RUSH WICKERY IN THE UK

Scirpus lacustris 

RANGE: Europe, incl UK, south and east from Lapland to Africa and Asia. N. and C. America, Polynesia.  A PERENNIAL growing to 2.5 m (8ft 2in). It is hardy to UK. It is in flower from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Wind.Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can grow in water....Root - raw or cooked. Rich in starch, it can be dried and ground into a powder or made into a syrup. The buds at the end of the rhizomes are crisp and sweet, making excellent eating raw. Young shoots - raw or cooked[. Used in spring. Seed - ground up into a powder and mixed with flour for use in making cakes etc. The seed is small and rather fiddly to harvest and utilize. Base of mature stems - raw or cooked. Somewhat tough. Pollen - raw or cooked. Rich in pollen, it is mixed with flour and used in making cakes etc..... The stems are frequently used for making matting, chair bottoms etc and thatching. They were at one time imported in large quantities for this purpose. The pith of the stems is used in paper making.

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Rushwork in Pavenham 

Rushwork has been carried out in Pavenham since the mid 17th century. Several shops in the village produced large rolls of matting for covering floors of large buildings, including cathedrals and the Houses of Parliament. Other smaller rolls were cut up to make dinner baskets. ........... The common bulrush has been harvested in Pavenham for at least 200 years. The rushcutters waded, often chest deep, into the river Great Ouse, and cut the rushes using a 'Rush Hook'. The rushes were then bundled into 'Boults' and stacked together to form rafts, or 'Rucks', which could be punted along. ........... In 1946 Mrs Pamela Morgan revived the rushwork trade in Pavenham, which had all but died out due to cheap imports from abroad. She extended the range of products to include many different styles of baskets and tablemats, marketing her varied wares all over the British Isles. She also gave lessons with the help of local people. ........... A new generation continues the work. The rushes are cut using traditional methods and carefully dried to preserve the beautiful colours of the rushes. ........... Products include hats, tablemats and baskets.