Lara Maiklem, 55, has been appointed as Britain's first-ever 'Mudlark-in-Residence' by Southwark Cathedral after 25 years of discovering lost treasures along the River Thames. The self-proclaimed history buff began mudlarking when she moved to Greenwich, south-east London, over two decades ago and started walking along the riverbank.
Thousands of objects found over 25 years
Since then, Maiklem has uncovered thousands of objects, many of which she stores in her guest bedroom as a mini museum. Notable finds include a Tudor child's shoe from the late 1500s, a Tudor dagger, Roman game counters, a complete Roman pot, and an early 18th-century wine bottle. She also found a late 19th-century Nepalese Ganesh statue.
Mudlarking is the practice of searching riverbanks, especially along the Thames, for historical objects revealed by the mud at low tide. The activity requires a permit from the Port of London Authority, and finders must report items over 300 years old to the Portable Antiquities Scheme and any gold or silver objects to a coroner. Discoveries cannot be sold as they technically belong to the authority.
First permanent Mudlark-in-Residence
Maiklem said: "It was a great honour when the cathedral said that they were going to honour the work that I had done. It is absolutely the first-ever permanent Mudlark-in-Residence. The display we have at Southwark is the only permanent display of mudlarking objects in the world."
Her love for the hobby began after finding her first item—a clay pipe stem. She started posting finds on social media under The London Mudlark in 2012, claiming to be the first to do so. She has since authored four books on mudlarking, including the Sunday Times bestseller Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames and A Mudlarking Year: Finding Treasure in Every Season.
Personal rules and connection to history
Maiklem, now living on the Kent coast, follows personal rules: she never uses a metal detector, scrapes, or digs, only picking up items uncovered by the tide. She explained: "Mudlarks will never get rich from what we are doing, and the items aren't on the whole museum-worthy but they are everyday loved and worn objects. They all tell these stories of forgotten people, and those forgotten people are who we come from."
She added: "Going mudlarking and getting down on the river you are in another world. You are a lifetime away from all the chaos that is going on in the city. There is also this deep connection with the past that I can't imagine you get with anything else. It is the closest thing I can imagine to time travel."
Collaboration with Southwark Cathedral
Maiklem has worked with Southwark Cathedral for about six years, giving talks, leading fundraisers, and conducting foreshore walks. She also helps host an annual mudlarking festival, scheduled for later this month. She said: "We have been slowly building up a mudlarking presence in the cathedral. It makes perfect sense. The cathedral is really old. There are a lot of firsts for Southwark Cathedral, which is brilliant because it is a very forward-thinking cathedral."
