Publishing progress

New book!

New book cover image

One of the reasons that our medical herbalist, Anne, has been so short of time to spend at Holt Wood is her involvement in recent years in preparing a book for publication.  The book is based on Anne's research into seventeenth-century household medicine and draws on original household recipes, accounts and letters. At last, the book is nearly ready and is called Household Medicine in Seventeenth-Century England. Although not specifically about 'herbs', there are chapters in the book which consider recipe ingredients and medicinal preparations as well as detailed views of 'self-help' activities in the seventeenth century. The book will be published by Bloomsbury Academic later in 2016. More details on the book can be found at the Bloomsbury  web site.

Meanwhile...

Back at Holt Wood, we are gearing up for an Open Day, 1–4 pm on Saturday 21st May 2016. The open day session in the afternoon provides an opportunity to find out why we started the project and how things are progressing. 

Our draft programme

1300: Welcome and introductions

1315: Background to Holt Wood Medicinal Tree and Shrub Project

1345: Walkabout to see trees and shrubs

1515: Harvesting medicinal barks and examples of herbal medicines

1600: End

View across the valley from Holt Wood

The afternoon is suitable for people of all ages and experience. If you would like to come then get in touch to book your free place and we can send travel directions. For background information on Holt Wood see the website.

Updating the Holt Wood website

We are aware that the web site needs updating for Holt Wood. This will be a huge learning process! It is an opportunity to bring together news about Holt Wood and an online shop for some of the produce as well as links to permaculture and other projects. So, hopefully, we will be working on this in the next few months and then announce any updates. 

Witch hazel just beginning to open leaves

Herbal and garden history talk

Lady Boscawen's seventeenth-century plant notebook: Some issues in herbal and garden history

To what extent did housewives grow and collect herbs for medicinal use in early modern times? Contemporary printed sources suggest that women took much responsibility for gardens and household healthcare in this period. However, there has been limited scholarly study of the extent to which women planned or carried out such activities.  Dr Anne Stobart, a medical herbalist and member of the Herbal History Research Network, will consider these questions and describe her research interests.  Anne was based at Middlesex University in London from 2000 and held the post of Director of Programmes for Complementary Health Sciences until 2010. She completed her PhD in 2009; her thesis focused on seventeenth-century domestic medicine in South-west England.  

Where:  Kenn Centre, Kennford, Exeter, EX6 7UE.

When:  Wednesday 19th March 2014 at 2.30p.m. (Doors open at 2.00p.m.)

Cost:  £5 (DGT members)/ £6 (non-members) to include afternoon refreshments.  Please book before Monday 17th March 2014.

To book, please download a booking form here or contact Dr Ian M Varndell (tel. 07769 335506 or email events@devongardenstrust.org.uk).

Devon Gardens Trust (DGT) is an active charitable company which aims to:

• promote the education of the public on matters connected with the arts and sciences of garden land;
• preserve, enhance and re-create for education and enjoyment of the public whatever garden land may exist in and around the county of Devon.

Herbal history edited book published

Hooray! As co-editor of this book on herbal history research I am so pleased it has finally been published. It is not specifically to do with Holt Wood but this is one reason why I have had so little time in the last year! This book is an academic text aimed at encouraging more herbal history research - the original chapter contributors came together in 2010 at a seminar on herbal history. The full reference is:

Susan Francia and Anne Stobart, eds. Critical Approaches to the History of Western Herbal Medicine: From Classical Antiquity to the Early Modern Period. London: Bloomsbury, 2014.

 

Hot off the press!

There are chapters from historians, medical herbalists and others on a wide range of historical aspects of herbal medicine including classical thought, midwifery, Culpeper, Parkinson, Turner. materia medica, archaeology, ethnobotany, and more. Further details at:

www.bloomsbury.com/uk/critical-approaches-to-the-history-of-western-herbal-medicine-9781441184184/

The Herbal History Research Network continues to organise seminars in London and the South-west of England - the next one is all about herbal illustration and identification - details at:

http://events.history.ac.uk/event/show/12436

Overlooking River Torridge, February 2014

I shall continue researching and writing but hope that there will be a bit more time for Holt Wood! The spring weather gives us hope that conditions will be right for some work clearing brambles soon.