[3] Mucking's geographical location on flat marshland at the very mouth of the River Thames indicates that settlement in the area by Germanic invaders from the continent probably occurred at a relatively early date; indeed, an outline of a now abandoned nearby Saxon village, West Mucking, was discovered from aerial photographs in the 20th century.

Although the population of the hamlet is now less than one hundred, it thrived in Victorian times, boasting small shops, a large rectory and the mediaeval church of St John the Baptist (both of the latter buildings have now been converted to private houses, with access to the church graveyard possible only with prior written permission).

[6] Mucking was the location of a major archaeological dig ahead of excavation from the gravel quarry that swallowed it up.

The site was discovered by crop marks in the soil photographed by Kenneth St Joseph in 1959.

[8] Many of the buildings were sunken huts although there were timber halls which were possibly occupied by the higher status families.