ACTON SCOTT HERBAL DAY 2009
August 1st we had a great day out in Acton Scott Historic Working Farm near Church Stretton
Secrets of a Victorian
Housewife’s Herbal
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The text ran... "Herbs commonly used a hundred years ago are in decline.
Today many are regarded as weeds or just wild flowers and
go largely unrecognised. Course participants will identify and
record field herbs, investigate their uses, gather herbs from the garden, make pot pourri and a Victorian tussie mussie." HOW could we resist especially as they promised that the day would end with home made herbal tea and scones - which it did. [Lemon balm and verbena herb tea (I think); and lavender jelly with the scones... which was an interesting (but extremely enjoyable) experience - but I am having difficulty in tracking down a recipe]
Our tutor was Janet Bradley who is the resident cottage interpreter at Acton Scott
and also a social history tutor with
Shropshire Museum Service. She is an expert in the use of
herbs throughout history and has researched the role of the
Victorian housewife for many years in order to accurately
interpret the past to visitors to Acton Scott. It was very interesting to hear the local names of plants, their uses for animal and human care, and also to learn which herbs are used in the preparation of dyes for cloth and wool. The herb garden in Acton Scott was a pleasure to see.
A tussie mussy, incidentally, is a posy or nosegay - possibly originally made mostly from herbs with flowers coming in later. Sometimes these posies were used to
express affection or other meanings.
I have since discovered that the Welsh for a posy or bunch of flowers, is ..... TUSW. [pron: Tissoo] - I wonder which word is earlier.
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