Community Archaeology Report

THAMES DISCOVERY PROGRAMME
Community Archaeology Report
October 2008 – September 2011

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................... 4
ORGANISATION OF THIS REPORT ............................................................................................................. 4
TDP STAFF TEAM: .............................................................................................................................. 4
Abbreviations used in this report .............................................................................................. 5
AIMS OF THE PROJECT ......................................................................................................................... 6
ACTIVITIES: FIELDWORK, EVENTS, DISSEMINATION AND RESOURCES DEVELOPED ............................. 7
1ST QUARTER: 13/09/08 – 25/11/08 .................................................................................................... 7
2ND QUARTER: 26/11/08 – 05/03/09 ................................................................................................. 10
3RD QUARTER: 05/03/09 – 02/07/09 ................................................................................................. 13
4TH QUARTER: 03/07/09 – 16/09/09 ................................................................................................. 17
5TH QUARTER: 16/09/09 – 27/01/10 ................................................................................................. 20
6TH QUARTER: 28/01/10 – 24/03/10 ................................................................................................. 23
TH
7 QUARTER: 25/03/10 – 24/06/10 ................................................................................................. 27
8TH QUARTER: 25/06/10 – 06/10/10 ................................................................................................. 31
9TH QUARTER: 07/10/10 – 19/01/11 ................................................................................................. 35
10TH QUARTER: 20/01/11 – 30/03/11................................................................................................ 38
11TH QUARTER: 31/03/11 – 13/07/11................................................................................................ 41
12TH QUARTER: 14/07/11 – 30/09/11................................................................................................ 46
SUMMARY DATA................................................................................................................................ 49
HLF TARGETS................................................................................................................................... 49
Events .................................................................................................................................... 49
The Foreshore Recording and Observation Group ................................................................... 51
Website .................................................................................................................................. 53
Schools ................................................................................................................................... 54
Exhibitions .............................................................................................................................. 55
Sustainability .......................................................................................................................... 55
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE SUMMARIES: ...................................................................................................... 58
TDP Key Sites: ......................................................................................................................... 58
Other sites visited: .................................................................................................................. 65
PROJECT BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................... 70
APPENDIX 1: ....................................................................................................................................... 72

TABLE OF FIGURES

Front cover: the Thames at Isleworth
Figure 1: Wharf structure at Billingsgate , October 2008 ....................................................................... 7
Figure 2: Nautical timbers at Charlton, November 2008 ........................................................................ 8
Figure 3: Thames Discovery Programme stall at the Thames Festival, September 2008 ........................ 9
Figure 4: Deptford Creek walk, with the Creekside Centre, March 2009 .............................................. 10
Figure 5: FROG Training at Custom House, February 2009 .................................................................. 11
Figure 6: FROG training at Isleworth, April 2009 ................................................................................. 14
Figure 7: Treasure and the Thames seminar, April 2009 ...................................................................... 15
Figure 8: At Trig Lane, June 2009 ........................................................................................................ 15
Figure 9: Sampling at Fulham, August 2009 ........................................................................................ 18
Figure 10: Tower Beach Open Weekend, July 2009 (photo by Dan Swift)............................................. 19
Figure 11: FROG Fieldwork at Bermondsey, September 2009 .............................................................. 20
Figure 12: Survey at Vauxhall, October 2009 ....................................................................................... 21
Figure 13: MoLA Geomatics surveying at Greenwich, February 2010 .................................................. 23
Figure 14: Guided walk for Birkbeck students and FROG Training at Trig Lane, March 2010 ............... 24
Figure 15: Children’s activities at the Remarkable Rivers event, UCL, February 2010 ........................... 25
Figure 16: Defining the WW2 river wall breach at Fulham, March 2010. ............................................. 27
Figure 17: Final day of Summer Season fieldwork at Rotherhithe, September 2010............................. 31
Figure 18: Visit to the Theatre site, July 2010 ...................................................................................... 33
Figure 19: Human Remains Riverpedia Workshop, November 2010 .................................................... 36
Figure 20: Guided walk at Richmond, November 2010 ........................................................................ 36
Figure 21: TDP Outreach Officer Mike Webber at the TEP Forum, October 2010 ................................. 37
Figure 22: FROG member Andy Becker with lithic find at Vauxhall, February 2011 .............................. 38
Figure 23: FROG Training at Putney, March 2011................................................................................ 39
Figure 24: Tower of London event, April 2011 ..................................................................................... 42
Figure 25: FROG Team photo with Tony Robinson at Burrell’s Wharf, July 2011 .................................. 42
Figure 26: Lecture at Southwark Cathedral, July 2011 (Photo by Anies Hassan) .................................. 43
Figure 27: TDP exhibition at the Museum of London, July 2011 ........................................................... 44
Figure 28: Erosion on the foreshore at the Tower Beach, July 2011 ..................................................... 46
Figure 29: Visit to Billingsgate Bath House, July 2011.......................................................................... 47
Figure 30: Children’s activities at the Museum of London, August 2011 .............................................. 48
Figure 31: Monitoring trip to Vauxhall, August 2011 ........................................................................... 49
Figure 32: Screen shot of FROG blog page, September 2011 ............................................................... 53
Figure 33: Map of sites, September 2011 ............................................................................................ 57

Introduction
This report has been produced as the final report for the Heritage Lottery Fund with
regard to activities undertaken by the Thames Discovery Programme staff team.
Information about archaeology recorded within the intertidal zone across fifteen
riparian boroughs in Greater London is also included.

Twelve Quarterly Reports have previously been produced and submitted to the
Thames Discovery Programme Steering Group (Quarterly Report 12 is incorporated
within this present document) and an Interim Report (Cohen 2010) was produced in
June 2010. A separate report on the Riverpedia Project (created with the support of
a grant from the UCL Public Engagement Unit) was produced in August 2011. This
report has been written by Nathalie Cohen (TDP Team Leader), with contributions
from Eliott Wragg (TDP Field Officer) and Gustav Milne (TDP Director). All
photographs were taken by N. Cohen with the exception of Figures 10 and 26 (which
are reproduced with the kind permission of Dan Swift and Anies Hassan
respectively). Figure 33 was created by Catherine Drew (MoLA Geomatics). The
report has been reviewed by the TDP staff team and the TDP Steering Group.

Organisation of this report
This section is designed to give the reader information as follows:

 Sites visited, and archaeological survey work undertaken, by the TDP,
Museum of London Archaeology, the Foreshore Recording and Observation
Group, archaeological and mudlarking societies, and members of the public
 The criteria and reasons for the fieldwork and events
 Summary information about the archaeological sites
 The development of the Foreshore Recording and Observation Group
 Events organised and attended
 Dissemination of project results
 Resources developed as a result of the project

The report is presented with quarterly information in chronological order, with
subsequent sections detailing achievement of project aims and targets met, and
archaeological data.

TDP Staff Team:
GM – Gustav Milne (TDP Director P/T Oct 2008 – September 2011)
NRC – Nathalie Cohen (TDP Team Leader F/T Oct 2008 - September 2011)
EW – Eliott Wragg (TDP Field Officer P/T May 2009 – September 2011)
MW – Mike Webber (TDP Outreach Officer P/T October 2010 – September 2011)
LJR – Lorna Richardson (TDP Outreach Officer F/T Oct 2008 – September 2010; P/T
October 2010 – September 2011)
SH – Sue Harrington (TDP GIS Officer P/T November 2009 – June 2010) and (TDP
Admin P/T Feb 2009 - September 2011)
DJ – David Jamieson (TDP Survey Officer F/T Oct 2008 – Feb 2009)
LAB – Lucy Anne Bishop (TDP Admin P/T Oct 2008 – Nov 2009)
SB – Stuart Brookes (TDP GIS Officer P/T March 2009 – November 2009)

Abbreviations used in this report
Groups / Organizations:

CBA Council for British Archaeology
EA Environment Agency
EH English Heritage
FROG Foreshore Recording and Observation Group
GLAAS Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service
GLHER Greater London Historic Environment Record
HRP Historic Royal Palaces
LAARC London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre
LAMAS London and Middlesex Archaeological Society
MoL Museum of London
MoLA Museum of London Archaeology
PAS Portable Antiquities Scheme
PLA Port of London Authority
TAF Thames and Field Metal Detecting Society
TAS Thames Archaeological Survey
TDP Thames Discovery Programme
TEP Thames Estuary Partnership
TET Thames Explorer Trust
UCL University College London
UEL University of East London
YAC Young Archaeologist Club

Aims of the Project
The Heritage Lottery Fund agreed with the Thames Estuary Partnership and the Thames
Explorer Trust that during the three year period of the project, the Thames Discovery
Programme would undertake the following activities:

● Initiating, developing or supporting 30 events per year, ranging from foreshore
sessions for special groups and schools , attendance at major Thames Festivals,
class-room based workshops, FROG training sessions, the Annual TDP Foreshore
Forum, TEP Annual Forum, Creekside Centre, Deptford open day and low tide
walks, Greenwich Festival, Greenwich Park, Thames Landscape Strategy Annual
Forum and Summer Party, Kew to Chelsea Summer boat trip, TET summer fun
events and family days, Oxford Cambridge Boat Race day and Borough free
festival dates where river related.

● Assessing the current record for each site and piloting recording and survey
methods in Year 1 to ensure a high and consistent standard of information is
collected. A monitoring pack will be produced for each site and community FROG
members trained to undertake regular, systematic monitoring of those sites to
highlight any changes or damage.

● Work on the pilot site will inform if any changes will be made and the other 19
sites will be set up as soon as is practicable, using the same model.

● Development of a website to host information recorded and the FROG
monitoring work as it happens to encourage wider access and involvement in the
community and will use a FROG blog, with additional contextual material
developed to translate the information and finds into easily accessible
information and images for everyone to enjoy. Links to related sites will be
included to assist follow-up on visits to the Museum of London (MoL), the
Docklands Museum etc for those who wish to develop their own interests in the
cultural history of the Thames and foreshore. The TEP website and partner
websites will sign post and provide links to this.

● A travelling exhibition visiting between 3-5 locations each year, showing how the
project works, some of its findings as they develop and how to find out more.
The locations include: MoL, Docklands Museum and UCL Archaeology
Department, Thames Explorer Trust, Creekside Education Centre, Greenwich
Maritime Museum and Thames Estuary Partnership Annual Forum.

● A schools project hosted by the Tidal Thames Education Network in 10 Education
Centres including on line education material, teaching activities on
archaeological finds on the foreshore, teacher training sessions, lessons plans
and boxes of actual finds constructed with support from MoL and English
Heritage. The boxes will be available on a library basis or a permanent basis
where resources permit.

● Work to embed the project in an institutional context in Year 3 to ensure long
term sustainability for the programme.

Activities: Fieldwork, Events, Dissemination and Resources
Developed
1st quarter: 13/09/08 – 25/11/08
Fieldwork:

Zone code / Location Purpose
FSW01 Bermondsey Survey with MoLA Geomatics (commercial work) /
team familiarisation
FHL20 Chiswick Team familiarisation
FCY04 Custom House Team familiarisation
FRM11 Richmond Team familiarisation
FSW11 Bankside Team familiarisation
FGW14 Charlton Team familiarisation

Figure 1: Wharf structure at Billingsgate , October 2008

The initial site work at Bermondsey was undertaken outside of the Team Leader’s
employment with TEP / TDP (prior to contracted start date) but the TDP Team
Director also attended the site. [The three letter/ two numeral code associated with
each site name is the ‘zone code’ assigned by the Thames Archaeological Survey as
the unique identifier for that particular site within the Greater London area].

Subsequent visits were designed to introduce the new team to a range of foreshore
sites, which were chosen according to the previous field experience of the Team
Leader and Director, and examination of the Thames Archaeological Survey archive
(which contains information about foreshore sites investigated from 1996-9).
Criteria for sites chosen were location (a sample across the Greater London riparian
boroughs); accessibility (with regard to future training and outreach events); to link
with project partners and supporter organisations (in this quarter, the Thames
Explorer Trust at Chiswick and the Environment Agency at Charlton); and the range
of archaeological features represented at each site (see Archaeological Site
Summaries).

Figure 2: Nautical timbers at Charlton, November 2008

Events organised/ presented:
Introduction to the TDP (22/11/08) at MoL [NRC, GM, LJR, DJ]

Events attended:
Thames Festival (13/14 September), TEP Annual Forum (16/10/08), London
Archaeological Forum (22/10/08), Thames21 Training Day (24/11/08)

Figure 3: Thames Discovery Programme stall at the Thames Festival, September 2008
Dissemination:
Article for Talk of the Thames
Publicity materials: TDP postcards at NAS Conference, Thames Festival, TEP Annual
Forum, and personal contacts.

Resources developed:
TDP website structure developed with LP Archaeology
Flickr account set up and first sets of images uploaded (LJR, NRC)
Articles about Geology (DJ), Erosion & Deposition (LJR) and the TDP Logo (LJR)
uploaded to TDP website.

2nd quarter: 26/11/08 – 05/03/09
Fieldwork:

FHL04 Isleworth Team familiarisation / C14 sampling
FHL12 Strand on the Team familiarisation
Green
FCY04 Custom House Assessment and survey with MoLA Geomatics
Set up for FROG Training
Filming with Tollan Films
FROG Training
FGW14 Charlton Alpha survey
FHM04 Crabtree Wharf Survey with MoLA Geomatics (commercial work)
FSW01 Bermondsey C14 sampling
FHL10 Brentford Riverside Team familiarisation
FRM22 Brentford Ait Team familiarisation
FKN01 Chelsea Assessment visit with UCL student
FCY01 Trig Lane Guided tour for City University students
FSW12 Winchester Wharf Familiarisation
Deptford Creek Familiarisation

During this quarter, a considerable number of site trips were organised; team
attendance at visits was affected by illness. Repeat visits were made to two sites
from the first quarter selected for future FROG Training (Custom House and
Charlton), and the first weekend Day 2 FROG sessions were held at Custom House.

Figure 4: Deptford Creek walk, with the Creekside Centre, March 2009

The programme of site selection during this quarter was again designed to introduce
the team to further examples of known key sites, using the criteria above (location,
accessibility, partner organisations and archaeology). This quarter also saw
university involvement with the development of three Masters dissertation projects
based on TDP fieldwork and data (by Lisa Gray, Eliott Wragg and Lorna Richardson
UCL) and a guided walk for City University evening class students.

Figure 5: FROG Training at Custom House, February 2009

A Christmas social event was held at UCL for partners and supporters and a second
introductory lecture about the project was held at LAARC.

Additionally during this quarter, commercial work was undertaken with MoLA,
commissioned by Arups, which discovered a previously unrecorded fish trap in
Hammersmith.

a) Xmas with the TDP at UCL (05/12/08) [GM, NRC, LJR, DJ, LAB]
b) FROG Day 1 Training at UCL (24/01/09) [GM, NRC, LJR, DJ]
c) FROG Day 2 Training at Custom House (14-15/02/09) [GM, NRC, LJR, DJ]
d) Introduction to the TDP at LAARC (27/02/09) [NRC]
e) Guided walk for City University at Trig Lane (28/02/09) [NRC]

Events attended:
Thames Gateway Forum (26/11/08) (NRC)

Dissemination:
Newspaper articles in Hackney Gazette and Hackney Today
Lectures presented: Bexley Archaeological Group (NRC), MoLA (NRC), Careers Day @
Institute of Archaeology (LJR)
Publicity materials: postcards in LAMAS newsletter, Day 1 FROG Training (in packs),
LAARC reception, Hackney Borough libraries and personal contacts.

FROG Training Packs which include FROG certificate, health and safety information,
Code of Conduct, project background, evaluation and diversity monitoring forms,
photo consent forms, local libraries list, Dark Waters map, Portable Antiquities
Scheme leaflet, Talk of the Thames magazine and TDP postcards / poster (all)
Key Site information for Custom House – in packs and uploaded to website (DJ, NRC).
Volunteers assessed finds collected during the TAS project in preparation for new
Archaeology for All (TET) teaching sets (NRC)

3rd quarter: 05/03/09 – 02/07/09
Fieldwork:

FHM07-08 Fulham Assessment visit
FWW04 Putney Survey with MoLA Geomatics
FHL04 Isleworth Assessment and survey with MoLA Geomatics
Guided public walk
FROG Training x 2
FKN01 Chelsea Sampling for student project
FCY04 Custom House Guided public walk
FROG training events x 2
FLM01 Vauxhall Assessment visit
FSW12 Winchester Wharf Assessment visit
Canary Wharf to Burrell’s Rapid walkover
Wharf
FGW14 Charlton Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Guided public walk
FROG training
FSW03 Rotherhithe Assessment visit
FCY01 Trig Lane Guided walk for City University students
FGW04 Greenwich Palace Guided public walk
FTH02 Alderman Stairs Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Summer Season Week 1

This quarter saw new staff in place following David Jamieson’s resignation; the
Survey Officer role was split into two – Eliott Wragg as Field Officer and Stuart
Brookes as GIS Officer. As both new team members had previous foreshore
experience, little familiarisation was needed, meaning that 2 further cycles of FROG
training were successfully completed, at Custom House (April and June), Isleworth
(April and June) and Charlton (June) together with the first week of FROG summer
fieldwork at Alderman Stairs, also in June. Additionally, survey with MoLA
Geomatics was undertaken at Putney to support the work of the Wandsworth
Historical Society. Guided public walks took place at Custom House, Isleworth,
Charlton, Trig Lane and Greenwich. Assessment visits were undertaken to Fulham,
Vauxhall (where a newly revealed structure was sampled), Winchester Wharf, the
Isle of Dogs and Rotherhithe to inform planning of future fieldwork and public
events, and to develop partner links (with Fulham Palace, English Heritage and
Bankside STEWards at Fulham, Vauxhall and Winchester Wharf respectively).

Three evening events were also held at LAARC.

Figure 6: FROG training at Isleworth, April 2009

Events organised / presented:
a) Guided walk at Isleworth 15/03/09) [NRC, LJR]
b) FROG Day 1 Training at UCL (21/03/09) [GM, NRC, LJR, DJ]
c) FROG Film night at LAARC (15/04/09) [NRC]
d) Treasure and the Thames at LAARC (20/04/09) [NRC, LJR]
e) FROG Day 2 Training at Custom House (25/04/09) [GM, EW]
f) FROG Day 2 Training at Isleworth (25-26/04/09) [NRC, LJR]
g) Guided walk at Custom House (17/05/09) [NRC]
h) Dirty Nails at LAARC (18/05/09) [NRC, LJR]
i) Guided walk at Charlton (30/05/09) [NRC, LJR, EW]
j) FROG Day 1 Training at UCL (06/06/09) [GM, NRC, LJR, EW]
k) FROG Tour of LAARC (12/06/09) [NRC]
l) Guided walk at Trig Lane (13/06/09) [NRC]
m) Guided walk at Greenwich (14/06/09) [GM, NRC, LAB]
n) FROG Tour of MiD (21/06/09) [LJR]
o) FROG Day 2 Training at Custom House (27-28/06/09) [SB]
p) FROG Day 2 Training at Charlton (27-28/06/09) [NRC, GM, EW, LJR]
q) FROG Day 2 Training at Isleworth (27-28/06/09) [LAB]
r) FROG Tour of Syon House dig (28/06/09) [NRC]

Figure 7: Treasure and the Thames seminar, April 2009

Figure 8: At Trig Lane, June 2009

Events attended:
IFA Conference (NRC), LAMAS conference (NRC, LJR), Social Media Exchange (LJR),
UCL Public Engagement Symposium (NRC), Maritime Research Framework (NRC,
EW), London Research Strategy (NRC), Missing Out Conference (LJR), EH Focus group
(LJR), UEL Mayfest (LJR)

Dissemination:
Articles for Surrey Newsletter, LAMAS Newsletter, Talk of the Thames, British
Archaeology.
Newspaper/Newsletter: 1st TDP Newsletter produced.
Lectures presented: City of London Archaeological Society, Wandsworth Historical
Society, Association of American Study Abroad Programme, Merton Historical
Society, Raynes Park Library, City University course on Thames (8 x weeks) – all NRC.
Teaching and Learning in Archaeology, HEA Conference (LJR), PEU Symposium (GM).
Publicity materials: postcards at IFA Conference, Day 1 FROG Training (in packs),
Mayfest, Wandle Valley Festival, LAARC Reception and personal contacts.

Key site information for Isleworth and Charlton – uploaded to website (NRC, EW)
Discussion with TET re end of project education deliverables (LJR, NRC, Andy
Hawkins)

4th quarter: 03/07/09 – 16/09/09
Fieldwork:

FTH01 Tower of London Assessment visit
Festival of British Archaeology public event
FHM07-08 Fulham Assessment visit
Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Radiocarbon sampling
Dendrochronological sampling
Festival of British Archaeology public event (guided
walks)
FCY04 Custom House Festival of British Archaeology YAC visit
FHL20 Chiswick Festival of British Archaeology public event (guided
walk)
FGW14 Charlton Summer Season Week 2
Press event
Rainham / Purfleet Assessment visit
FWW03 Putney Assessment and survey with MoLA Geomatics
Summer Season Week 3
FWS01 Bermondsey Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Guided public walk
Gravesend Commercial work for Giffords DBA

Another very busy quarter characterised by numerous public events, such as those
linked with the Festival of British Archaeology (FoBA); these included a family
foreshore day at Fulham Palace, attendance at the Open Foreshore Weekend at the
Tower of London, YAC guided walk at Custom House, and a guided walk and ancient
woodworking demonstration at Chiswick Pier Fun Day. The Charlton site was the
subject of a press release and a guided walk was organised to Bermondsey. Two
further weeks of summer fieldwork were completed at Charlton (July) and Putney
(August), as were assessment visits to the Tower of London and Rainham / Purfleet
(links developed with Historic Royal Palaces and RSPB Rainham).

Radiocarbon results returned for the Vauxhall sample were late Mesolithic in date.
At Fulham, a newly discovered structure was sampled for radiocarbon dating during
the FoBA event (returning an Iron Age date) and a second structure was sampled for
dendrochronological analysis. The latter sample unfortunately did not date,
however map regression suggests an early 18th century date for the structure. A
sample of human bone was also submitted for radiocarbon dating (from a skull
discovered by a mudlarker – Nick Stevens – at Burrell’s Wharf) – this also returned
an early 18th century date.

Figure 9: Sampling at Fulham, August 2009

During this quarter, TDP was commissioned by Giffords to undertake desk based
assessment of the Town Pier at Gravesend, which included a visit to the site.

a) FROG tour of MoL (18/07/09) [LJR]
b) Fun on the Foreshore at Fulham (23/07/09) [NRC, LJR, EW]
c) YAC walk at Custom House (25/07/09) [LJR]
d) Guided walk at Chiswick (26/07/09) [NRC, EW]
e) FROG Tour of Thames Barrier (31/07/09) [NRC]
f) Artefact sorting sessions at MoL / MiD (01-02/08/09) [GM, NRC, EW]
g) FROG Tour of Fulham Palace (26/08/09) [NRC]
h) Guided walk at Bermondsey (10/09/09) [GM, NRC]

Events attended:
Pimms on the Quad (NRC/GM), London Bridge Festival (NRC/GM), Tower of London
Open Foreshore (NRC, LR, EW), Gunnersbury Park Museum (LJR), UCL 4 London
(NRC/GM), Thames Festival (NRC/GM/LJR)

Figure 10: Tower Beach Open Weekend, July 2009 (photo by Dan Swift)

Dissemination:
Academic papers: 1 x Masters essay completed (Juanita MacDougall)
Articles for Talk of the Thames, British Archaeology
Newspaper/Newsletter: 2nd TDP Newsletter, Evening Standard, BBC, ITV
Lectures presented: Fulham Palace (NRC/Phil Emery), Greenwich Industrial Society
(LR/EW), MiD (NRC/LR), Greenwich Heritage Centre (LR/EW), Orpington and District
Archaeological Society (GM)
Publicity material: several hundred postcards distributed at summer events
Exhibition: Chiswick Pier Trust

Key site information for Alderman Stairs, Fulham, Putney and Bermondsey uploaded
to website (NRC).
Team discussion of Riverpedia project (all)
Article about the UCL Public Engagement Unit uploaded to TDP website (LJR).

5th quarter: 16/09/09 – 27/01/10
Fieldwork:

FSW01 Bermondsey Summer Season Wk4
FHL12 Strand on the Green Preparation and survey with MoLA Geomatics
FROG training
FLM01 Vauxhall Sampling, survey with MoLA Geomatics
FGW23 Tripcockness Assessment visit
FHM08 Carrara Wharf FROG led fieldwork
FRM11 Richmond Guided walk
FTH07 Shadwell Assessment visit
FTH15 Burrell’s Wharf Assessment visit
Excavation of skeleton, survey with MoLA Geomatics
FGW14 Charlton Filming with BBC Inside Out
FSW11 Bankside Guided walk

This quarter saw the completion of the 2009 Summer Season with fieldwork at
Bermondsey in September, and the 5th cycle of FROG Training with a weekend
session held at Strand on the Green in October.

Figure 11: FROG Fieldwork at Bermondsey, September 2009

Figure 12: Survey at Vauxhall, October 2009

The Vauxhall Mesolithic structure was revisited, again with English Heritage and
Museum of London staff, and further samples taken to confirm the date from the
original sample. The first independent FROG project was initiated and run during
November at Carrara Wharf in Hammersmith, with support from the TDP team; the
FROG members discovered part of the 1729 bridge preserved within the dock.
Assessment visits were undertaken to two sites not examined by the TAS (to
Tripcockness and Burrell’s Wharf), making links with the Digging Dad’s Army Project
and the Thames and Field Metal Detecting Society. An assessment visit was also
made to Shadwell; a site previously investigated in detail by TAS and the City of
London Archaeological Society and identified as a possible key site. Access here is
difficult and it was decided to focus on a different site along this stretch of
foreshore. Guided walks were run in Richmond (working with the Environment
Trust), Greenwich (led by the author S.I. Martin) and at Bankside (complementing a
trip to Southwark Cathedral).

The Charlton site was again the focus of media attention with filming for the BBC’s
Inside Out in December, while in January a further visit to Burrell’s Wharf discovered
the remainder of the skeleton of a child, whose skull had previously been dated to
the early 18th century (see 4th Quarter above).

Other project events included digital training sessions, and the first two lectures of
the TDP seminar series at LAARC. No commercial site work was undertaken during
this quarter.

a) FROG Day 1 Training at UCL (10/10/09) [GM, NRC, EW, LJR]
b) FROG Day 2 Training at Strand on the Green (17-18/10/09) [GM, NRC, EW]
c) Black History month guided walk (19/10/09) [LJR]
d) Digital Training workshop at IoA (24/10/09) [LJR]
e) TDP Foreshore Forum at UCL (14/11/09) [GM, NRC, EW, LJR, SH, SB]
f) Guided walk in Richmond (21/11/09) [EW]
g) TDP Winter Social at UCL (11/12/09) [GM, NRC, EW]
h) Digital Training workshop at IoA (12/12/09) [LJR]
i) A Tale of the Thames at LAARC (18/01/10) [GM, NRC, EW]
j) Guided walk at Bankside and Southwark Cathedral (23/01/10) [NRC]
k) Dirty Thames at LAARC (25/01/10) [NRC, LJR]

Events attended:
Dover Marine Festival (LJR, EW, LAB), TEP Annual Forum (all), NAS Conference (EW),
HWMTA Networking workshop (LJR), Thames and Field Metal Detecting Society
meeting (NRC), Bishopsgate Institute Oral History Workshop (LJR), Web 2.0 and
Social Media workshop (NRC), Provosts Annual Award for Public Engagement (NRC,
LJR).

Dissemination:
Client reports: Gravesend DBA completed
Academic papers: 4 x Masters Dissertations completed (Eliott Wragg, Lisa Gray,
Lorna Richardson, Camille Czerkowicz)
Articles Talk of the Thames, London Archaeologist, Institute of Archaeology
newsletter.
Newspaper/Newsletter/Press: 3rd and 4th TDP Newsletters produced, BBC Inside
Out
Lectures presented: Rotherhithe and Bermondsey Local History Group (NRC), Tidal
Thames Conference (GM), Society of Antiquaries (GM), Southwark Cathedral (NRC),
IoA Undergraduate Introduction and MA Public Archaeology course (LJR), Birkbeck
(GM), Richmond Archaeology Society (LJR), TDP Forum (all), Digital Strategies in
Heritage Conference (LJR), TDP Winter Social (GM, NRC), Theoretical Archaeology
Group Conference, Durham (NRC), LAMAS (NRC/Phil Emery), Chiswick Pier Trust
(LJR).
Publicity material: postcards in FROG packs
Exhibitions: Chiswick Pier Trust, LAARC, Greenwich Heritage Centre

Key site information uploaded for Strand-on-the-Green, Chelsea and Vauxhall (NRC).
Application to Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust to develop foreshore Fact Sheets
successful (NRC).
Team discussion of Riverpedia project (all)
New TDP A4A set created from artefacts held in the TAS archive (NRC).
Howard Trust project in development (LJR)

6th quarter: 28/01/10 – 24/03/10
Fieldwork:

FLM01 Vauxhall Monitoring visit
FWW17 Nine Elms Assessment visit
FKN01 Chelsea Monitoring visit with UniFROG
FBX15/FBX16 Erith Assessment visit
FGW04 Greenwich Palace Assessment visit
FSW09 Surrey Docks Assessment visit
FGW01/FGW02 Deptford Assessment visit
FSW11 Bankside Preparation and survey with MoLA Geomatics
FROG Training
FCY01 Trig Lane Preparation and survey with MoLA Geomatics
FROG Training

Figure 13: MoLA Geomatics surveying at Greenwich, February 2010

Site visits during the winter largely consisted of assessment trips in order to inform
forthcoming training sessions and summer fieldwork during 2010. The site at
Vauxhall was again visited with project partners (Museum of London and Thames
Explorer Trust) and initial fieldwork was undertaken with regard to the TDP
Director’s World War 2 project (focusing on the work of the Thames Flood Unit). An

unexpected by-product of a walk to Nine Elms, to look for evidence of wartime
damage, was the discovery of a previously unrecorded fish trap structure. The
Chelsea site was visited with staff and students from the Institute of Archaeology,
UCL as part of the planning for the University FROG team. At Erith, TDP team
members were joined by English Heritage staff and members of the Bexley
Archaeological Group. TDP is not keen to work extensively at this site due to access
difficulties but BAG FROG members have independently pursued connections with
the nearby Yacht Club with a view to further work. At Greenwich Palace, a range of
new structures were observed and links were made with Discover Greenwich and
the BBC’s Digging for Britain. Assessment visits were also made to Deptford and
Surrey Docks, and FROG training sessions were held in Central London at Bankside
and Trig Lane. Birkbeck University students visited the FROG session at Trig Lane.

Fieldwork activity during this quarter also included that led by the independent
FROG groups formed during the TDP Foreshore Forum in November 2009, with
teams visiting the sites in Bermondsey and Isleworth.

Project events during the winter were organised to provide activities for FROGs and
members of the public off-site and included a number of evening lectures on a wide
variety of Thames related subjects by guest speakers held at LAARC.

Finally, during the 6th quarter, TDP was commissioned by the Port of London
Authority to attend dredging operations aboard a vessel in the estuary and record
nautical remains retrieved.

Figure 14: Guided walk for Birkbeck students and FROG Training at Trig Lane, March 2010

a) TET staff training day at Chiswick Pier Trust (29/01/10) [LJR]
b) Digital Training workshop at IoA (30/01/10) [LJR]
c) The Greenwich Tide Mill at LAARC (08/02/10) [GM, EW]
d) FROG Day 1 at UCL (20/02/10) [GM, NRC, EW, LJR, MW]
e) Digital Training workshop at IoA (27/02/10) [LJR]
f) The Thames under Fire at LAARC (15/02/10) [GM, NRC, EW, LJR]
g) Charlton Ships at LAARC (22/02/10) [EW]
h) The future is wet at LAARC (15/03/10) [GM, NRC, EW]
i) Hermitage Open Weekend (20-21/03/10) [LJR]
j) FROG Day 2 Training at Trig Lane (20-21/03/10) [NRC, EW]
k) FROG Day 2 Training at Bankside (20-21/03/10) [NRC, EW]
l) A right royal river at LAARC (22/03/10) [GM, LJR]

Events attended:
UCL Remarkable Rivers (LJR, NRC, GM), LAMAS Conference (NRC, GM)

Figure 15: Children’s activities at the Remarkable Rivers event, UCL, February 2010

Schools events:
Hermitage Primary School, Wapping

FROG led events:
Southwark Library visit / Brunel walk and talk (13/02/10), Isleworth guided walk
(14/02/10), PLA archives visit (13/03/10), Bermondsey site visit (21/03/10)

Dissemination:
Articles Current Archaeology, Island History, Past Horizons.
Newspaper/Newsletter/Press: BBC Inside Out
Lectures presented: Blue Badge Guides (NRC), Chelsea Society (NRC), Twickenham
Local History Society (NRC), LAMAS Conference (NRC, GM), UCL BA Undergraduates,
(NRC/EW), Birkbeck Archaeology Society (LJR), Bristol MA Archaeology and Screen
Media (LJR). Eliot School 6th form (LJR), Havering and Colchester 6th Forms (LJR),
University of Luzern, Switzerland (LJR)
Publicity materials: TDP postcards in FROG packs. New publicity leaflets printed. 100
T-shirts ordered (first order sold out).
Exhibition: Hermitage Community Moorings

Key site information uploaded for Bankside and Trig Lane (NRC).
TDP Research Framework completed and uploaded (NRC).
Riverpedia articles on Antiquarian Observations, Foreshore Pioneers, Commercial
Units and the Thames Archaeological Survey uploaded (NRC).

7th quarter: 25/03/10 – 24/06/10
Fieldwork:

FWW17 Nine Elms Sampling and survey with MoLA Geomatics
Deptford Visit to excavations
FHM07 Fulham Palace Assessment visit
FGW23 Tripcockness Assessment visit
FHM04 Crabtree Wharf Monitoring visit
FHL10 Brentford Riverside Assessment visit
FRM22 Brentford Ait
FRM16 Kew Assessment visit
FWM06 Westminster Assessment visit
FGW04 Greenwich Palace Preparation and survey with Geomatics
Filming with BBC
UniFROG Training
FROG Photo Team Safari
FGW14 Charlton Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Summer season Wk1
FCY01 Trig Lane Guided walk
FTH15 Burrell’s Wharf Team familiarisation
Summer Season Wk 2
FGW06 Greenwich Marsh Assessment visit

During this quarter, trips to sites consisted of further assessment visits, follow up
work on those previously visited and fieldwork with the FROG (both for training and
as part of the 2010 Summer Season). Thus, the newly discovered fish trap at Nine
Elms was surveyed and sampled for radiocarbon dating and two sites were visited as
part of the ‘Thames at War’ project (Fulham Palace and Westminster).

Figure 16: Defining the WW2 river wall breach at Fulham, March 2010.

Those sites which had only previously been visited by one of the Community
Archaeologists were the subject of further familiarisation with a view to future work
(Deptford, Tripcockness, Brentford, and Burrell’s Wharf). The site chosen as next
location for training – Greenwich Palace – was also the subject of press interest with
filming by the BBC’s Digging for Britain (broadcast summer 2010). A sample was
recovered from the probable Tudor jetty structure and has been submitted to
English Heritage for dendrochonological analysis. A guided walk for staff from the
Home Office was run at Trig Lane, on behalf of the Thames Explorer Trust. Two
weeks of Summer Season fieldwork were completed at Charlton (May) and Burrell’s
Wharf (June). Day 2 training opportunities were also offered on weekdays to FROGs
wanting to complete their course at Charlton.

Figure 17: FROG fieldwork at Burrell’s Wharf, June 2010

The independent FROG groups were active during this quarter with sessions at
Isleworth and Bermondsey, and a FROG photography project visiting the Greenwich
and Burrell’s Wharf sites. An independent FROG trained group (Syon House
Research Associates) also undertook foreshore recording at Syon House.

Project events during this quarter included a number run as part of the Riverpedia
project including a lecture by author S.I. Martin on the Black Waterfront, the first
Riverpedia workshop on the Thames at War and a public event at Docklands
Settlement – the Docklands Discovery Day. Other events included the final lecture in
the evening seminar series at LAARC and a family event at RSPB Rainham.

During this quarter, TDP was commissioned by Haydn Evans to undertake an
assessment of the foreshore at the Amylum Jetty site, in Greenwich.

Figure 18: Attendees at the Thames at War Riverpedia workshop, May 2010

a) Viking Thames @ LAARC (29/03/10) [GM, NRC, LJR, EW, SH]
b) FROG Day 1 Training @ Birkbeck (26+30/04/10) [NRC]
c) Black Waterfront @ IoA (26/04/10) [LJR]
d) FROG Day 2 Training at Greenwich Palace (01/05/10) [GM, NRC, EW]
e) Memoryscape Walk, Greenwich (01/05/10) [LJR]
f) Home Office walk at Trig Lane (21/05/10) [GM, NRC]
g) The Thames at War Riverpedia Workshop @ UCL (22/05/10) [GM, NRC, LJR]
h) Treasure and the Thames at Rainham RSPB (02/06/10) [NRC, LJR]
i) Digital Training workshop @ IoA (05/06/10) [LJR]
j) Docklands Discovery Day (19/06/10) [GM, LJR, SH, NRC, EW]

Events attended:
Centre for Audio-Visual Studies in Archaeology (LJR), CBA/London Archaeological
Forum (NRC, LJR, EW), Gallery Preview, Museum of London (NRC), Bermondsey and
Rotherhithe Carnival (SH, GM, LJR), Greenfest, Hammersmith (LJR)

Schools events:
St Mary’s School, Isleworth (Howard Trust)

FROG led events:
Isleworth refresher (11/04/10), Syon House foreshore (29-31/03/10), Bermondsey
site trips (May/June), Photo safaris (June)

Dissemination:
Client reports: Amylum Silo and PLA dredging reports
Articles for Current Archaeology, Talk of the Thames.
Newspaper/Newsletter/Press: 5th TDP Newsletter, Greenwich Time article, UCL
Alumni magazine. BBC Digging for Britain filming at Greenwich.
Lectures presented: Richmond Archaeology Society (NRC), Wandsworth Historical
Society (NRC), Kingston upon Thames Archaeology Society (LJR), Kingston
Association of Wrens (EW)
Publicity materials: TDP postcards in FROG packs and Mortimer Wheeler House
reception. New publicity leaflets printed.

FROG Network set up on TDP website.
Key site information uploaded for Chiswick, Greenwich Palace and Burrell’s Wharf
(NRC).
Foreshore Fact Sheets: Five completed by Chiz Harward of Urban Archaeology
(information about fish traps, jetties / wharves, bargebeds / gridirons, causeways,
vessels) and uploaded.
FROG Guides 1-3 completed (information about fieldwork, outreach and unexploded
ordnance) and uploaded to FROG Network (NRC, LJR).
Riverpedia article on Fishtraps on the Thames uploaded (NRC).

8th quarter: 25/06/10 – 06/10/10
Fieldwork:

FTH01 Tower of London Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Summer Season Wk 3
Open Foreshore weekend
FGW04 Greenwich Palace Summer Season Wk 4
FROG Training
Guided public walks
FHL12 Strand on the Green Summer Season Wk 5
FROG Training
Guided public walks
FRM16 Kew Sampling and survey with MoLA Geomatics and RAS
FGW23 Tripcockness Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Summer Season Wk 6
FROG Training
FWS03 Rotherhithe Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Summer Season Wk 7
Guided public walk
FTH13 Millwall Assessment and sampling with TAF

Figure 17: Final day of Summer Season fieldwork at Rotherhithe, September 2010

During this quarter, five weeks of Summer Season fieldwork were completed with
the FROG at the Tower of London (July), Greenwich Palace (early August), Strand on
the Green (late August), Tripcockness (early September) and Rotherhithe (late
September). Day 2 training opportunities were also offered on weekends to FROGs
wanting to complete their course at Greenwich, Strand on the Green, Tripcockness
and Rotherhithe. Survey with MoLA Geomatics was undertaken at Kew, to support

the ongoing work of the Richmond Archaeological Society on this site, and samples
taken from two structures (a causeway and a possible fishtrap) – these later
returned medieval dates. Sampling was also undertaken at Tripcockness (Bronze
Age paleoenvironmental deposits) and on a wattle panel (likely to be part of a 15th
century eel or fish basket) at Millwall on the Isle of Dogs. A number of sites were
also visited as part of the ‘Thames at War’ project (in the City, Southwark, Lambeth
and Wandsworth).

The independent FROG groups were active during this quarter with a guided walk led
by CoLAS / FROG members to Wapping, and the continuing FROG photography
project.

A number of on-site public events were run during the summer, both as part of the
Festival of British Archaeology and as part of the wider TDP programme – these
included visits to the River Police Museum and a guided tour of the MoLA
excavations at the Theatre in Shoreditch, attendance at the Open Foreshore
weekend at the Tower Beach, outreach stalls at Hall Place in Bexley and finds
handling sessions at the Museum of London, and TDP outreach stalls (manned by
FROG members) in place during fieldwork at the Tower of London, Strand on the
Green and Greenwich Palace, as well as guided public walks.

During this quarter the Thames Estuary Partnership requested that no further
commercial work was administered through them, therefore all future commercial
projects (as part of the long term sustainability of the TDP) were undertaken outside
HLF project time; either as freelance projects or administered through Museum of
London Archaeology. There were also changes to the project team – Lorna
Richardson went part-time to begin a programme of full time postgraduate study,
and Mike Webber was appointed as part time Outreach Officer. In June 2010, the
GIS Officer post also became vacant upon the resignation of Sue Harrington.

a) Digital Training workshop @ IoA (03/07/10) [LJR]
b) River Police Museum visit (07/07/10 [LJR]
c) Photo workshop @ UCL (12/07/10) [LJR]
d) The Theatre guided tour (29/07/10) [NRC]
e) Photo workshops @ UCL (02-03/08/10)
f) Discover Greenwich guided public walks (14/08/10) [NRC, EW]
g) Digital Training workshop @ IoA (14/08/10) [LJR]
h) MoL Day Out at Greenwich (15/08/10) [NRC, EW]
i) Strand on the Green Open Day (29/08/10) [GM, NRC, EW, LJR]
j) Rotherhithe Heritage Day (26/09/10) [LJR]

Figure 18: Visit to the Theatre site, July 2010

Events attended:
PEU Workshop (LJR), MoLA Summer Party (NRC), Pimms on the Quad (GM, NRC,
EW), FoBA events [BAA Awards (GM, NRC, EW); Tower of London Open Foreshore
weekend (NRC, EW); Museum of London: Finds Handling (NRC, EW); Hall Place
Bexley (NRC)], Thames Festival (LJR), Hermitage Moorings Project Launch (EW),
Isleworth Open House (LJR) UEL Freshers Fayre (LJR).

Schools events:
Futureversity (28/07/10), MoL Youth Engagement (16/08/10)

FROG led events:
CoLAS Wapping Walk (30/08/10), FROG Photo safari (24/07/10)

Dissemination:
Client reports: Written Schemes of Investigation for Tower of London and Kew.
Internal reports: Community Archaeology Interim Report; Outreach Interim Report.
Articles for Current Archaeology; Talk of the Thames.
Newspaper/Newsletter/Press: London’s Olympic Waterscape film (June 2010) –
Royal Holloway University, 6th and 7th TDP Newsletters. BBC Digging for Britain
(broadcast 09/09/10).
Lectures presented: West Essex Archaeological Group (EW), Thames and Field Metal
Detecting Society (NRC)

Publicity materials: TDP postcards in Mortimer Wheeler House reception, leaflets at
Southwark Cathedral, and sent to Birkbeck University
Exhibitions: FROG Photography:
 The Thames in Focus at Discover Greenwich (15/09/10 – 01/11/10).
 River Crossing at East London Photo Festival (01/10/10 – 31/10/10)

Meeting to discuss monitoring programme and development (GM, NRC, EW)
Howard Trust: lesson / session plans – see Evaluation Report (Richardson, 2011)
Key site information uploaded for Tower of London, Tripcockness and Rotherhithe
(NRC, EW).
Riverpedia article on Medieval whales and whaling uploaded (NRC).

9th quarter: 07/10/10 – 19/01/11
Fieldwork:

FTH04 Wapping Assessment visit
FTH01 Tower of London Monitoring visit
FSW03 Rotherhithe Monitoring visit
FRM11 Richmond Palace Guided public walk
FCY04 Custom House Monitoring visit

Fieldwork during this quarter included an assessment visit to Wapping, and
monitoring trips to the Tower of London and Rotherhithe. At all three of these sites,
the visits were undertaken to coincide with filming for the new Mudmen series by
ITN Productions. A guided public walk to Richmond Palace was arranged with the
Richmond Archaeological Society to coincide with the draw off, and the final site visit
of 2010 was a guided walk for Institute of Archaeology 1st year students to Custom
House.

The main focus of project events during the winter period was the second Riverpedia
workshop on the subject of human remains in November, and the second TDP
Foreshore Forum in December. Lecturers at the former event included staff
members from the TDP, from the Osteoarchaeology Team at Museum of London
Archaeology (MoLA), the Centre for Human Bioarchaeology at the Museum of
London, Birkbeck University, English Heritage and the Sedgeford Historical and
Archaeological Research Project. The day was a mixture of short presentations by
the specialist contributors and small group seminar sessions on human anatomy,
recording a skeleton, the differences between animal and human bones, pathology
and age/sex determination and human skeletal material from the foreshore. Each
participant was provided with handouts to support the group sessions. The theme
of the Foreshore Forum was ‘The Thames at War’ (following up on the Riverpedia
event in May 2010) and included presentations from TDP staff members, the
Museum of London, Digging Dad’s Army and the Foreshore Recording and
Observation Group, followed by a 1940s themed social. An auction of activities
offered by TDP staff and steering group members was held at the social to raise
funds (Southwark Cathedral tower tours, a visit to the Spitalfield Charnel House and
a tour of the Greenwich barrow cemetery).

a) Riverpedia Human Remains Riverpedia Workshop @LAARC (06/11/10) [NRC]
b) Visit to Richmond (10/11/10) [NRC, EW]
c) Foreshore Forum / Winter Social @ UCL (11/12/10) [GM, NRC, SH, MW]

Figure 19: Human Remains Riverpedia Workshop, November 2010

Figure 20: Guided walk at Richmond, November 2010

Events attended:
TEP Forum (NRC, MW, GM), National Maritime Museum lecture (NRC), Henley River
and Rowing Museum event (NRC), CBA Story of London (GM, LJR).

Figure 21: TDP Outreach Officer Mike Webber at the TEP Forum, October 2010

Dissemination:
Articles for London Archaeologist; Talk of the Thames; DIG (USA)
Newspaper/Newsletter/Press: articles in the Guardian, Evening Standard online,
South London Press and widespread web notices (google ‘london oldest structure
vauxhall’)
Lectures presented: Docklands Study Group (EW), College and Canons of Southwark
Cathedral (NRC), Birkbeck Archaeology Society (NRC), NAS Conference (GM & EW),
Spelthorne Archaeology Group (GM).
Publicity materials: TDP postcards in Mortimer Wheeler House reception, leaflets at
Southwark Cathedral, leaflets sent to Water in London conference (18/01/10)
Exhibitions: FROG Photography:
 The Thames in Focus at Discover Greenwich (15/09/10 – 01/11/10).
 River Crossing at East London Photo Festival (01/10/10 – 31/10/10)

Slideshare uploads of Riverpedia Human remains presentations (NRC)
TDP Bibliography uploaded (NRC)
Riverpedia articles on London Riverside Churches uploaded (NRC)
FROG Guide 4 (Human Remains) uploaded to FROG Network (NRC)

10th quarter: 20/01/11 – 30/03/11
Fieldwork:

FLM01 Vauxhall Guided public walk
FGW04 Greenwich Palace Survey with MoLA Geomatics
FWW03 Putney FROG Training
FKN01 Chelsea Monitoring visit

A number of on-site activities were organised during this quarter to capitalise on the
publicity generated from the press release of the Vauxhall site, and as auction prizes
from the last quarter’s conference. A guided walk to the Vauxhall site (with Jon
Cotton from the Museum of London) revealed a number of new timbers, as well a
large assemblage of prehistoric lithics, and the site was subsequently re-surveyed by
MoLA Geomatics. Trips were organised to Southwark Cathedral and also to the
Spitalfields Charnel House (by Jane Sidell). A third Riverpedia workshop on the
subject of place-names (and including a guided walk) was held at UCL and a further
round of FROG Training was held at Putney. A monitoring trip to Chelsea by the TDP
Community Archaeologists found a human femur: the third to be recovered at this
site.

Figure 22: FROG member Andy Becker with lithic find at Vauxhall, February 2011

Figure 23: FROG Training at Putney, March 2011

This quarter saw a noticeable increase in the number of schools events (see below)
organised by Mike Webber, the TDP Outreach Officer.

a) Tower Tour @ Southwark Cathedral (26/01/11) [NRC]
b) Riverpedia Place Names Workshop @UCL (29/01/11) [NRC, SH]
c) Vauxhall Walk (20/02/11) [NRC, GM, EW]
d) Day 1 FROG Training @ UCL (12/03/11) [GM, NRC, EW, MW]
e) Tower Tour @ Southwark Cathedral (02/03/11) [NRC]
f) Day 2 FROG Training at Putney (20/03/11) [EW, NRC]

Events attended:
CASPAR seminar series lecture (NRC), Geoff Egan memorial (GM, NRC)

Schools events:
Foreshore walks: West Kent College, Art and Design, Brady Arts Centre, Fashion and
Textiles, Whittington Hospital, Education Unit, London Wildlife Trust, Family
Learning.
Resource and activity trials Henry Maynard Primary School, LB Waltham Forest, The
Greek School, LB Haringey, Havering Sixth Form College, A level Archaeology, LB

Havering, Colchester 6th Form College, A level Archaeology, Scargill Infant School, LB
Havering, St. Mary’s RC Primary School, LB Hounslow.

FROG led events:
Bermondsey FROG site visit (05/02/11)

Dissemination:
Articles for London Archaeologist; Rescue News; Talk of the Thames; NAS
Newsletter; Fish traps article for Martin Welch Festshrift.
Newspaper/Newsletter/Press: article in the Fortean Times
Lectures presented: Chiswick Pier Trust (EW), Friends of Raynes Park Library (EW),
Research and Presentation - UCL 2nd Year (NRC / EW), UCL Lunch Hour Lecture (GM),
Spelthorne U3A (NRC), Awards for the Presentation of Heritage Research (NRC),
Enfield Archaeological Society (NRC)
Publicity materials: TDP postcards in Mortimer Wheeler House reception / in FROG
packs.

Key site information uploaded for Vauxhall (NRC)
FROG Guide 5 (Place Names) uploaded to FROG Network (NRC)
Place names presentation uploaded via Slideshare to Riverpedia (NRC)
Development and trials continue of monitoring packs (EW)
During this quarter it was decided at a Team Meeting (March 2011) to ‘mothball’ the
ARK (Archaeological Recording Kit) component of the TDP website.

11th quarter: 31/03/11 – 13/07/11
Fieldwork:

FTH01 Tower of London Guided public walk
FGW04 Greenwich Palace FROG Training
Monitoring visit
FTH15 Burrell’s Wharf Monitoring visit
Filming with Time Team
FSW11 Bankside Guided walk for Southwark Cathedral FAC
Monitoring visit
FSW03 Rotherhithe Monitoring visit
FGW14 Charlton Monitoring visit
FSW01 Bermondsey Monitoring visit
FGW23 Tripcockness Monitoring visit
FSW09 Surrey Docks Assessment visit
FHL10 Brentford Riverside Survey with MoLA Geomatics
FRM22 Brentford Ait Summer Season Wk 1
FTH04 Wapping Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Summer Season Wk 2
FHL06 Syon Reach Survey and sampling with MoLA Geomatics and
SARA
FNW11 King George V Dock Assessment visit

As in 2009-10, the spring / summer period was particularly busy on site with a range
of fieldwork activities taking place. In April 2011, TDP ran a public event with
Historic Royal Palaces and the Thames and Field Metal Detecting Society, which
included a guided walk of the Tower Beach and displays and presentations in the
Waterloo Block at the Tower of London. The 8th cycle of FROG training saw
participants on the foreshore at Greenwich Palace in May, and all 300+ certified
FROGs were offered the opportunity to undertake fieldwork from May – August.
Fieldwork included Summer Season work at Brentford and Wapping, and monitoring
visits to key sites in east and central London.

Three sites were surveyed by MoLA Geomatics: Wapping, Brentford and Syon Reach
– where the TDP worked with SARA (Syon House Research Associates) to record the
foreshore features, supported by the Maritime Volunteer Service. The site at
Burrell’s Wharf was revisited during this quarter, both to undertake monitoring and
to work with Channel 4’s Time Team on filming for a forthcoming special on East
London’s maritime history (to be broadcast in summer 2012 – to coincide with the
Olympic Games). In June 2011, MoLA Geomatics were also employed to undertake
GIS work for the TDP – filling the role left vacant by Sue Harrington’s resignation in
June 2010.

Figure 24: Tower of London event, April 2011

Figure 25: FROG Team photo with Tony Robinson at Burrell’s Wharf, July 2011

Other events and activities organised during this quarter included a second families’
event at the RSPB Centre, and a very large public event at Southwark Cathedral,
organised with the kind permission of Dean and Chapter. Over 230 people attended
a free evening lecture at the Cathedral; displays were provided by TDP, TEP, LAARC,
the Cathedral’s Education Department and the FROG Photography Team, who
mounted a temporary display of images taken during photo ‘pilgrimages’ organised
by FROG member, Peter Kyte. In July, a temporary TDP exhibition (curated by Mike
Webber) was installed in the Museum of London’s Archaeology in Action gallery.

a) Foreshore workshop, East London University, Diaspora Group (08/04/11) [MW]
b) Riverpedia Archives Course @LAARC (04-07 & 12-14/04/11) [NRC]
c) Follow up @ Tower of London (20/04/11) [NRC, GM, EW]
d) Day 1 FROG Training @ Birkbeck (10+13/05/11) [NRC]
e) Day 2 FROG Training at Greenwich Palace (21-22/5/11) [GM, NRC, EW]
f) RSPB Rainham Marshes Victorian Day Out (01/06/11) [NRC]
g) River Police Museum visit (16/06/11) [NRC]
h) Priors, Pilgrims, Potters and Pirates at Southwark Cathedral (06/07/11) [NRC, GM,
EW, SH, MW]

Figure 26: Lecture at Southwark Cathedral, July 2011 (Photo by Anies Hassan)

Events attended:
USA Ambassador’s Reception (NRC), IoA Public Engagement meeting (NRC)

Figure 27: TDP exhibition at the Museum of London, July 2011

Schools events:
Resource and activity trials:
Hazelbury Junior School, LB Enfield, 3 groups in-school workshops (10/05/11)
Woodside School, LB Bexley, SEN, 15-25 year olds, 3 in-school and 1 foreshore
workshops, (16/05/11, FS 19/05/11, 17/06/11, 24/06/11, 19/07/11)
Workshops undertaken:-
Hazelbury Junior School, LB Enfield 3 groups in-school workshops (11/05/11)
Woodlands, Infant School, LB Redbridge, 2 groups in-school workshops (13/05/11)
Frith Manor Primary School, LB, Barnet, 3 groups in-school workshops (23/05/11)
Scargill Infant School, LB Havering, in-school and foreshore workshops (24/03/11 and
FS 06/06/11)
Hillingdon Manor school, LB Hillingdon, 2 groups in-school, 1 foreshore, 15-25 year
olds, SEN (27/05/11 and FS 07/06/11)

FROG led events:
Bermondsey FROG site visit (18/06/11), FROG Photo Team Pilgrimage 6 x meetings in
June

Dissemination:
Academic papers: 6 x BA dissertations completed (Jo Warren, Alice Gibbs, Roxane
Burke, Charlotte Meynell, Adah Edmondson - UCL, and Andrea Choate – Birkbeck, 4 x
dissertations in progress - Sarah Lucas, Tina Hoyle, Paul Clabburn, Dee Hannah -
Birkbeck)
Article for Talk of the Thames
Newspaper/Newsletter/Press: Filming with Time Team (July 2011)
Lectures presented: Crown Estates (NRC), SPMA / IFA (NRC), LAMAS Conference
(NRC/EW), Stow Lecture (GM), Charlton Society (EW), Londonicity Conference (NRC)

packs.
Exhibitions: FROG photo team exhibition at Southwark Cathedral, TDP Exhibition
‘Lost and Found on the River Thames’ in the Museum of London’s Archaeology in
Action gallery from July 4th.

Key site information uploaded for Brentford (EW, NRC)
Dipity timeline embedded for Custom House key site information (NRC)
On site trials of Monitoring Packs (EW, GM, NRC)

12th quarter: 14/07/11 – 30/09/11
Fieldwork:

FTH02 Alderman Stairs Monitoring visit
FCY01 Trig Lane Monitoring visit
FCY04 Custom House Monitoring visit
FTH01 Tower of London Survey with MoLA Geomatics
Summer Season Wk 3
Public event
FGW14 Charlton Monitoring visit
Filming with Time Team
FHL04 Isleworth Monitoring visit
FHL12 Strand-on-the-Green Monitoring visit
FHM07 Fulham Monitoring visit
FWW03 Putney Monitoring visit
FLM01 Vauxhall Monitoring visit

On-site work during the final quarter of the HLF project comprised five days at the
Tower of London foreshore (working with MoLA Geomatics, FROG members and
mudlarkers from the Society of Thames Mudlarks and the Thames and Field Metal
Detecting Society) which included attendance at the very busy Open Foreshore
weekend (working with HRP, CoLAS and Thames21). The remainder of the site work
was monitoring visits to key sites in central and west London, and a further session
of filming with Time Team at Charlton.

Figure 28: Erosion on the foreshore at the Tower Beach, July 2011

A number of public events were organised as part of the Festival of British
Archaeology; these included attendance at the Tower Beach event as above, a visit
to the Billingsgate Bath House, and the final Riverpedia workshop on the subject of
‘Sail to Steam’ (changes in maritime technology) with a guest speaker from the
National Maritime Museum. In August, TDP staff worked with CBA London and
Central London and Camden YACs on a BBC Learning family event on the foreshore
at Trig Lane and at the Museum of London, and a guided walk was held on the
foreshore as part of an event with the Wellcome Trust.

The final TDP event of the HLF project was the 2-day Foreshore Forum at the
Museum of London in September. The weekend’s presentations included papers
from TDP staff, members of the TDP Steering Group and project partners, the
Nautical Archaeology Society, Museum of London Archaeology, LP Archaeology, Pre-
Construct Archaeology and a number of FROG members.

Events organised / presented:
a) Visit to Billingsgate Bath House (18/07/11) [NRC]
b) Sail to Steam Riverpedia Workshop (30/07/11) [GM, EW]
c) Birkbeck Summer School (01-05/08/11) [NRC, EW, GM]
d) Fun on the Foreshore (06/08/11) [NRC, MW]
e) Dirty Old Town (20/08/11) [MW]
f) Foreshore Forum 2011 (17-18/09/11) [GM, NRC, EW, MW]

Figure 29: Visit to Billingsgate Bath House, July 2011

Events attended:
Tower of London Open Foreshore (NRC), Thames Festival (MW)

Figure 30: Children’s activities at the Museum of London, August 2011

FROG led events:
Site visits: Bermondsey FROG (16/07/11; 06/08/11; 20/08/11; 03/09/11) and
Greenwich FROG (03/09/11)

Dissemination:
Reports: Riverpedia report produced for UCL Public Engagement Unit.
Academic papers: 3 x BA (Sarah Lucas, Tina Hoyle, Dee Hannah - Birkbeck) and 2 x
MA dissertations in progress (Roz Currie UCL, Paul Clabburn Birkbeck)
Article for London Archaeologist
Newsletter/Press: Filming with Time Team (July 2011), TDP films uploaded to 360
Productions Youtube, TDP Newsletter
Lectures presented: Wandsworth Historical Society (NRC), Henley River and Rowing
Museum (NRC), Greenwich Historical Society (EW), All at Sea and Site to Store (GM).
packs. TDP balloons in Museum of London Shop.
Exhibitions: ‘Lost and Found on the River Thames’ in MoL until September 30th.

Riverpedia key site information enhanced with new introductory abstracts,
embedded slide shows and map links (NRC)
Key site information uploaded for Wapping (EW, NRC)
Slideshare uploads of Riverpedia Sail to Steam presentation (EW, NRC)

Summary data
HLF Targets
Events
Over 130 events were organised and presented by TDP staff during the three years
of the project. These ranged from children’s activities and schools sessions, family
and adult guided foreshore walks and visits to other sites and museums across
Greater London, FROG training and archaeological fieldwork (survey, sampling,
recording and monitoring), seminars, workshops, evening lectures and conferences;
these also included a series of more specialised workshops and courses which was
developed as part of the Riverpedia project. All events, with the exception of the
Foreshore Forums in 2009 and 2010, have been free of charge.

Figure 31: Monitoring trip to Vauxhall, August 2011

Nearly 7000 people attended events run by the TDP. Additionally, the project team
presented numerous lectures to local archaeological and historical societies, in
community centres, at academic conferences and universities, and at museums and
heritage centres, including the British Museum. Meetings were held with a large
number of partner organisations, project supporters and collaborators (see overleaf)
to facilitate events, and to build a wide network of contacts with regard to the future
sustainability of the programme.

Meetings with partners / collaborators 2008-2011
Thames Explorer Trust, Thames Estuary Partnership, MoLA Geomatics /
Management / Photography / Finds Specialists / IT, LP Archaeology, MoL / LAARC,
English Heritage (GLHER, GLAAS, Ancient Monuments Inspector, commissions,
Scientific dating team, Science Advisor), Nautical Archaeology Society, Environment
Agency, Institute of Archaeology, (academic staff, Heritage Studies Research Group,
Centre for Applied Archaeology), Pumphouse Museum, Richmond Environment
Trust, Camden YAC, Tina Sawyer, Arups, Birkbeck University (Syon House team,
academic staff), Ben Timberlake (proposed Mudlarks Museum), Historic Royal
Palaces (Tower of London), Graham Keevill, Giffords, Fulham Palace, Greenwich
Heritage Centre, Greenwich Borough Council, City of London Archaeological Society,
Wandsworth Historical Society, Rainham RSPB, University of East London, Thames
River Police, CBA London and CBA York, UCL Widening Participation Dept, UCL Public
Engagement Unit, Thames 21 (River Programmes and Waterways Treasures Project),
Syon House Research Associates, Hermitage Community Moorings / Hermitage River
Projects, Isleworth History Society, Chiswick & Brentford Local History Society,
Bishopsgate Institute, Bexley Archaeology Group, Bristol University Dept of
Archaeology, Greenwich Foundation, Royal Holloway and Bedford, Durham
University, Dept of Archaeology, Thames Water, Chiz Harward (Urban Archaeology),
Thames and Field Metal Detecting Society, Society of Thames Mudlarks, BBC
television (Inside Out and Digging For Britain, 360 Productions), Docklands
Settlement, Eastside Community Heritage, PLA (Gravesend), Vopak Terminal, Digging
Dad’s Army, Foreshore Liaison Group, Brunel Museum, Island History Trust, Martin
Cottis (Artist), HQS Wellington, Mass Observation Communities Online project,
Portable Antiquities Scheme, ITN Productions, Southwark Cathedral, Maritime
Volunteer Services, British Museum (Public Engagement), East Oxford Archaeology
Project, Newham History & Archaeology Group, Time Team, Fulcrum TV for National
Geographic, Crown Estates, Hult Business School, Mapping for Change, National
Maritime Museum, London Wildlife Trust.

The Foreshore Recording and Observation Group
The support of English Heritage (through the Capacity Building Grant) and the Port of
London Authority (through the provision of Permits to Search the Foreshore for TDP
staff and FROG members) is here gratefully acknowledged. Specific project aims
relating to the development of the FROG are outlined below:

1. Recording and dissemination of evidence revealed on the foreshore
2. Community-based monitoring of sites as they erode
3. Develop long-term sustainable method of monitoring and enjoying the river's
historic heritage
4. Increase public participation in monitoring threatened sites
5. Make records more accessible through Greater London Historic Environment
Record
6. Comprehensive training package for FROG members
7. Work with existing archaeological societies
8. Work with other foreshore- and river-user groups to widen community base
across Greater London Area
9. FROG members would use their training and awareness to contribute to the local
planning process where there are local archaeological and heritage
considerations, thus being involved in decisions about their heritage
10. FROG members to work on the Beta survey and subsequent site monitoring
11. Monitoring packs produced for each site
12. FROG monitoring framework set up across Greater London from Richmond to
Rainham
13. FROG monitoring reports posted on TDP website and FROG Blog, and submitted
to Greater London Historic Environment Record
14. TDP will create a model Community Archaeology project, aspects of which could
be replicated elsewhere
15. Social, environmental and economic benefits of TDP
16. Minimum of 30 full-trained FROGs required; 60 anticipated; the project could
accommodate 300
17. Health & Safety guidelines for working on the foreshore
18. Training: 2-5 volunteers per site at 15 sites = 75 volunteers. Certificates awarded
to volunteers for skills learned

All FROG Training sessions were supported by professional archaeologists drawn
from contracting units, including members of staff from Museum of London
Archaeology, Pre-Construct Archaeology, LP Archaeology, Archaeology South East
and AOC Archaeology, together with freelance staff. As the project developed, both
Day 1 and Day 2 training sessions were also supported by FROG members. In all,
eight cycles of FROG Training were offered, with the Day 2 fieldwork taking place at
sites across Greater London: Custom House (February 2009, April 2009, June 2009),
Isleworth (April 2009, June 2009), Charlton (June 2009), Strand on the Green
(October 2009), Bankside (March 2010), Trig Lane (March 2010), Greenwich Palace
(May 2010, May 2011), and Putney (March 2011). Opportunities were also offered
during Summer Season fieldwork in 2010 and 2011 to complete Day 2 training for
volunteers unable to attend earlier sessions.

Day 1 training included presentations on Project Background and Site
Methodologies, Documentary Research, Health and Safety and information about
the Key Sites and Research Themes. During the afternoon, trainees were divided
into smaller groups for workshop sessions on finds identification and timber /
masonry archaeological recording. Digital training was originally offered as part of
the Day 1 training, however this was eventually replaced by optional group sessions
run as separate events (2009-2010). Each trainee received a FROG Training Pack (for
description of contents see Resources developed section in 2nd Quarter).

Day 2 training included a guided walkover of each foreshore zone to introduce
trainees to the sites and cleaning, recording and surveying of foreshore features
according to the methodologies outlined in the Museum of London Fieldwork
Manual and specialised proformas developed by the Thames Archaeological Survey.

Both stages of the training process were evaluated through the use of standardised
feedback forms.

Once FROG members had completed the two days of training, they were invited to
join in with as much or as little as they would like of the Summer Season fieldwork
(booked through the Field Officer). Fieldwork for the Summer Seasons (2009-2011)
was offered at the following sites: Alderman Stairs, Charlton, Putney, Bermondsey,
Burrell’s Wharf, Tower of London, Strand on the Green, Tripcockness, Rotherhithe,
Wapping, Brentford and Greenwich Palace; making use of available day time low tide
windows within the project time frame. This fieldwork gave volunteers the
opportunity to engage with the archaeology of selected key sites in more detail, over
a longer time period, with the aim of consolidating and developing skills gained
during the training. The Summer Season fieldwork was also evaluated through a
further questionnaire.

Additional events and other opportunities for the FROG and members of the public
have also been arranged as a result of building links with other organisations (as
described above) through the fieldwork programme. These included free entry to
the Tower of London and other palaces (HRP), guided tours of the Thames Barrier
(Environment Agency), Fulham Palace excavations (Giffords), Syon House
excavations (Birkbeck University), the Theatre excavation (MoLA), the Billingsgate
bath house (MoL / UCL), Southwark Cathedral (Cathedral Archaeologist), Police
Museum (River Police) and the Spitalfields Charnel House (EH). For qualitative
analysis of data collected with regard to the experience of the FROG members, see
Bell 2011.

In total 331 individuals completed the FROG training process. This number also
includes a small group who undertook a five day training Summer School organised
by the TDP with Birkbeck University (see Sustainability below).

Website
A wide variety of information was developed and disseminated online through the
dedicated project website as part of the community archaeology programme, as
outlined in the quarterly report sections above. This included information about the
key sites, FROG Guides and Factsheets, Riverpedia articles, and shorter contributions
posted as FROG Blogs. In addition to adding text and image content directly into the
Textpattern CMS, a range of different methods were used to embed data within the
TDP website, including Scribd (PDF content), Slideshare (PDF, Powerpoint, and mpeg
files) and Dipity (timeline). Flickr (online photo sharing and management) was used
to host image content: over 1,700 photos have been uploaded to the TDP staff
account. These images are geotagged (linked to mapping), and are searchable
through a number of different avenues: by borough, by key site, by event and
through the use of tags. A Wikipedia article about the project was created in January
2010. For further information about the use of the website, see Richardson 2011.

Figure 32: Screen shot of FROG blog page, September 2011

Links:
www.thamesdiscovery.org
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thamesdiscovery/
http://www.scribd.com/ThamesDiscoveryProgramme
http://www.slideshare.net/thamesdiscoveryprogramme
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Discovery_Programme

Hits (as of 12/09/11):
TDP site: 353,384 representing112,310 unique visitors
Flickr: 70,026 views of images
Scribd (74 uploads): 18,500+ ‘reads’
Slideshare (21 uploads): 2,000+ views
Dipity timeline: 250+ views
Wikipedia: 6,096 views of article

Additionally, thirteen short films were made by Anies Hassan of Tollan Films as part
of the project; these were designed to introduce viewers to the project aims and
methodologies, archaeology on the key sites, health and safety, and also included
footage of the FROG members talking about their work on the project. As well as
being embedded within the TDP website, the project films have also been widely
disseminated online through uploading to a number of other sites including Vimeo,
UCLTV (YouTube), 360 Productions (YouTube), Facebook and Past Horizons. In June
2010, a 4 minute film about the project, presented by TDP Outreach Officer Lorna
Richardson, was installed as part of the Museum of London’s Archaeology in Action
Gallery.

Links:
http://www.vimeo.com/thamesdiscovery
http://www.youtube.com/user/UCLTV#g/c/14089B3982C84BD3
http://www.youtube.com/user/360Production#grid/user/1B9F9FC9DF7F5DA8
http://www.archaeologychannel.org/content/video/vidnews_feb11_300kW.html
http://www.pasthorizons.tv/tv/Tollan/public/

Hits (as of 12/09/11): 19,154. [NB viewing statistics from the Archaeology Channel
are not publicly available].
Average monthly visitor numbers to the Museum of London: c 38, 000 people

Social Media:
Twitter: 445 followers
Facebook group: 252 members / Fan page: 110 members – 20,000+ post views

The TDP website has been archived with the British Library:
http://www.webarchive.org.uk/ukwa/target/49905706/source/alpha

Schools
See Richardson, 2011

Exhibitions
Travelling exhibitions have been set up at numerous locations across Greater London
and beyond, as part of larger community and civic events such as GreenFest
(Hammersmith) UEL Mayfest / Freshers Fayre, Isleworth Open House, Gunnersbury
Museum, Bermondsey and Rotherhithe Carnival, Hermitage Moorings, Thames
Gateway Forum, the Thames Estuary Partnership Forum (three times), London
Bridge Festival, the Thames Festival (three times) and the Dover Marine Festival.
Displays were also set up at Festival of British Archaeology events such as those held
at Fulham Palace, Hall Place Bexley, the Tower of London (three times), Museum of
London (twice) and Museum of London in Docklands. Public events organised /
presented by TDP also included small ‘pop up’ exhibitions and information about the
project. Temporary exhibitions were installed at Southwark Cathedral (one night
only), Greenwich Heritage Centre, Chiswick Pier Trust, Discover Greenwich and
LAARC, and the project is featured in the Archaeology in Action Gallery at the
Museum of London, both as part of permanent gallery installation (film produced by
Tollan Films) and from July – September 2011 – ‘Lost and Found in the River Thames’;
a temporary exhibition about the TDP curated by TDP Outreach Officer, Mike
Webber.

Sustainability
The Thames Discovery Programme is a high profile community archaeology project:
the project generated widespread media coverage (television, newspaper and
online) and in 2010 the project website won the British Archaeological Award for the
Best Representation of Archaeology in the Media while in 2011, the project was one
of five projects from across Britain nominated for Best Research Project by Current
Archaeology. Negotiations with Museum of London Archaeology have resulted in an
offer of employment for two core TDP staff (one full time and one part time) from
October 2011, fulfilling the final HLF Project Aim with regard to embedding the
project within an institutional context to secure a sustainable future. The Thames
Discovery Programme remains committed to supporting and encouraging the FROG
through email and phone contact, meetings in person both on site and in the office,
the provision of equipment, and the production of fact sheets, guidelines, archive
information and key site information to add to the Training Packs each participant
received at their Day 1 Training sessions. Further development of online resources,
including use of the FROG Network and the Community Map, are key to the
development of the monitoring system established during the lifetime of the HLF
project.

In March 2008, a list of proposed key sites was drawn up (see Appendix 1). Of those,
all have been visited, with the exception of Barking Creek, in addition to many other
sites (see following chapter). Archaeological fieldwork across Greater London
(including guided walks, assessment visits, training sessions, summer recording and
survey work, the radiocarbon sampling programme and monitoring sessions) has
clearly demonstrated that much remains to be discovered within the inter-tidal zone.
Future development of the fieldwork programme will expand the number of key
sites, continue to offer summer season fieldwork for FROG members, and encourage
the ‘adoption’ of key sites for monitoring by independent FROG team. The

Bermondsey and Syon FROG teams are now well established and groups are evolving
at Greenwich and Vauxhall. Continuing to work with local archaeological societies
with foreshore interests (such as CoLAS, RAS, WHS, the Society of Thames Mudlarks
and the Thames and Field Metal Detecting Society) is also important. The foreshores
of the London Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, and Newham remain largely
unexplored (by either TAS or TDP) and it is hoped that this can be remedied in the
future: the foreshore adjacent to King George V Dock has been visited and an
abandoned ship noted. This site has been identified as a candidate for future work.

Links with universities will also be explored during the next phase of the project,
especially with regard to future FROG training opportunities (such as the Summer
School run with Birkbeck University in August 2011), research projects (including
further undergraduate and postgraduate studies) and connections with public
engagement initiatives. The generous support of the Heritage Lottery Fund is here
gratefully acknowledged and it is hoped that the ‘TDP model’ for a successful
community archaeology and outreach programme is one that can be widely applied.

Archaeological site summaries:
The dynamic tidal regime has meant the discovery and recording of a range of
significant archaeological features / structures during the period October 2008 –
September 2011 under the auspices of the Thames Discovery Programme. In total,
45 foreshore zones were visited. These include the TDP key sites (below in
alphabetical order by site name) and a number of others visited and / or surveyed as
a part of the community archaeology programme (see Figure 33). The support of
English Heritage (in particular John Meadows, Jane Sidell and Alex Bayliss) is
gratefully acknowledged with regard to radiocarbon sampling at a number of sites.

TDP Key Sites:
Alderman Stairs FTH02: NGR 533961 180257
This site was recorded by the Thames Archaeological Survey and was known to have
surviving archaeology relating to post-medieval use of the foreshore. Fieldwork
undertaken at the site by the TDP / FROG included recording the Victorian masonry
and timber causeway, with associated log drain, and the remains of a small vessel
used as bargebed make-up. Other archaeological features of interest on the site
include the substantial remains of a series of timber wharves and earlier jetties
located below 20th century structures, crane bases and brick built riverside walls. An
interesting range of artefacts have also been noted at the site including ships nails
and disarticulated nautical timbers, glass bottles and clay pipes, and modern Hindu
ritual artefacts.

Site photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thamesdiscovery/collections/72157623253948359/

Bankside FSW11: NGR 532043 180568
The foreshore at Bankside has been previously surveyed on a number of occasions:
by the Thames Archaeological Survey, by Museum of London Archaeology (prior to
the construction of the Millennium Bridge) and by the Bankside Stewards group /
Fiona Haughey. Archaeological remains surviving on the site include in situ
paleoenvironmental deposits (dated to the Neolithic period), and a wide range of
post medieval and early modern structures including bargebeds, jetty and wharf
structures, drains and mooring features. Other features on the site include the
remains of causeways and other access points, and a widespread artefact scatter
comprising ships nails, nautical timbers, clay pipes, ceramics and glass bottles. The
foreshore is eroding noticeably in some areas, particularly around the Globe Stairs,
and a build up of sand deposits has been recorded near the Founders Arms Stairs.

Site photos:

Bermondsey FSW01: NGR 534265 179832
This foreshore site has been under investigation since the early 1990s by UCL
(Institute of Archaeology), the Thames Archaeological Survey, English Heritage and
Museum of London Archaeology. Significant archaeological remains include an
assemblage of prehistoric artefacts ranging in date from the Mesolithic period to the

Iron Age, a well preserved sequence of foreshore deposits (protected by the existing
Chambers Wharf jetty) and a large and varied group of post-medieval structures
including a possible fish trap, nautical timbers (some reused as gridirons) and
artefacts relating to riverside industry such as sugar refinery ware. The skeleton of a
young woman, dated to the late medieval period was excavated on this site and
artefacts relating to modern Hindu activity have also been recorded.

Site photos:

Brentford Riverside FHL10 / Brentford Ait FRM22: NGR 518491 177748
Some work was undertaken at this site by the Thames Archaeological Survey, and
during the late 19th and early 20th century, the Brentford area was investigated by
antiquarians and archaeologists from the London Museum: Sir Mortimer Wheeler
found Roman remains near the mouth of the River Brent. An assemblage of
abandoned vessels survives on the Brentford foreshore and on the ait, together with
structures associated with boat building and repair. The TDP recorded two
abandoned vessels which are thought to be ex Royal Navy pinnaces dating to the
20th century.

Site photos:

Burrell’s Wharf FTH15: NGR 537567 178295
This site was not investigated by the Thames Archaeological Survey. In April 2009, a
mudlarker found a human skull on the foreshore, which was reported to the
Museum of London. A sample from the skull was radiocarbon dated by English
Heritage (to the early 18th century) and the rest of the child’s skeleton was excavated
in early 2010. This child had been deliberately buried on the foreshore. Burrell’s
Wharf is also the site of the launch of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s last project, the SS
Great Eastern. The TDP has recorded the remains of the launch slipways surviving on
the foreshore, and is campaigning with the Brunel Museum for a memorial at the
site.

Site photos:

Charlton FGW14: NGR 540858 179179
This site was not investigated by the Thames Archaeological Survey. Survey by the
TDP / FROG has recorded two large structures on the foreshore, the site below
Castle’s Shipbreaking yard. One appears to have been constructed in 1904/05 out of
timbers from HMS Duke of Wellington, at least one of HMSs Anson, Edgar or
Hannibal, and iron from HMS Ajax. The other seems likely to have been built in the
19th century of timbers from a warship of small frigate or sloop type. Revetments
were also recorded as being partially built from vessel timbers. Thus, this site
preserves archaeological evidence for one of the most revolutionary periods of naval
development – in less than 40 years the ships of Nelson had been replaced by steel

battleships, powered by steam engines and mounting huge guns. Apart from
submerged shipwrecks, this may well be the only known archaeological evidence of
vessels from this period in Europe.

Site photos:

Chelsea FKN01: NGR 526715 177301
Archaeological features surviving at this site have been investigated in detail by the
Thames Archaeological Survey and Museum of London Archaeology. The site is
significant because of the surviving deposits, structures and artefacts representing
thousands of years of activity. These include the remains of a paleoenvironmental
deposit which contains an extraordinary artefactual assemblage including a Neolithic
wooden club or beater, lithics, ceramics and animal and human bones. Part of a
Bronze Age trepanned skull was found in 2001 and two leg bones have been dated
to the Bronze Age and Neolithic periods. A recent monitoring visit to the site by TDP
found a third femur. Also on the site are two mid-Saxon fish traps and timbers
representing post-medieval activity probably relating to the Greaves boatyard.

Site photos:

Chiswick FHL20: NGR 521828 177921
This site was surveyed by the Thames Archaeological Survey and Museum of London
Archaeology. The Victorian causeway at the site was recorded in detail, providing a
useful study of erosion. Other features of interest on the site include the remains of
a jetty and peat deposits exposed on Chiswick Ait.

Site photos:

Custom House FCY04: NGR 533113 180576
This site was recorded by the Thames Archaeological Survey and also by the City of
London Archaeology Society during the 1990s. Features of interest include several
phases of wharf structures located beneath Billingsgate Wharf, the 1819 Custom
House gridiron and riverside wall (which includes parish boundary markers and high
water marks), the remains of three vessels and an interesting artefactual assemblage
including a wide variety of shells relating to the Billingsgate Fishmarket, animal
bones, clay pipes and ceramics. Mudlarkers have also reported a number of finds
from the site, including four Anglo-Saxon strap ends.

Site photos:

Fulham Palace FHM07: NGR 524009 175951
Work at this site by the Thames Archaeological Survey recorded a limited number of
features on the foreshore; these included peat deposits and timber piles which may

represent the remains of a stair or causeway providing access to the Bishop’s Palace.
Survey by the Thames Discovery Programme in 2009 recorded three timber piles
representing a structure of as yet unknown function of Iron Age date; interesting
research remains to be undertaken on the possible association of this somewhat
mysterious structure and the wider archaeological landscape. Modern ritual Hindu
activity has also been recorded at this site.

Site photos:

Greenwich Palace FGW04: NGR 538642 178088
This site was studied in detail by the Thames Archaeological Survey, however recent
work by the Thames Discovery Programme has recorded a range of new features,
suggesting considerable erosion is occurring at the site. These include a number of
new timber and masonry structures together with deposits of unabraded ceramics
and other artefacts, which probably relate to Tudor activity on the waterfront of the
nearby palace of Placentia. Further east, a series of timber piles and baseplates,
likely to be medieval in origin, have been recorded – these appear to represent a
jetty or pier structure. Other features of interest include the 17th century riverside
wall (the foundations of which are also visible), and the waterfront of the Trinity
Almshouses at the eastern end of the zone.

Site photos:

Isleworth FHL04: NGR 516822 176029
The foreshore at Isleworth, and along Syon Reach, was investigated during the 1950s
– 1970s by Ivor Noel Hume and the West London Archaeological Field Group.
Fieldwork by the Thames Archaeological Survey and Museum of London Archaeology
recorded a mid Saxon fish trap on the foreshore during the 1990s. Further sampling
by the TDP confirmed the association of a contemporary causeway or access leading
to the trap. Additionally, recording was undertaken by the TDP / FROG on a
Victorian causeway structure and the masonry slipway near the London Apprentice
PH. An interesting assemblage of worked stone survives on the foreshore and Hindu
artefacts have been noted on a number of occasions.

Site photos:

Putney FWW03: NGR 524297 175598
The Thames Archaeological Survey recorded part of the surviving remains of the
1729 bridge footings, and the TDP completed a detailed survey of the same feature.
Also recorded at this site were a wooden drain and a causeway (probably both of
Victorian date) and parts of a very large hard, which includes a possible crane base,
located near Putney Railway Bridge. Other features of interest on the site include
drainage outfalls, and the remains of an aqueduct beneath Putney Bridge, Victorian
brick built riverside walls, and numerous finds of Hindu artefacts.

Site photos:

Rotherhithe FSW03: NGR 535265 179964
Recording by the TDP / FROG has added further detail to the site record created by
the Thames Archaeological Survey. Investigations were focussed at the eastern end
of the site where a large number of nautical timbers were recorded forming what
appears to be a slipway; these are likely to represent the remains of ship breaking
and building on the foreshore during the 18th century. Other structures of interest
include access features associated with the Mayflower PH, bargebeds, and
widespread artefact scatters of Delftware kiln waste and animal bone representing
localised waterfront activity.

Site photos:

Strand-on-the-Green FHL12: NGR 519314 177795
This zone, which includes the small island at Oliver’s Ait, was recorded by the
Thames Archaeological Survey during the 1990s and the TDP / FROG have
undertaken further survey at the site. Features of interest include a number of
historic public houses and private residences, evidence for localised industry in the
form of brewing and a large number of access features including landing stages,
stairs and causeways. Features recorded at the site included sections of the river
wall (including a small area of surviving Tudor brickwork), revetments and drainage
features.

Site photos:

Tower of London FTH01: NGR 533546 180440
This site has been previously investigated by the Thames Archaeological Survey and
Museum of London Archaeology. Recording by the TDP / FROG has demonstrated
that the foreshore has eroded severely at this site since the 1990s, especially at the
eastern end near Tower Bridge, where previously unexposed structures, likely to be
two phases of a river stair or jetty, probably of 17th or 18th century date, have been
recorded. These substantial structures, comprising a series of timber baseplates and
piles, and likely to be of several phases of construction are currently eroding out as
the surrounding foreshore deposits are washed away. Other recording undertaken
at the site included an examination of the medieval / post-medieval riverside wall –
the foundations of which are also now exposed – and, working with the Society of
Thames Mudlarks, TAF and the PAS, a finds survey of the artefactual assemblage
near Tower Bridge. Significant artefacts recorded include a whalebone, a cannon
ball, a syphilis syringe, a number of Roman coins, medieval and later coinage, and a
medieval bone buckle.

Site photos:

Community Archaeology Report

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