Image: [Brynn Bruijn]/Saudi Aramco World/PADIA
Monk Herbalists
At
larger monasteries one monk may have been assigned the duty of
herbalist. It was the herbalist's duty to study the many medicinal herbs
grown in the monastery. The herbalist would also be responsible for the
preparation of the various ointments and lotions that the monastery's
physician would have used while tending the sick. The monk-herbalist
probably had a stillroom or workshop where he could dry and store the
herbs and create the various tinctures and salves that were a necessary
part of daily medieval monastery life.
"No joy is so great in a
life of seclusion as that of gardening. No matter what the soil may be,
sandy or heavy clay, on a hill or a slope, it will serve well."
-Walafrid Strabo, Hortulus, c. 840 AD
Hortulus
Hortulus was a poem
written by the German monk Walafrid Strabo in the 9th century. Strabo,
who lived from 808-849 AD, was the Abbot of Reichenau, an island
monastery located on Lake Constance in Switzerland. Hortulus, which
translates to "The Little Garden", describes Strabo's personal monastery
garden. The poem contains descriptions of the many herbs that were
grown in his garden along with their medicinal uses.
"Amongst
my herbs, sage holds the place of honour; of good scent it is and full
of virtue for many ills."
-Walafrid Strabo, Hortulus, c. 840 AD
The Plants
Some
of the plants that are mentioned in the poem include the following:
Betony
- Stachys officinalis - betony was thought to be a sort of panacea in
the Middle Ages and a wide range of symptoms and problems were thought
to be alleviated by this wonder herb. An infusion made of the leaves
helped to relieve headaches.
Catmint - Nepeta
cataria - an infusion of the leaves was used to relieve cold symptoms
and to help calm a nervous disposition.
Chervil -
Anthriscus cerefolium - this herb was used as a blood purifier and to
warm and sooth a weak stomach.
Horehound -
Marrubium vulgare - the juice expressed from the leaves was mixed with
honey and used to relieve coughs and colds.
Poppies
- Papaver somniferous - a syrup was made of the seed heads and used as a
sleep potion, pain reliever and cough medicine. This is the opium poppy
from which morphine, heroine and codeine are derived and is currently
subject to legal restrictions.
Southernwood -
Artemisia abrotanum - this plant was used to rid the body of worms and
as an insect repellent. The ashes were mixed with oil and rubbed into
the scalp to help restore lost hair.
Wormwood -
Artemisia absinthium - wormwood was used as a strewing herb to help
repel fleas. It was also used to flavor alcoholic beverages such as beer
before hops became readily available. An infusion made of the leaves
was supposed to help with stomach disorders along with being able to
expel worms from the intestines.
Shrewsbury Quest
The
Shrewsbury Quest is located in Great Britain and is a renovated
medieval Benedictine monastery which opened to the public in 1994. The
gardens are based on a plan of the monastic gardens of Christ Church,
Canterbury c. 1165.
Brother Cadfael is a fictional
character created by the late novelist Ellis Peter. Brother Cadfael was a
monk, gardener and herbalist featured in the 20 books of Peter's
Cadfael Chronicles. Some of the herbs that were grown by Brother Cadfael
included gilvers (clove-pinks), gromwell, ginger, columbine, herb of
grace and mustard. As a tribute to Brother Cadfael the Shrewsbury Quest
includes Cadfael's Herb Garden, Cadfael's Private Gardens and Cadfael's
Workshop.
Resources
Bayard, Tania. Sweet
Herbs and Sundry Flowers; Medieval Gardens and the Gardens of the
Cloisters. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, David R. Godine
Publisher, 1985.
Hales, Mick. Monastic Gardens.
Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2000.
MacDougall, Elisabeth
B. (ed.). Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape
Architecture IX. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, 1986.
"The Medieval Monastic Garden." Paul Meyvaret, pages 23-54.
Peplow,
Elizabeth & Reginald Peplow. In a Monastery Garden. David
& Charles, 1988.
Whiteman, Robin. Brother
Cadfael's Herb Garden; An Illustrated Companion to Medieval Plants and
Their Uses. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1997.
Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Backyard Diva