Crafting Care: Herbal Medicine, Folk Knowledge, and Hands-On History

From medieval stillrooms to Jazz Age drawing rooms, herbal medicine has always lived in the home. Remedies were gathered, grown, prepared, and passed down, often by women, forming a quiet but vital thread of care that runs through centuries of daily life.

We invite you to join us in recreating and crafting some authentic and historically-inspired herbal remedies, from the pages of ancient Herbals to recipes in Jacobean Receipt books, and household accounts of the early 20th century.

1590s to 1920s: A Herbal Journey Through Lauriston’s History

When: Saturday 4 July, 14:00–16:00
Where: Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh
Open to: Anyone
Price: £40
How to book: Lauriston Castle's Event Booking Page

Step into the fragrant world of herbal healing and explore centuries of botanical wisdom used within the walls of Lauriston Castle. From the Tudor stillroom to the refined drawing rooms of the 1920s, this workshop traces how herbs have soothed, healed, and comforted people across generations.

In this hands-on heritage session, you will:

• Craft traditional powdered healing pills, blended as early apothecaries once did

• Create a soothing green ointment inspired by time-honoured recipes for cuts, bruises, and everyday ailments

• Blend a restorative herbal tea, bringing historic remedies into modern life.

Along the way, you’ll uncover stories of our herbal past—from 16th-century physic gardens and household cures to the 1920s enthusiasm for nature, health, and wellbeing.

You’ll leave with your handmade creations, a deeper appreciation for herbal heritage, and a renewed sense of the enduring connection between plants, people, and place.

Vinegars, Vapours, and Virtues: Household Herbal Medicine Workshop

Leeds International Medieval Congress Workshop

When: Tuesday 7 July, 19:00–21:00
Where: University of Leeds
Open to: IMC Delegates
Price: £36.50
How to book: Conference delegates: Advance booking required via IMC registration

For centuries, remedies were crafted at home to treat illness and injury and to maintain the health of the household. People foraged locally or grew medicinal plants in their gardens, building up stores of herbs and preparations—while also relying on the skills of local healers, who were very often women. Acting as midwives and birth attendants, these practitioners supported both physical and mental wellbeing using plant-based knowledge grounded in experience and tradition.

In this workshop, participants will explore the rich and varied sources of herbal medicines found in historical records, alongside the history of women in medicine. Through guided discussion and practical making, you will:

• Learn how herbal remedies appear in medieval and early modern sources

• Explore domestic and community-based healing traditions

• Create your own remedies to take away, including four thieves’ vinegar, herbal infusions, and incense.

Places are limited. Early booking is strongly recommended.

A Very 1920s Christmas at Lauriston Castle

A Journey Through Christmas from the 16th Century to the Jazz Age

When: Sunday 19 December, 14:00–16:00
Where: Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh
Open to: Anyone
Price: £40
How to book: Lauriston Castle's Event Booking Page

Step back in time and experience the sparkle and scent of Christmases past! From Tudor traditions to the glamour of the 1920s, this festive workshop explores how seasonal celebrations—and their herbal traditions—have evolved through the centuries.

In this joyful, hands-on session, you will:

• Craft your own herbal bath salts inspired by vintage apothecary blends

• Assemble fragrant mulled wine sachets, perfect for gifting or warming winter evenings

• Create a traditional mistletoe kissing bough, bringing timeless charm (and perhaps a little romance) into your home

Enjoy non-alcoholic warm mulled wine and mince pies as you craft, accompanied by music from the Roaring Twenties. The atmosphere evokes the elegance of the Jazz Age, with gentle nods to Lauriston Castle’s festive past stretching back to the 1590s.

You’ll leave with your handmade creations, a sense of history, and the glow of old-fashioned holiday spirit.