A mudlark is someone who scavenges the banks and shores of rivers for items of value, a term used especially to describe those who scavenged this way in London during the late 18th and 19th centuries. [1]

Apr 7, 2025 · A nighttime mudlark On a recent evening in March, Sandy suggested meeting in Rotherhithe , a district in south London, for a nighttime mudlark. “I’m the first of my family to return to Britain ...

mudlark, bird of the family Grallinidae (q.v.). This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.

Mar 6, 2019 · A mudlark is the name given to a person who scavenges in the foreshore of a river for objects that could be sold. This term applies specifically to those operating along the Thames River in London during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Sep 13, 2021 · If looking for treasures along the River Thames in London sounds like fun, you may be a mudlark. Mudlarking is the romantic name for scavenging on the riverbank (also called the foreshore) when the tide is out.

Jan 21, 2025 · At its core, mudlarking is the act of scavenging the exposed foreshore of the Thames River, typically at low tide, in search of lost or discarded objects. These objects offer a unique glimpse into the daily lives of people who lived along the riverbank throughout history.

Apr 16, 2024 · Mudlarking is, essentially, digging through the bed of a river for lost and forgotten objects.

Now mudlarking is all about discovering amazing archaeological finds. On the muddy margins of the River Thames, a hidden history lies just out of sight. The Thames runs right through London’s past. It’s been the city’s transport and trade link, once home to the largest port in the world.

Jan 2, 2020 · Maiklem is one of the city’s most famous contemporary mudlarks, people who passionately canvass the shore in pursuit of bits of history that emerge from the sediment. (Her book, Mudlark: In...

‘Mudlarking’ is the act of searching the riverbed for these historical treasures. Mudlarks comb the Thames foreshore, which is only accessible for a few hours a day at low tide, in their hunt for objects, untouched since they were lost hundreds or even thousands of years ago.