Beachcombing on the Thames

We tried beachcombing on the river Thames in London. We had a very knowledgeable archaeologist, Fiona, that led us down to the water, telling us tidbits of rules and information, historical narratives of London back when as well as her very own stories being an archaeologist. I found someone else's blog of their experience with Fiona.

Beachcombing is NOT mudlarking (Fiona said this several times). The difference between beachcombing and mudlarking are pretty simple. Beachcombing is just as it sounds, combing the surface of the beach, no digging or disturbing the beach, such as nudging with your foot, for treasures.  Beachcombing is acceptable and free; however, if you plan to go mudlarking, you need a license. Mudlarking, although the common term that most people use for scouring the shore fronts, you could legally dig to a certain depth. I can't remember exactly, maybe 4 inches (centimeters?).

The Thames has some kind of bacteria in the water which is just gross and you don't want to contract it, so wear gloves and don't touch your mouth and face, bring hand-sanitizer or wipes ( I would probably recommend this for anywhere, just in case). Bring a sturdy plastic baggies to hold your finds. I used a Ziploc sandwich bag which sufficed my needs. Also, wear sturdy shoes, such as wellies, to keep your feet dry should the tide come in and give you better grip so you don't fall. Fiona and several others wore trainers (tennis shoes as we call them in the states).

Hopefully it goes without saying that, in order to beachcomb, you have to wait for low-tide, when the beach is exposed. As for times during the year, I have heard conflicting information that you can just go down any time and other information stating you have to wait until the 2 public beach days during the year or by invitation from the Crown (this may apply on to mudlarking on the Thames). Now for beginners, I'd suggest doing the London Walks tour with Fiona first, or a few times. It costs £10, so it's a pretty cheap adventure.

Fiona took us down on the South side, near Shakespeare's Globe Theatre where most of the peasants and "poorer" people lived. The opposite side, near Tower Bridge is supposedly the "rich" side. On our beachcombing expedition, we found pieces of coal, flint, crockery, bones, teeth, nails, glass, roof tiles, clay pipes, and more. After combing the beach for about 15- 20 minutes, Fiona had us gather around so she could tell us just what we had found, then set us loose again. The tour was set for about 2 hours which seems like quite a while, but time sure does fly when you're having fun!

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you find something valuable, it must be turned over for documentation and recording. So, if you're on your own, and you find something you think is valuable, you need to register it (which is why I recommend a London Walks tour). Here is an accumulation of some of our finds. To each their own. What one person finds interesting, another may not.

For some more rules, click here.

For some of the best places to go beachcombing in the UK

Best wishes on your adventure!

Scotland's Real Braveheart

We made the trip back up to Scotland with the in-laws this past week and had a great time. We took a bus tour (with Micheal our guide) to Dumferline Abbey, Bannocockburn battle site, Stirling Castle, and Rosslyn Chapel which was really entertaining, informative, and steeped with conspiracy. 

The history (and grudge) between Scotland and England is the stuff of legends and good entertainment. While the truth is out there, some of it is muddled with over-dramatization and inaccuracies to tell a better story. However, you don't need a history lesson to witness the Scots aversion to being under England's rule. It is still very much prevalent today. But, going back in time, before Mary, Queen of Scots, there was Robert the Bruce, the self-made king, and before him there was William Wallace, a peasant and commoner who stood against England.

William Wallace is famous for that movie, you know, the one with Mel Gibson, Braveheart... Well, William Wallace was an actual figure in Scotland during the end of the 1200s. He is known for defeating the English in the Battle of Stirling Bridge against a much larger English army, rebelling against Edward I of England that imposed his authority on the Scots. He led successful raids along the English/Scottish borders that Edward sent more armies after Wallace. He retreated to Scotland where the English army defeated the Scots at Falkirk. William Wallace got away, but eventually he was captured, accused of treason, hanged, and quartered. 

William Wallace became guardian of Scotland, a title shared with Robert the Bruce and John Comyn. The movie Braveheart would have you believe that William Wallace was/is known to the Scots as 'Braveheart'; however, that title is held for Bruce. 

Unlike William Wallace, Robert the Bruce was a nobleman with ties to the Scottish royal family. Unlike Wallace, Bruce supported Edward I, that is until he didn't and turned his support to William Wallace. Bruce was excommunicated by the church and labeled an outlaw by Edward I after he stabbed John Comyn in Dumfries Church which meant he could not be recognized as a king. Bruce still declared himself king and was backed by the Scots and a petition was sent to the Pope to acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the rightful King of Scotland. 

The Pope responded that Bruce would be recognized as King should he help fight in the Holy Lands. Robert the Bruce would not make it the Holy Lands, but instructed someone to go in place and to take his heart so that he'd be there in spirit. His heart only got as far as Spain when it is said that before dying, his replacement threw Robert the Bruce's heart at the Moors. The Moors, impressed with such a heart, sent it back to Scotland where it resides at Melrose Abbey, hence the name Braveheart. Robert the Bruce's body, however, resides at Dumferline Abbey. 

William Wallace's mother also rests at Dumferline Abbey. William Wallace could not be recognized by the church; however, a thorn tree was planted next to his mother's grave as Wallace was known as a thorn in King Edward's side.

After Edward I died, his son Edward II carried on his father's belief to rule over the Scots. Edward II and his army met Robert Bruce at Bannocockburn in the English's attempts to capture Stirling Castle, the gateway to the highlands. The English army greatly outnumbered Bruce's army, however, Bruce had been trained as an English knight and knew how the English army would operate. One Englishman in particular, Sir Henry de Bohun, thought he could strike down Bruce and charged him. Bruce, in turn, slew Sir Henry in a single swoop of his ax. The Scots pushed back the English army backwards towards a boggy river by forming schiltrons. The English fled back, many drowning in the river. It is said the number of bodies in the river made it possible for others to cross the river by stepping on the dead.

Stirling Castle is known as the key to Scotland for its strategic location between the Lowlands and the Higlands, a stronghold during the Independence wars, and home to many royals such as Mary Queen of Scots.

Our last stop was Rosslyn Chapel, made famous by Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. Rosslyn Chapel was first founded in 1446. The chapel took some 40 years to build and finish all the intricate stone work. It is said that a Master artist finished on of the columns in the chapel and went off to get inspired, leaving his apprentice behind. The apprentice has vision, and when the master returned, he was outraged that the apprentice had carved the column across from the master's that the master killed the apprentice. The head of the apprentice was carved in the corner of Rosslyn Chapel looking across to the column of the master with a star above his head. The master's head is also carved into Rosslyn Chapel to forever look at the masterpiece that is his apprentice's work.

There is also interesting carving depicting the seven sins and the seven ways to get to heaven. There is one that is both depicted on sides of the carving. Unfortunately you cannot take pictures inside nor did we find the Holy Grail.

Other places we visited this past week with the in-laws:

Warwick Castle
Angelsey Abbey
Beachcoming

Also, see read through my 1st trip in Edinburgh here. And if you're looking for that special reminder/souvenir from you trip to Scotland, check out this link of Scottish products to bring home.