What does the cryptic crossword clue "Speak in public close to hellish ancient river (9)" mean?

The definition is "Speak". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). H (synonym="last letter or ‘close’ of hellish") + OLD (synonym="ancient") + FORTH (synonym="river") = HOLDFORTH The answer is HOLDFORTH.

Speak in public close to hellish ancient river (9)

Independent Cryptic #11904 | 1 Across | 2024-12-04 flower

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