Welcome!

We’re now into Spring! And our programme continues.

Our next meeting…

… on 14 May 2026, will have Dr John Taylor speaking about Joseph Arden of Rickmansworth Park: collector, traveller and antiquary

Joseph Arden (1799-1879), a successful London barrister, developed Rickmansworth Park as his country estate in the 1830s and 1840s. A man of varied cultural pursuits, Arden acquired paintings from artists such as John Everett Millais, became a patron of Drury Lane theatre and campaigned for the purchase of Shakespeare’s birthplace for the nation. He also had a keen interest in the ancient world, which led to his becoming a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and travelling in Greece and Egypt. This talk will focus on Arden’s antiquarian tastes and will consider some of the souvenirs which he collected on his travels, including a unique Greek literary papyrus and two Egyptian mummies, which were unwrapped and examined before enthusiastic audiences in the 1840s.

 The images on the slide show are of some of the Vicars and church wardens of Rickmansworth over the last 150 years or so. By permission of the present Vicar we’ve been allowed to copy and present these and others – and we’ll be doing just that in the weeks to come.  

 
Our meetings:

We meet at 8pm on the second Thursday of the month from September to June inclusive, in St Mary’s Church Centre in Rickmansworth Church Street. Meetings are open to all: the fee to visitors is £3, payable at the door, with no need to book.

How to drive to us:

Parking is in the church car park, just off Bury Lane, a side road from Church Street. If you’re coming into Church Street from Batchworth roundabout (as from Northwood or Uxbridge), it’s past the church and Feathers pub and next left into Bury Lane – if from High Street, it’s on the right before the Feathers. Then, next left again – take care turning in, as it’s narrow and cars do come out. Park as you like in the public spaces (which is most of them), and walk past the wall at the other end from where you’ve just driven in, along the path, then left as you get to the entrance to the church yard – the church centre is right ahead of you. A word of warning, though – from October to March especially, it’s a bit dark despite the recently renewed lights.

What else is on this website?

• Our Blog – rekindled, revived and with a new page here!

• Details of the Society’s talks and other activities, publications and other topics ‘of interest’, including how to ask our members to give talks and how to join us. Membership gives you not only access to our meetings, but also our thrice-yearly Journal the Rickmansworth Historical Review – come and get involved!

The history of Rickmansworth, with those of the villages and settlements of Three Rivers, is being written onto the website of the Three Rivers Museum. It’s on-going, and they’ll welcome people who would like to contribute research, writing, memories and images to the developing story of “what it was like to live and work round here.”

Our own story