Wayland Smith's cave

Richard Jefferies wrote about the Wayland Smithy (just off the Ridgeway) in an article for the North Wilts Herald published on 2 November 1867. He wrote under the name 'Geoffrey' and there were eight articles in all as part of his 'History of Swindon and Antiquities of its Environs' that was later published as Jefferies Land and edited by Grace Toplis in 1896.

"It has much the appearance of an altar. Sacrifices may have been offered to the deceased Dane [King Bagsac] – if he was interred beneath. Some think it a work of the Druids. It is evidently very ancient, being mentioned in a Saxon charter as a land mark. The country people call it Wayland Smith’s cave, and tell a story of an invisible smith who shoed traveller’s horses on condition of their laying a groat upon the altar-stone and then retiring out of sight - whistling when hid as a signal, and leaving the horse near. Presently there would be a tinkling of hammers, and on returning to the spot the horse would be found shod and no one in sight. This legend came under the notice of Sir Walter Scott, who is said to have visited the place. He has embodied it in the novel of Kenilworth. The legend is thought to have originated in a Danish superstition concerning spirits who dwelt in rocks, and were cunning workmen in iron and steel."

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.

Some 3 years later, on Sunday 9 January 2022 the tree was chopped down to the ground by vandals. However, wonderful local volunteers have continued to care for it and given the elm a chance to rejuvenate.

It was photographed by Colin Corkerton (Chair of the Richard Jefferies Society) on 6 June 2026. It is a delight to see the tree growing so healthily now from four stems that developed from the stump.

Richard Jefferies would be proud to be honoured in this manner.

Our thanks to all concerned, that include Lucy Furlong, Alison Fure and Phil Renton, for keeping Jefferies’ alive in Tolworth.

'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

On the dial the hour of the day.

Green and thick and sappy to the touch,

They felt like Summer, soft and elastic,

As if full of life, mere rushes

Though they were. On the fingers

They left a green scent; rushes

Have a separate scent of green,

So, too, have ferns,

Very different from that of grass or leaves.

Rising from brown sheaths,

The tall stems enlarged a little in the middle,

Like classical columns, and

Heavy with their sap and freshness,

Leaned against the hawthorn sprays.

From the earth they had drawn its moisture,

And made the ditch dry;

Some of the sweetness of the air

Had entered into their fibres,

And the rushes—the common rushes—

Were full of beautiful Summer.

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.

An Ecological Vision of Earth

New meeting room for the Richard Jefferies Museum

Please help towards funding a new meeting room at the Richard Jefferies Museum.

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:

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).

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)

Liddington Hill -- "the labour of walking three miles to it ... seemed to clear my blood of the heaviness accumulated at home ... I began to breathe a new air".

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.

Nature's Ghosts by Sophie Yeo wins the Richard Jefferies Award for Nature Writing

Zoom into LATE LIGHT by Michael Malay

Shortlist for Richard Jefferies Award for best nature writing published in 2024

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 8^th 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.

Chiseldon Church, Wiltshire c1910. Kate Allen Tryon (1865–1952)

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:

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

Links