Sawbridgeworth to celebrate 300th anniversary of historic Rivers Heritage Site and Orchard
Relatives of the man who founded Sawbridgeworth’s historic orchard were among those who attended the launch of a year of celebrations to mark its 300th anniversary.
Rivers Nursery was established by John Rivers in 1725 after he came to Sawbridgeworth from Berkshire. When Thomas Rivers took over the family business in 1837 he developed a plethora of horticultural techniques and was an early pioneer of fruit cultivation under glass.
His son, also Thomas, continued the introduction of new fruit varieties, including the Rivers Early Peach apple, Thomas Rivers cooking apple, Late Transparent Gage, Czar plum and the renowned Conference pear. All these, and many others, can be found today in the Rivers Heritage Site and Orchard (RHSO) off The Crest.
On January 7, Cllr Eric Buckmaster welcomed a specially invited audience to a presentation at Sawbridgeworth Town Council’s offices of events planned during the anniversary year.
Town mayor Cllr Reece Smith and East Herts Council vice-chairman Martin Adams attended, along with members of the Rivers family, staff from Audley End and past and present volunteers.
The business once extended to over 400 acres but closed in the late 1980s. What remains of the site is a large meadow and mother orchard containing around 600 fruit trees now maintained by volunteers.
Orchard trustee Ruth Buckmaster described how Diana Richards and Susan Lankaster (then Clarke), along with Hazel and David Mead, Eugene Keddy and others, started clearing out brambles to reveal and protect the trees.
Volunteers worked on the first Sunday of every month, and Apple Day and the wassail were established and continue to this day. Residents help pick the apples and more than 1,000 bottles of juice are produced to be sold at events throughout the year and at local health food shop Full of Beans.
The land is owned by Deville Estates, and the town council has a rolling lease for the group to access and work on the orchard.
Elizabeth Waugh presented some highlights and landmarks of the Rivers family business. She has written a book entitled Rivers Orchard, The Art of Practical Pomology. There has been a reprint and copies are available for sale at the town council.
Lanier Pole outlined events planned for the year of celebration, with the first being the wassailing – an ancient drinking ritual and salutation used to ensure a good harvest, featuring a beverage known as a wassail, made from hot mulled cider, ale or wine and spices – on January 25, during which a new song will be sung.
On April 26 there will be a celebration day in High Wych Memorial Hall, with talks and walks in the orchard. From the same month, people can discover the “Rivers Orchard House and Fruit Trees” at Audley End House and Gardens.
In May an art competition will be held for adults, with a prize-giving and display in July.
Apple Day will be at the end of September/early October. In October there will be an art competition for children with a prize-giving and display in November.
Finally, Colin Gill described the approach taken in the selecting and planting of six new Rivers plum trees towards renewal of the orchard as part of the 300th anniversary.
There were information boards on display and mounted embroideries created by Karin Keddy, representing the fruits of orchard.
