Wayland Smith's cave
Richard Jefferies memorial elm in Tolworth
Andrew Rossabi (President of the Richard Jefferies Society) gave a talk at Surbiton Library on Richard Jefferies’ Tolworth years on 26 September 2018. It was a beautiful sunny day and this memorable occasion was followed by a walk to the Richard Jefferies Bird Sanctuary where a young English elm sapling, that was Dutch elm disease-resistant, was planted as a Jefferies’ memorial in The Wood next to the Sanctuary fence and behind Surbiton Station.
'The Pageant of Summer' as an Epic Found-poem
Richard Jefferies' footstone on his grave in Broadwater Cemetery, Worthing describes him as the 'Prose Poet of England's fields and woodlands'. Never could there be a better example of how well his prose reads beautifully as lyrical poetry as in his glorious essay 'The Pageant of Summer' that was collected in The Life of the Fields (1884).
R.D. Stapleford has introduced and edited the essay (in May 2026) and expressed it as an epic found-poem (click on the link to read in full) that begins:
Green rushes, long and thick,
Standing
up above the edge of the ditch,
Told
the hour of the year
As
distinctly as the shadow
THE LOST ELMS wins top literary prize for Nature writing
Mandy Haggith was announced today (7 May 2026) as the winner of the Richard Jefferies Award for the best nature writing issued in 2025 for her book The Lost Elms published by Wildfire, an imprint of Headline Publishing Group Limited.
Walk around Tolworth 6 June 2026
This guided walk, in the footsteps of Richard Jefferies' Tolworth years, will be led by local ecologist and Richard Jefferies Society member, Alison Fure.
Please note that you need to book a place if you wish to attend. Numbers are limited for insurance reasons. Email bentonbat@gmail.com.
New meeting room for the Richard Jefferies Museum
Please help towards funding a new meeting room at the Richard Jefferies Museum.
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| Artist's impression of the proposed building. |
Richard Jefferies Award Shortlist for 2025 Nominations
The Richard Jefferies Award is given annually to the author of the publication considered by the judging panel to be the most outstanding nature writing published in a given calendar year. The winning work must reflect the heritage and spirit of Richard Jefferies’ countryside books.
Congratulations to the following 2025 nature-writing books and their authors that have been shortlisted for the latest Richard Jefferies Award:
About the Society
The Richard Jefferies Society was established on 13 June 1950 and now has members in all parts of the world. It is a registered charity (No. 1042838) managed by an Executive Council of volunteers.
The Society aims to promote interest in, and respect for the life and works of Richard Jefferies (1848-1887).
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Newsletters, with information about the writer, planned events, meetings, outings, publications and services are circulated to members twice a year along with an annual report. In addition members receive a copy of the Society's Journal containing hitherto unpublished writing by Jefferies, new articles, research and book reviews. E-bulletins are sent out monthly.
The Society has a special concern for such places in Wiltshire as the writer's birthplace at Coate that houses a Museum dedicated to his memory and is managed by the Richard Jefferies Museum Trust (a separate charity).
along with Coate Water (the setting for Bevis)
and the memorial stone on Burderop Down with its iconic quote "It is eternity now. I am in the midst of it. It is about me in the sunshine."
Other places of pilgrimage are at Surbiton, Sydenham and Eltham near London, and at Brighton, Crowborough and at his final home at Goring by Sea, Sussex where he died at the age of 38. Richard Jefferies' grave is in Broadwater cemetery at Worthing.
‘To the honoured memory of the Prose Poet of England’s fields and woodlands’
Meetings are held in the winter months by Zoom and the Spring Lecture and Annual General Meeting take place at the Richard Jefferies Museum.
A Bursary is available for projects that promote a new understanding of the writings of Jefferies.
The Society awards a yearly literary prize for excellence in nature writing in association with the White Horse Bookshop in Marlborough.
The Society holds extensive archives at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Chippenham. Download a catalogue of our archives held there.
The Society is a member of the Alliance of Literary Societies.
The Society hosts a Facebook page, BlueSky, Instagram and You Tube channel.
The Society has issued a PrivacyStatement with regard to the use of 'cookies' on this website.
For further information contact the Richard Jefferies Society
by email.
Shortlist for Richard Jefferies Award for best nature writing published in 2024
The Richard Jefferies Award is given annually to the author of the publication considered by the judging panel to be the most outstanding nature writing published in a given calendar year. The winning work must reflect the heritage and spirit of Richard Jefferies’ countryside books.
The shortlist for 2024 nominations:
150th Wedding Anniversary
Richard Jefferies and Jessie Baden were married at the parish church of the Holy Cross, Chiseldon on Wednesday 8th July 1874. Richard’s brother and sister, Henry James and Sarah, were the witnesses, but it is not known if Jefferies’ parents were present, nor who else was at the ceremony.
Why did you join the Richard Jefferies Society?
Earlier this year we carried out a survey of our members. One of the questions we asked was:
Why did you join the Richard Jefferies Society? For example
was it a love of his writings; or of nature; or you live in Wiltshire; or have
a connection with Wiltshire?
We received the following answers:
Bristol University lecturer wins top literary prize for Nature writing
On 3 May 2024 Michael Malay was announced as the winner of the Richard Jefferies Award for the best nature writing issued in 2023 for his book titled Late Light published by Manilla Press. He will be talking about his book at the Marlborough Literature Festival on Saturday 28 September 2024 at 5.30pm at the White Horse Bookshop.
The Meaning of Butterflies: science, aesthetics, spirituality, poetics, relationship with place
Matthew Oates will be talking about ‘The Meaning of Butterflies: science, aesthetics, spirituality, poetics, relationship with place.’
RICHARD
JEFFERIES SOCIETY SPRING LECTURE
Saturday 27 April 2024, 2pm
Richard Jefferies Museum, Marlborough
Road, Coate, Swindon SN3 6AA
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