Archaeologists digging in East London have uncovered some surprising signs of luxury in a neighborhood long thought to be modest. Among the finds is a seal from a bottle of Chateau Margaux, a prestigious French wine once enjoyed by President Thomas Jefferson and British Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole.
The discovery came during excavations in Wapping ahead of the new SEGRO Park Wapping development. The Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) shared that the wine seal is a rare glimpse into the area’s past, showing that imported luxury items made their way to this part of London.
The team also uncovered the foundations of terrace houses, a chapel floor, and several wells, soakaways, and rubbish pits filled with pottery and clay pipes. These finds give a more detailed picture of life in Wapping and challenge the idea that it was always a poor area.
The houses provided homes for residents and even offered a monthly stipend for older local people in need. Items like the French wine seal, imported pottery, and wine glasses suggest that while life could be modest, there were touches of wealth and luxury.
Alex Banks, senior archaeologist at MOLA, said experts are still dating the finds and studying the children’s writing. He noted that artifacts linked to children are rare, making these discoveries especially interesting.
Together, the artifacts show a community that blended everyday life with glimpses of luxury, offering a unique look at historic Wapping.
