Mudlarking: At the Dinner Table
By Jason Sandy
Roman oil lamp with lion found by Alan Suttie (Stuart Wyatt).
The Thames is flowing with stories about the people who lived and worked along its banks. Throughout the ages, they have accidentally lost or purposely discarded thousands of domestic items in the river. Spoons, knives, forks, plates, bowls, jugs, tankards, lamps, candlesticks, and many other household objects have been recovered from the Thames by mudlarks. Some people may consider these objects to be mundane and worthless, but the sheer volume of these artifacts shows us how people lived and what they used on a daily basis in their homes centuries ago.
Until electricity became readily available in the 20th century, most homes were lit with lamps or candlelight. In Roman London, people used small oil lamps to illuminate their houses. Several mudlarks, including a ten-year-old boy, have found complete Roman oil lamps on the Thames foreshore.
One of the most extraordinary lamps was discovered by Alan Suttie. After a business meeting in the City of London, he wandered down to the foreshore dressed in a suit and tie—definitely not his usual mudlarking attire. Alan was not expecting to find anything until he spotted a mysterious red object (top) lying on the exposed riverbed. To his surprise, it was a highly decorated Roman oil lamp which had been dropped in the river between AD 300–410. Just imagine, the last person to touch this lamp lived in Roman Londinium around 1,700 years ago and probably used this lamp to illuminate their home. It is a rare example of a North African red slip ceramic oil lamp depicting a running lion which symbolizes Christianity. Although these lamps are relatively common in other parts of the Roman Empire, this is an unusual lamp to be found in Britain because of its late date and Christian iconography.
Medieval pewter candle holder (Portable Antiquities Scheme—PAS). Medieval candlestick (Jason Sandy).Bottom right: 16th–17th-century candlestick (Jason Sandy).
In the Middle Ages, candles became a more common way to illuminate houses. A beautiful medieval candlestick (above left) was found by John Higginbotham in the Thames. Dating to AD 1250–1300, it is a pewter candle holder which was possibly sold as a souvenir to a medieval pilgrim. The circular base is supported by three feet which resemble lion’s paws. In the center of the base, there is a cylindrical socket where the candle would have been inserted. The base is decorated with an outer and inner border, formed by alternating pellet and trefoil motifs. Written in medieval French, there is an inscription which states, “May God protect all those who are here and those who made me.” You can just imagine a group of pilgrims gathered around the warm glow of the candle as they told stories about their adventures en route to the shrine of a patron saint.
Several years ago, Mark Paros also discovered a rare medieval candle holder (above center) made of Surrey borderware pottery. Dating to around AD 1500, it could have been used for a candlelit dinner in a medieval household. It is astounding that this fragile candlestick laid at the bottom of the River Thames for over 500 years, and it’s still complete.
As I was wading through the shallow water in front of large historic houses along the Thames in West London in 2020, I spotted an unusual object (above right) submerged under the water. As I picked it up, I couldn’t believe it was a candle holder from the 16th–17th centuries. It is made of green-glazed borderware which was typical in Tudor times. I wonder what books were read by its candlelight, and what games were enthusiastically played beside it after dark.
Georgian knife (Jason Sandy).
Shortly after a winter storm ripped through London in February 2022, I spotted a knife handle protruding from the surface of the exposed riverbed. I slowly dislodged and wiggled it loose. It was a satisfying experience as the long blade (above) slithered out of the mud. It is very rare to find a complete, old knife. Normally, the iron blade has rusted away years ago. According to knife expert Graham duHeaume, it is a table knife dating to 1750–1775. You can just imagine someone using this knife while cutting a delicious slab of beef carved from a Sunday roast. Based on the maker’s mark on the blade, Graham was able to identify the maker of the knife. According to historic records, Phillip Tyas from Sheffield made this knife around 1774.
Medieval knives (Jason Sandy). Post-medieval knives (Jason Sandy). Post-medieval forks found by Graham duHeaume (Jason Sandy).
Between 1970 and 1986, Graham assembled an impressive collection of over 860 knives, which were all recovered from the Thames foreshore. Some of Graham’s most beautifully preserved knives (above left) are from the late 15th and 16th centuries. Five knives are scale tang, and the bottom two are whittle tang knives. They all have single-sided blades, and their handles were carved from wood or bone. The ends of the knives have decorative finials and knops. I especially like the horse hoof knop and finials in the shape of a crown and fleur-de-lis. All of these knives were produced for domestic use.
Some of Graham’s 17th-century knives (above center) have beautifully decorated brass and bone handles carved with a diamond-shaped pattern, incised spirals, and circular rings. Each of these knives has a cutler’s mark on the blade, which can help identify the maker of the knife. The most common marks are in the shape of a star, crescent, fleur-de-lis, crown, rose, and sword.
In 2020, Graham generously donated his knife collection to the Worshipful Company of Cutlers, which is an ancient livery company in the City of London that received its Royal Charter from King Henry V in 1416. This is the ultimate goal of mudlarking—to donate an outstanding collection of historical artifacts to an institution that will permanently display the collection for educational purposes and preserve it for future generations.
Along with his unparalleled collection of knives, Graham has also found some exquisite, post-medieval forks (above right) in the Thames. It is believed that the Romans originally invented the first fork, but it wasn’t until the 18th century that it became commonplace to use a fork when eating. On land, the bone and timber handles of the forks normally don’t survive. But, in the waterlogged conditions of the Thames, these delicate handles have been perfectly preserved.
16th–17th-century spoons (Graham duHeaume). Queen Anne portrait spoon (PAS).
Graham has also discovered several complete spoons (above left) while mudlarking. Four of the pewter spoons are from the 16th century and are decorated with a ball knop, baluster knop, seal knop, and diamond knop. A 17th-century slip top spoon and a brass trifid Cromwellian spoon from circa 1680 are also part of Graham’s collection. You can imagine a sailor eating his morning porridge with one of these spoons as he watched the sun rise over the Thames. Distracted by the passing ships and buzzing activity along the riverfront, he possibly dropped the spoon in the river accidentally.
Portrait spoons have also been retrieved by mudlarks from the river. A beautiful, complete example (above right) dates to the early 18th century. The top of the trifid-formed spoon portrays Queen Anne, who ruled Britain and Ireland from 1702–1714. On either side of her portrait, two amorini (chubby cupids) hold a crown which is now missing above her head. Below Anne’s portrait, scroll and vine decoration appear on the handle of the spoon along with the initials, “T*P,” which is possibly the maker’s mark. The back of the elongated spoon bowl is decorated with an ornate lacework of coiled vines with leaves. With over 30 types known, Queen Anne was the most popular monarch depicted on royal portrait spoons.
As Steve Brooker was mudlarking, he looked down and spotted a head popping out of the sand. To his surprise, it was an apostle spoon made of pewter. On the spoon terminal, a saint is depicted within an architectural frame. A column on either side of the saint supports a tiled roof structure with a cockerel perched on top. The bearded saint has articulated facial features and is wearing a loose robe. Beginning in the 16th century, apostle spoons gained popularity, and different types of these spoons were made up until the early 20th century.
15th-century drinking jug (Jason Sandy). 16th–18th-century wooden tankard (PAS). Medieval bowl (Jason Sandy).
One of Mark Paros’ favorite finds in his collection is a nearly complete 15th-century German stoneware jug (above left). This vessel has a pale brown buff fabric and would have been used as a drinking jug. Frozen in time, the fingerprints of the German potter are still visible in the thumbed base of the jug. It’s quite exhilarating to think that the potter pressed his fingers into the wet clay over 500 years ago and left delicate fingerprints, which would travel in time for us to see today. It is quite literally a tangible connection with history!
A few years ago, Peter Brown made an extraordinary discovery. At low tide, he excavated a complete, wooden tankard (above center) dating to the 16th–18th centuries from the exposed riverbed. Peter said that “it was buried in the mud with just a tip of the base sticking out. I don’t really know what made me investigate further as I had walked past it. I went back, and it was a bit of a surprise when I dug it out.” The next day he took it to the Museum of London for conservation. The tankard is made of an oak stave construction and held together with two iron bands which are riveted. Made of beech, the large handle has been shaped to create a decorative profile. On the base of the tankard, the letters “R H” have been carved into the wood. They could be the initials of the former owner. According to the Museum of London, “objects of this type and date are exceptionally rare, and this vessel is in a very good state of preservation. So far it is the only one of its kind from London soil.”
When Mark Paros discovered a 15th-century green glazed bowl (above right), it was an unrecorded type of medieval pottery. He found it submerged below the water and resting against a timber where he had recovered two other pots. Using his years of experience, Mark was able to carefully restore the medieval bowl. The outside of the bowl is not glazed and has a brown buff surface. Inside the bowl and around the rim, a thick green glaze has been applied.
Over the years, mudlarks have found many handles from 17th-century tin-glazed porringers. Their curvilinear, openwork patterns are simply beautiful. However, it is very rare to find a complete porringer. Astoundingly, Nick Stevens discovered a ceramic porringer in two pieces and was able to carefully put it back together seamlessly. In the 17th century, porringers were used as an all-purpose bowl for eating hearty soups, stews, and porridge.
17th–18th-century Staffordshire combed slipware (Jason Sandy).
Every day, mudlarks find broken pieces of pottery on the foreshore. One of the most common types of pottery is called Staffordshire combed slipware. Against the dark grey and brown tones of the foreshore environment, it is relatively easy to spot these bright yellow sherds of pottery. Some of the pieces I have found (above) are very large. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, this type of pottery was made of coarse earthenware to which a yellow “slip” (thin layer of liquid clay) was applied before being dipped into a clear lead glaze and fired. The unique decoration was achieved by trailing thin lines of a brown slip onto the yellow slip. Before the slips dried, a special combed tool was pulled perpendicularly to the lines to create the zigzag effect which resembles a feather-topped Bakewell tart. The rims of the plates were further embellished with a “piecrust” or crenelated edge which was made by hand or impressed with a mold. This type of pottery was used for baking, food preparation, and serving food at the table.
Queen’s Silver Jubilee commemorative plate (Jason Sandy). Roman, medieval, and post-medieval pottery sherds (Mark Sowden).
Because of the strong currents of the Thames, it is very rare to find complete plates in the river. While I was nightlarking in September 2021, I spotted an unbroken plate (above left) that washed up on shore. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh are depicted together below the dates 1952 and 1977. Representing a relatively recent moment in British history, this special plate had been made to commemorate the Silver Jubilee (25th anniversary) of the Queen’s reign in 1977. It’s amazing the plate didn’t break when it was dropped in the river.
Mudlark and artist Mark Sowden has collected many large pieces of broken plates and bowls (above right). He has developed an innovative and creative way of “reassembling” broken pieces of pottery so they are complete again. By rotating broken sherds on a turntable and using a long exposure setting on his camera, Mark produces photographs (right) of the complete dishes and bowls.
Roman bowl turning (Mark Sowden). Pancheon bowl turning (Mark Sowden).
“I only use pottery pieces that have a whole profile (from base to rim) for this process, as this gives a sense of the original form in its entirety. They are fragments of plates and bowls that were originally made on a potter’s wheel. I wanted to find out if I could re-form them photographically by turning them again on another wheel. The results are more evocations than reconstructions. Detail other than concentric lines disappear,” explains Mark. It is an ingenious way to bring history alive and make something broken appear complete. Mark has entitled his project, “Turnings.”
Whether it’s broken pieces of pottery or complete spoons, forks, knives, and other kitchen utensils, these domestic objects provide a wonderfully authentic insight into the daily lives of Londoners throughout the ages. A few years ago, I took my family to enjoy a medieval dinner in a crypt near the Tower of London. We dressed up in historic costumes and were entertained by musicians and actors who took us back in time in an immersive experience. During the delicious feast by candlelight, we used forks, knives, spoons, and tankards that were similar to those found in the river by mudlarks. Since we unfortunately cannot time travel, the medieval dinner and entertainment were the next best thing.
Join Jason for a half-hour video beachcombing trip to some of his favorite spots on the River Thames, where he finds treasures buried for centuries in the London mud. He also shares some of his favorite pieces in his extensive collection of finds from prehistory through modern times.
Learn more about mudlarking
Learn more about the experiences of mudlarks, who search the shores of rivers, bays, and seas for historical finds and other objects. Articles ›
Mudlarking on the Thames Foreshore requires a permit. Learn about rules for mudlarking in London ›
This article appeared in Beachcombing Magazine Volume 42 May/June 2024.
