Tube – trudging through the thick, silty banks of the River Thames in search of historical treasures was once the preserve of a handful of dedicated enthusiasts. Today, it’s one of London’s most sought-after pastimes, with a waitlist of more than 10,000 hopefuls vying for the chance to get their hands (and boots) dirty.
What transformed this muddy pursuit into the city’s most exclusive hobby?
What is ‘mudlarking’ and why is everyone in London obsessed with it?
The term “mudlark” originally referred to impoverished Londoners in the 18th and 19th centuries who scavenged the Thames for anything they could sell.
Today’s mudlarks, however, are more likely to be amateur archaeologists, history lovers, or social media influencers than desperate scavengers.
The Thames, with its 95 miles of tidal riverbank, is the longest archaeological site in London – a place where centuries-old objects, preserved in the oxygen-poor silt, can emerge looking almost new.
Why is the waitlist for ‘mudlarking’ so long?
The pandemic lockdowns of 2020 brought a new wave of interest to Dombs. This surge in popularity doubled the number of permit holders between 2019 and 2022. Alarmed by the impact on the riverbank and the risk of losing historical artefacts to inexperience or carelessness, the Port of London Authority (PLA) paused new applications and conducted research on sustainable mudlarking.
The result: a cap of 4,000 permits and a waitlist that quickly ballooned to over 10,000 hopefuls.
The new permit restrictions have left many veteran mudlarks devastated. For some, mudlarking is more than a hobby. But of course mudlarking is also not for the faint of heart. The foreshore is slippery, the mud is deep, and the river is still polluted in places-hence its reputation as “London’s dirtiest hobby.” Yet, for those willing to brave the muck, the rewards are tangible: a direct, muddy handshake with history, and the possibility of uncovering a lost treasure that hasn’t seen daylight in centuries.
With the waitlist now closed and new permits trickling out only slowly, mudlarking’s future is uncertain. The PLA, in partnership with museums and archaeologists, is working to balance public interest with preservation.
London’s dirtiest hobby is now its most coveted, thanks to social media, a thirst for history, and the irresistible allure of finding treasure in the city’s ancient mud.
