clampdown on thames mudlarks
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 11:02 am
Mudlarks will have to pay to search the Thames foreshore in a bid to save London’s archaeological heritage.
The Port of London Authority, which owns the river bank along with the Crown Estate, has ordered a clampdown as treasure hunting has soared in popularity.
Previously anyone could look for fragments of the past, ranging from Roman coins to Delftware pottery, provided they did not scrape or dig the surface to retrieve them.
Under the clampdown, any form of searching for objects washed up by the tides is prohibited unless the mudlarks hold a permit, which costs £32 for a day or £75 for three years.
PLA spokesman Martin Garside said there was “worry within the archaeological community” that amateur treasure seekers were failing to report significant finds.
“If you’re going down there with the intention of looking for something you need to have a permit,” he said.
He called the new rules, which stress the potential risks, were “an important clarification” to ensure people take relevant precautions such as checking the tides and wearing sensible footwear and gloves.
But the move dismayed some mudlarks — the Victorian name for impoverished children and adults who scavenged the washed up debris for anything to sell.
Ted Sandling, whose new book, London In Fragments, details his passion for amateur archaeology, said the new requirements “unfairly penalise casual mudlarkers”.
He added: “I started as a weekend mudlark, going down to the river serendipitously when I saw the tide was out. I applied for a permit when I began to take it seriously, after around a decade of doing it once or twice a year.
“My path is now being closed off to others.”
Cecilia Campbell-Westlind, a literary scout who lives in Stoke Newington, had her first taste of mudlarking last month. She said the fees would put her off going again. “I really loved going but £32 feels very expensive just to go once more.”
Nicola White, a Greenwich-based artist and frequent mudlark, called the changes a “sensible and logical move to protect what is one of the largest archeological sites in the UK when the tide is out”.
Last month it was revealed that one of the earliest Victoria Cross gallantry medals to be awarded was recovered from the mud on the banks of the Thames.
The medal, presented for bravery during the Crimean War and worth at least £50,000, was found by a mudlark on the foreshore with a metal detector.
Tobias Neto, 54, from Putney, said he only realised the medal was a Victoria Cross when he got home and saw the writing “For Valour” below the crown.
More about: | Victoria Cross | London | Crown Estate | Stoke Newington | UK | Putney
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Nemo77
1 year ago
What a lame article, you've asked two random people (who've given useless, uninformed replies) and the PLA what they think, how about asking an expert at the Museum to comment? It seems odd to me to target the people who don't damage the foreshore and to continue allowing people to metal detect and dig huge holes - why not ban that if they really want to protect the foreshore? I suspects it's just a money grab as there's no way they can actually police it.,
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obama
1 year ago
WE The People OWN The Thames NOT the P L A OR The CROWN. £32 to play in the mud.. you couldn't make the robbing scam up if you tried, all to fund their jobs not save or preserve anything except their pensions.
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DarrenG
1 year ago
Real reason, the council wants a cut of everything you find.
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geofff
1 year ago
I love wandering The Thames at low tide. I appreciate a shovel & metal detector can cause damage, but will this include picking-up anything that catches your eye? It seems the equivalent of arresting someone for picking up an odd coin from the pavement without first buying a concrete-larking permit.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/ ... 12266.html
The Port of London Authority, which owns the river bank along with the Crown Estate, has ordered a clampdown as treasure hunting has soared in popularity.
Previously anyone could look for fragments of the past, ranging from Roman coins to Delftware pottery, provided they did not scrape or dig the surface to retrieve them.
Under the clampdown, any form of searching for objects washed up by the tides is prohibited unless the mudlarks hold a permit, which costs £32 for a day or £75 for three years.
PLA spokesman Martin Garside said there was “worry within the archaeological community” that amateur treasure seekers were failing to report significant finds.
“If you’re going down there with the intention of looking for something you need to have a permit,” he said.
He called the new rules, which stress the potential risks, were “an important clarification” to ensure people take relevant precautions such as checking the tides and wearing sensible footwear and gloves.
But the move dismayed some mudlarks — the Victorian name for impoverished children and adults who scavenged the washed up debris for anything to sell.
Ted Sandling, whose new book, London In Fragments, details his passion for amateur archaeology, said the new requirements “unfairly penalise casual mudlarkers”.
He added: “I started as a weekend mudlark, going down to the river serendipitously when I saw the tide was out. I applied for a permit when I began to take it seriously, after around a decade of doing it once or twice a year.
“My path is now being closed off to others.”
Cecilia Campbell-Westlind, a literary scout who lives in Stoke Newington, had her first taste of mudlarking last month. She said the fees would put her off going again. “I really loved going but £32 feels very expensive just to go once more.”
Nicola White, a Greenwich-based artist and frequent mudlark, called the changes a “sensible and logical move to protect what is one of the largest archeological sites in the UK when the tide is out”.
Last month it was revealed that one of the earliest Victoria Cross gallantry medals to be awarded was recovered from the mud on the banks of the Thames.
The medal, presented for bravery during the Crimean War and worth at least £50,000, was found by a mudlark on the foreshore with a metal detector.
Tobias Neto, 54, from Putney, said he only realised the medal was a Victoria Cross when he got home and saw the writing “For Valour” below the crown.
More about: | Victoria Cross | London | Crown Estate | Stoke Newington | UK | Putney
Reuse content
Comments
or
to comment
4 Comments
•
•
RSS
Nemo77
1 year ago
What a lame article, you've asked two random people (who've given useless, uninformed replies) and the PLA what they think, how about asking an expert at the Museum to comment? It seems odd to me to target the people who don't damage the foreshore and to continue allowing people to metal detect and dig huge holes - why not ban that if they really want to protect the foreshore? I suspects it's just a money grab as there's no way they can actually police it.,
Reply • Flag
0 likes
obama
1 year ago
WE The People OWN The Thames NOT the P L A OR The CROWN. £32 to play in the mud.. you couldn't make the robbing scam up if you tried, all to fund their jobs not save or preserve anything except their pensions.
Reply • Flag
1 likes
DarrenG
1 year ago
Real reason, the council wants a cut of everything you find.
Reply • Flag
1 likes
geofff
1 year ago
I love wandering The Thames at low tide. I appreciate a shovel & metal detector can cause damage, but will this include picking-up anything that catches your eye? It seems the equivalent of arresting someone for picking up an odd coin from the pavement without first buying a concrete-larking permit.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/ ... 12266.html