Houses of Parliament

Sunshine! Admittedly a bit of a haze hangs over the Thames down by the Houses of Parliament today, but there’s plenty of sun. And FROGS. As I arrive they are massing for a group photograph which I will not be in. Serve me right, I should have been on time!

When I arrive on the foreshore, people are in groups, starting to plan the features as last recorded – the men with the GPS were at it all of yesterday, and they’re here again today – and so is Gus, our beloved leader.

He seems to be finding timber features which look rather old, though he denies it! The big bucket of finds from yesterday spent the night sheltering on Black Rod’s stairs – amazingly they are all there this morning, ready to be recorded in detail.

I join a group led by Martin Hatton, and we beaver away recording features using alpha numbers, tape measures and occasionally my camera. Hence I now have lots of foreshore pictures which would really puzzle a non-FROG! It seems most of the scatters of decorated masonry ARE from the bomb damage (quite considerable) which the Houses of Parliament sustained in World War II.

Finds include some rather splendid clay pipes located by Martin’s eagle eyes – and I don’t really know if the cartwheel classifies as a find or a feature! It’s very big, and appears to have been painted red – did one of the fire engines attending the fire at the House back in the 1800’s have an accident? But no, I am told that their handy weight and shape made these things useful for mooring boats to, so it’s a feature!

All too soon the tide comes rushing in with a vengeance and it’s time to leave. Rain is forecast for tomorrow and I’m off to Greenwich – now there’s a coincidence!