The Domestic Herbal

Plants for the Home in the Seventeenth Century

Margaret Willes

$49.99

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Bodleian Library
26 June 2020

History; Social & cultural history; Botany & plant sciences

In the seventeenth century most English households had gardens. These gardens were not merely ornamental, even the most elaborate and fashionable gardens had areas set aside for growing herbs, fruit, vegetables, and flowers for domestic use. Meanwhile, more modest households considered a functional garden to be a vital tool for the survival of the house and family. The seventeenth century was also a period of exciting introductions of plants from overseas, which could be used in all manner of recipes.

Using manuscript household manuals, recipe books, and printed herbals, The Domestic Herbal takes the reader on a tour of the productive garden and of the various parts of the house - kitchens and service rooms, living rooms and bedrooms - to show how these plants were used for cooking and brewing, medicines and cosmetics, in the making and care of clothes, and to keep rooms fresh, fragrant, and decorated. Recipes used by seventeenth-century households for preparations such as flower syrups, snail water, and wormwood ale are also included. A brief herbal gives descriptions of plants both familiar and less known to today's readers, including the herbs used for common tasks like dyeing and brewing, and those that held a particular cultural importance in the seventeenth century.

Featuring exquisite coloured illustrations from John Gerard's herbal book of 1597 as well as prints, archival material, and manuscripts, this book provides an intriguing and original focus on the domestic history of Stuart England.

By: Margaret Willes
Imprint: Bodleian Library
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 161mm,
ISBN: 9781851245130
ISBN 10: 1851245138
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 26 June 2020
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Acknowledgments vii Introduction 1 Productive Gardens 17 For the Table 57 Small Beer & Strong Liquors 89 A Herbal 112 Health & Beauty 131 Care of Clothes 161 Fragrant Chambers 181 Notes 206 Select Bibliography 216 Picture Credits 219 Index 221

Margaret Willes is a former publisher and author of several books on social history.

Reviews for The Domestic Herbal: Plants for the Home in the Seventeenth Century

[The Domestic Herbal] is a history rather than a practical guide on the precise uses, planting strategies and the like for household herbs. It should be especially useful for those who have some experience in household gardening and are looking for some inspiration in plants that have previously been planted at home, even if today such home planting seems strange. This study is also of interest to those who want to understand more intimately the household lives of seventeenth-century Europeans (mostly Brits). Thus, this is a good addition mostly for academic libraries. * Pennsylvania Literary Journal *