The Audley End Connection

Written by Elizabeth Waugh
Published on November 13, 2025.

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The connection between Rivers Nursery and Audley End, that has been strong and significant throughout this 300th year, actually began in the mid nineteenth century. It was then that the third Lord Braybrooke, who must have been a subscriber to the handbooks of Thomas Rivers, decided to build a glasshouse in the Audley End walled garden to the specifications given in The Orchard House of 1858 (a .pdf version is available from the RHSO archives). During a time when the English climate was far colder for a far greater number of months in a typical year, the innovative glasshouse Rivers designed offered a solution to extending the period of fruit production. Moreover, for Lord Braybrooke, the glasshouse offered an interesting outdoor but warm promenade up and down the long avenues that held the figs, peaches, apricots and the rest.


The Rivers300 group gathered beside the glasshouse at Audley End.

Over the years the glasshouse structure deteriorated. However, in 2001 under the supervision of the then head gardener, Mike Thurlow, a faithful replica was built on the foundations of Lord Braybrooke’s and put to use as far as possible for the original methods of cultivation of tender fruit. During the time of writing the book, Rivers Nursery: the art of practical pomology published in 2009 (available to buy from RHSO), I as part of my research was happy to find knowledgeable support in visiting Audley End and talking to Mike Thurlow. In that way the connection with Audley continued.



Louise Ellis, head gardener (right), in front of the main House as the tour begins. Elizabeth and Colin are pleased to have been warmly encouraged by Audley End staff.

Early in the thinking stage of preparation for the Rivers 300 celebration, I decided to try to call again on Audley End’s expertise with fruit cultivation under glass Rivers-style. Therefore, I got in touch with the present head gardener, Louise Ellis, to ask for a meeting. On 5 February 2024, Colin Gill and I went to Audley End for an initial meeting that was followed by another on 23 October 2024. The latter turned out to be for us an auspicious meeting with Louise, Gemma Sturges, Kitchen Garden Supervisor, and Christopher Weddell, Senior Gardens Advisor, English Heritage; it was like making new but very knowledgeable and strongly supportive friends. These meetings led to various interactions over the Rivers 300 year.



Louise in the glasshouse. Gemma with the Rivers300 new display in the Rivers Glasshouse.

Both Louise and Gemma gave talks on the Celebration Study Day in April; Gemma wrote an article for the Rivers300 website on managing the Audley glasshouse, Louise spoke at the Hertfordshire Garden Trust AGM in July about the Rivers connection. Via an introduction from Christopher Wedddell, I was invited to write an article for the Gardens Trust Journal about Rivers. A final flourish came when Louise and Gemma welcomed a group from Rivers on 12 October 2025 for an in-depth tour of Audley with emphasis on Rivers fruit. We are also saw for the first time the new Audley information board talking of Rivers300. It was a beautiful day in a beautiful place and a great way to gain new information.



The Orchard House display board at Audley End. The Rivers 300 years display board at Audley End.

Louise spoke of the legacy of this year of strong connections as an ongoing relationship. We hope that further discussions and visits and ways of using this tie continue!

Elizabeth Waugh.

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