Firing on the Foreshore

Come and join the Bankside STEWards in firing pots made from Thames clay on the Thames foreshore. The wood used in constructing the fires is driftwood from the Thames and its tributaries provided by Riverwood, a project working with adults with learning difficulties to reuse and recycle wood that would otherwise go to landfill.

The fires will be extinguished by the incoming tide at about 2.30pm. Firing pots in this way has a history going back 6,000 years, and examples of such pots can be seen on the show-and-tell table at the top of the Globe stairs until 6pm.

See and even handle objects found on the Thames foreshore which tell the history of Bankside from the end of the last Ice Age until yesterday - handaxes, boats, pots, industry, trade and food, to name but a few things. Thames archaeologist, Dr Fiona Haughey, will be on hand to answer your questions. And learn about health & safety on the foreshore from a rat's point of view!