban and natural environments, and a special place where the past meets the present.

The River Thames is the longest continuous archaeological site in Britain – the cumulative rubbish dump of thousands of years of habitation. The range of objects eroding from the mud with every tide is astonishing: from Neolithic flint tools, to Roman detritus, pottery and glassware across the centuries to animal bones and human teeth, religious curios, relics of war, children’s toys or yesteryear’s fashions – pins, jewels, buckles, buttons, leather and cloth.

Our heritage project, Foragers of the Foreshore, unearths the story of London through these remarkable items recovered from the Thames. We meet the mudlarkers who have dedicated themselves to finding London’s lost treasure, with new portrait photography by Hannah Smiles, and we marvel at the collections that have shaped their lives.