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The Maltmaker
 Ware, which was once the principal malt supplier to London's Brewers, has commemorated the industry with a sculpture.
A seven-and-half-foot bronze, by sculptor Jill Tweed, was unveiled in November 1999. It portrays a traditional malting worker with a
broad shovel and cat.
The sculture, which stands in the gardens outside St Mary's Parish Church, was unveiled by Hugo Page Croft,
one of the founders of Moray Firth Malting Company, a former director of Scottish and Newcastle Plc and a member
of Ware foremost malting family. Mr Page Croft was joined in the unveiling by former malting worker William (Buster) Prestland.
Among the other 150 people who attended the unveiling were many other former malting workers.
The £30,000 project, sponsored by The Ware Society and Ware Town Council has been generously supported
by local people and malting and brewing companies. Initial funding came from French & Jupp Ltd of Stanstead Abbotts. There
were also donations by Scottish Courage and McMullen and Sons.
Because of its transport links with London via the River Lea, Ware developed a malting industry in the Middle Ages. In the eighteenth Century
it became the main supplier of "Brown Malt" used in the brewing of a strong dark beer know as "porter". Daniel Defoe is thought to have given it the name
because it quickly became the main tipple of London's labourers.
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