Friday Talk: The history and craft of Rushwork on the River Stour

In this illustrated talk, Anna Lewington will give an overview of the history of rush cutting and rushwork as practised historically on the River Stour in the vicinity of Marnhull. She will also describe the project ‘RushWorks’ she set up in 2006 in order to try and keep the local knowledge and practise of working with rushes alive, an activity still continued today with an annual rush harvest and workshops run from her home in Sturminster Newton.

Anna is an ethnobotanist and writer who has been researching and writing about importance of plants to people for many years. Her interest developed as an undergraduate student and led to her study of Amerindian languages and culture at St Andrews university, and her thesis on the importance of the root crop manioc to the Matsigenka Indians of the Peruvian Amazon. She is the author of two editions of ‘Plants For People’, a comprehensive study of the ways in which products from plants support our daily lives, first written at the invitation of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and subsequently described as ‘a complete inspiration to the Eden Project’. She has also co-authored ‘Ancient Trees: Trees that Live for Thousand Years’, studied the cultural importance of birch trees (‘Birch’ 2018) and written several educational books on rainforests and the importance of plants for children.

Anna’s interest in the history of rushwork began following involvement with a Kew project to evaluate the commercial importance of plant resources in Britain. Alongside much local research she has taken part in numerous basketry courses, been inspired by rush cutter and maker Felicity Irons and is a member of the Basketmakers’ Association.

Tea and coffee will be available from 7 pm, the talk will start at 7.30 pm and finish at around 9 pm.

Admission £8 (£5 for Museum members, free to Friends and Patrons)

We have a variety of talks about our history and heritage from a range of expert speakers lined up for Autumn 2025 and Spring 2026. These will take place on Fridays (usually, but not always, the last Friday of the month) at the Parish Centre in Blandford. Please visit our Calendar for information about future talks.