WHAT'S A STILLROOM?

From the Dictionarium Domesticum by N. Bailey, 1736

Stillrooms, once integral to the fabric of grand estates and noble households, trace their origins back to medieval Europe.

Evolving from early apothecaries and alchemy laboratories, stillrooms emerged as dedicated spaces within manor houses where herbs, flowers, and botanicals were distilled and processed for medicinal, culinary, and cosmetic purposes.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, during the height of the Renaissance, stillrooms flourished as centres of domestic industry, manned by skilled artisans and knowledgeable practitioners.

Here, the aromatic scents of rose petals and herbs mingled with the gentle hum of distillation, as maids and gentlewomen meticulously crafted remedies, preserved foods, and concocted perfumes using age-old recipes passed down through generations.

Today, while the traditional stillrooms of the past have largely faded into obscurity, their legacy lives on in the revival of herbalism and the appreciation for the art of botanical crafting.

Stillrooms were used to make:

Herbal Remedies and Medicine

Caudles ~ Warm, thickened drinks typically made from ale or wine mixed with eggs, bread, sugar, spices, and sometimes other ingredients like milk or honey. They were used as a nourishing drink for the sick or weak.
Cerecloaths ~ Ceratum ~ Cloths that had been treated with wax (often beeswax) and sometimes other substances, then used in various medical applications
Cordials ~ Stimulating or invigorating drinks, often sweetened and infused with herbs, spices, or other medicinal ingredients. Cordials were believed to strengthen the heart and revive the spirits.
Decoctions ~ Decoctum ~ Preparations made by boiling herbs, bark, roots, or other plant parts to extract their medicinal properties.
Electuaries ~ Electuarium ~ A mixture of powdered drugs or herbs combined with a sweet substance like honey, syrup, or sugar to form a paste or thick, syrupy consistency.
Essential Oils ~ Concentrated oils extracted from plants, used for their aromatic and therapeutic properties. They were often applied topically or inhaled.
Juice ~ Succus ~ Freshly extracted juice from plants, fruits, or vegetables, used for its medicinal properties.
Lohoch or Eclegmata ~ "signifies a thing to be licked up, it is in respect of body, something thicker than a syrup, and not so thick as an electuary" (Culpeper)
Lozenges/ Sugars ~ Saccharum ~ Hard, sweetened tablets that dissolved slowly in the mouth to release medicinal ingredients. They were used to soothe sore throats and other ailments.
Mithridate ~ A complex medicinal concoction named after Mithridates VI, who was said to have developed an immunity to poisons by ingesting small doses of them. Mithridate typically contained numerous ingredients and was used as an antidote to poison and a general remedy for various ailments.
Oils ~ Oleum ~ Medicinal oils extracted from plants or prepared by infusing plant materials in a base oil.
Ointments ~ Unguentum ~ Semi-solid preparations applied to the skin for their healing properties, often made from fats or oils mixed with medicinal substances.
Pills ~ Pilulae ~ "little balls, ...made up in such a form, that they may be better swallowed down, by the reason of the offensiveness of their taste" (Culpeper)
Plaisters / Poultices / Cataplasms ~ Emplastrum ~ Thick, moist preparations applied to the skin to draw out infection, reduce inflammation, or soothe pain. They were made from various medicinal substances and bound with a cloth or bandage.
Possets ~ Hot drinks made from milk curdled with ale or wine, often sweetened and spiced. Possets were consumed as a remedy for colds, fevers, and other ailments, as well as a comforting beverage
Powders ~ Pulvus/ Pulvis ~ Finely ground medicinal substances used alone or mixed with other ingredients.
Preserved roots, stalks, barks, flowers, fruits ~ Plant materials preserved through drying, sugaring, or other methods to retain their medicinal properties for later use.
Purging electuaries ~ Electuaries specifically formulated to act as laxatives or purgatives, aiding in the expulsion of waste from the body.
Physical vinegars ~ Acetum ~ Medicinal vinegars infused with herbs, used for their health benefits, such as aiding digestion or treating infections.
Physical wines ~ Vinum ~ Medicinal wines that were infused with various herbs, spices, and other botanicals believed to have therapeutic properties.
Purging syrups ~ Syrupus ~ Syrups specifically formulated to induce purging, often containing laxative herbs or other substances.
Rob or Sapa ~ "the juice of a fruit, made thick by the heat either of the sun, or the fire, that it is capable of being kept safe from putrefaction" (Culpeper)
Simples ~ referred to medicinal herbs or plants used singly, rather than in combination with other ingredients. Each simple had its own medicinal properties and was used to treat specific ailments.
Syrups ~ Syrupus ~"a medicine of a liquid body, compounded of Decoction, Infusion, or Juice, with Sugar or Honey, and brought by the heat of the fire, into the thickness of Honey" (Culpeper)
Syrups made with Honey ~ Mel ~ Syrups where honey was the primary sweetening and preserving agent.
Syrups made with Vinegar ~ Oxymel ~ Syrups where vinegar was combined with honey, often used for its expectorant and digestive properties.
Tinctures ~ Alcoholic extracts of herbs or other medicinal substances, used for their concentrated therapeutic properties.
Treacle or Theriac ~ Originally referring to a medicinal compound, treacle was a thick, syrupy mixture containing many ingredients, used as a remedy against poison and for various diseases. Over time, the term also came to refer to molasses.
Troches ~ Trochisci ~ Small medicinal lozenges or tablets, made from medicinal powders mixed with a binding agent like honey or gum, then formed into a small, round shape. Troches were dissolved slowly in the mouth to release their healing properties.

Beauty and Self-Care Products

Cosmetics
Soaps
Perfume
Pomanders: Perfumed balls or sachets, often made with spices and fruits, used to scent clothes and rooms.
Sweet Perfumed Waters: Lightly scented waters made with flowers or herbs, used for fragrance or skin care.

Culinary Delights and Edibles

Sweetmeats: Sugary confections, often including fruits or nuts, used as treats or desserts.
Candied Flowers: Edible flowers coated in sugar, used as decorations or sweet treats.
Marchpanes: Sweet almond paste treats, often molded into shapes and decorated, similar to marzipan.
Jams: Preserves made from fruit and sugar, cooked until thickened.
Jellies: Clear, sweet spreads made from fruit juice, sugar, and gelatin or pectin.
Relishes: Chopped, pickled vegetables and fruits, seasoned and used as condiments.
Syrups: Thick, sweet liquids made from sugar and water, often flavored with fruit or herbs.
Pickled Vegetables: Vegetables preserved in a solution of vinegar, salt, and spices.
Preserves: General term for foods preserved through methods like canning, jamming, and pickling.
Spices for Food Seasoning

Drinks and Beverages

Hippocras: A spiced wine, traditionally sweetened and infused with spices like cinnamon and ginger.
Vinegars
Possets: Warm, creamy drinks made from milk or cream, alcohol, and spices, often served as a dessert.
Liqueurs: Sweetened, flavored spirits made from distilled alcohol and various flavorings.
Cordials: Sweetened, fruit-flavored beverages, often with medicinal properties, served as a drink or used as a remedy.
Herbal Infused Drinks: Beverages made by steeping herbs in hot water, similar to teas.
May Dew: Dew collected on May Day, believed to have magical and medicinal properties.
Tisanes: Herbal teas made from a variety of plant materials, excluding true tea leaves.

Home Care and Cleaning

Household Cleaners
Furniture Polishes
Insect and Pest Repellent

Crafts and Decorative Items

Candles
Vegetable Dye
Dried Herbs, Flowers, and Roots
Strewing Herbs: Fragrant herbs scattered on floors to freshen and scent the air

Talismans and Charms

Talismans: Objects believed to bring good luck or provide protection, often imbued with symbolic meaning.
Good Luck Charms: Small items carried or worn to attract good fortune and ward off bad luck.

***

The good Huswifelye Phisicke.

God huswiues prouide, ere an sicknes do come,

of sūdry good things, in her house to haue some.

Good Aqua composita, Vineger tart,

Rose water & Treacle, to comfort the hart.

Colde herbes in her gardein, for Agues that burne

that ouer strong heat, to good temper may turne.

whight Endiue & Suckrye, wt Spinage inough,

al such wt good pot herbes, should follow ye plough

Get water of Fumetory, Lyuer to coole,

and others the like, or els go like a foole.

Conserue of the Barbery, Quinces & such,

with Sirops that easeth, the sickly so much.

Ask Medicus councel, ere medeen ye make,

and honour that man, for necessities sake.

Though thousāds hate phisick, because of the cost,

yet thousands it helpeth, that else should be lost.

Good broth & good keping doth much now & than

good diet with wisedome, best comforteth man.

In health to be sturring, shall profit thee best,

in sicknes hate trouble, seeke quiet & rest.

Remember thy soule, let no fansy preuaile,

make ready to Godward, let faith neuer quaile.

The sooner thy selfe, thou submittest to God,

the sooner he ceaseth, to scourge with his rod.

Thomas Tusser, 1557

***

Historical Ingredients

This compendium below explores stillroom ingredients beyond herbs, including terms from old receipt books and less familiar substances once in use. Both historical and modern spellings are provided, offering insight into the language, virtues, and uses of these materials.

1. Plants, Roots,Fruit and Spices:

Agarick - Agaric. A a type of fungus specifically Fomes fomentarius or "true agaric" used as a purgative or to induce vomiting. It was often used in stillrooms for its medicinal properties. It was commonly found in Europe.
Anni-seed / Annis-seed / Annis-seede - Aniseed. The seed of the anise plant, used to flavor foods, beverages, and medicines. Originating in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, it was used in stillrooms to flavor syrups and medicinal concoctions
Ash keyes: The winged seeds of the ash tree (Fraxinus species), used historically in folk medicine for their diuretic properties or to relieve rheumatism.
Cardomons - Cardamom. A spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera Elettaria and Amomum. It was used in food and medicinal preparations, often imported from India or Sri Lanka.
Cinamon / Cinnamon - Cinnamon. A spice obtained from the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees. Originating from Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, it was used in the stillroom for flavoring foods and as a medicinal ingredient.
Commin / Commine seed - Cumin seed. A flowering plant native to the Mediterranean and East India. Its seeds were used as a spice in cooking and also in medicinal preparations.
Carpobalsamum - Likely the fruit of the Commiphora gileadensis or "balm of Gilead" tree, used in perfumes, ointments, and as a healing balm.
Coloquintida - Likely "Colocynth" (Citrullus colocynthis), a bitter fruit used as a drastic purgative in early medicine.
Costus - A fragrant root (Saussurea costus), used in perfumes, cosmetics, and medicinal preparations.
Galingale / Gallingal / Gallingale - Galangal. A root similar to ginger, used as a spice in Southeast Asian cuisine and traditional medicine. It was used in stillrooms for both its flavor and purported health benefits.
Ginger - A root spice widely used for flavoring and in medicine to treat digestive issues, inflammation, and nausea. Originating from Southeast Asia, it was a staple in stillroom preparations.
Long pepper- A flowering vine cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. It was used similarly to black pepper but has a hotter, more complex flavor.
Mace - The dried lacy covering of the nutmeg seed. It was used in cooking and medicine for its warm, aromatic flavor.
Mustard seeds - They come from the mustard plant and were used to make mustard, a condiment, and in medicinal preparations as a diuretic or to induce vomiting
Mirabolanes - Myrobalans, dried fruits from various trees used in traditional medicine, particularly in digestive and laxative preparations.
Nutmegs - The seed of the nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans. It was used as a spice in both sweet and savory dishes and was believed to have medicinal properties, such as helping digestion.
Pepper (white and long) - White pepper comes from ripe peppercorns, and long pepper is a different species with a similar but spicier taste. Both were used to flavor food and as a preservative.
Pollipody of the oake - "Polypody of the oak" (Polypodium vulgare), a fern used in traditional medicine, especially for its laxative properties.
Pomecitron pils - Peels of citron fruit, used in confectionery, cooking, and sometimes in medicinal preparations for their aromatic properties.
Saffron - A spice derived from the crocus flower. It was used in stillrooms for its color, flavor, and medicinal properties, such as to treat depression or as a stimulant. It was cultivated in England but also imported from Spain and the Middle East.
Spikenard - An aromatic rhizome used in ancient perfumery and medicine. It was imported from the Himalayan regions and used in stillrooms for its aromatic properties.
Tabacco leaves and ashes - Leaves and ashes of tobacco, used in medicinal poultices or sometimes in fumigation.

2. Oils and Fats:

Oyl of ben - Oil of ben (also known as behen oil). Extracted from the seeds of the moringa tree, used in cosmetics, ointments, and perfumes. It has moisturizing properties and was often included in stillroom recipes for skincare.
Oyl of olives - Olive oil. Derived from olives, this oil was used in cooking, as a base for ointments, and in other remedies. It was widely available in the Mediterranean and traded extensively in England.
Sallet oyl - Salad oil. A term for olive oil or other light oils used for salads and dressings. It was often refined and used in various culinary and medicinal applications
Hogs grease - Rendered fat from pigs, used in ointments and salves. It was a common base for topical applications in stillrooms.
Boars grease - Similar to hogs' grease but specifically from wild boars. Used in similar ways for ointments.
Sheeps suet - Rendered fat from sheep, used in cooking and in making ointments and salves.
Deers suet - Rendered fat from deer, used in similar contexts as other animal fats for medicinal and cosmetic purposes.

3. Gums and Resins:

Bdelium - Bdellium. A gum resin from the Commiphora species, similar to myrrh, used in perfumes, incense, and some medicinal preparations.
Benjamin - Benzoin. A resin obtained from the bark of several species of trees in the genus Styrax. Used in perfumes and incense, as well as medicinally for respiratory issues.
Camphire / Camphyre - Camphor. A waxy, aromatic substance derived from the wood of the camphor tree Camphora officinarum. It was widely used in stillrooms for its medicinal properties, particularly in remedies for colds and as a stimulant.
Galbanum - A gum resin obtained from certain umbelliferous plants, used in incense, perfumes, and medicinal preparations for respiratory and digestive disorders.
Gum arabick - Gum Arabic. A natural gum made from the hardened sap of various species of the acacia tree, used as a stabilizer in food, medicine, and perfumes.
Gum ammoniac - Ammoniacum gum. A gum resin obtained from the Dorema ammoniacum plant, used in plasters and to treat respiratory disorders.
Gum dragagant - Gum tragacanth. A natural gum obtained from the dried sap of several species of Middle Eastern legumes. It was used as a thickener, binder, and in making pastes and lozenges
Labdanum / Libdanum - A sticky resin from the Cistus shrubs, used in perfumes and incense for its warm, sweet scent.
Mastich / Mastick - Mastic, a resin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), used in chewing gum, flavoring, and medicinal preparations.
Sarcocolla - A type of gum resin used in historical medicine, thought to have healing properties.

4. Other Animal Products:

Amber-grease / Ambergreece - Ambergris. A waxy substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales, used in perfumes and medicines. It was highly valued and rare
Axungia - a historical term for fat or grease, especially from a pig or other animals, used in ointments and salves.
Bees - Bees were valuable for producing honey and beeswax. Honey was used as a sweetener, preservative, and in remedies for its antiseptic properties, while beeswax was used in salves, candles, and cosmetic preparations.
Butter - A dairy product made by churning milk or cream, used in cooking, ointments, and as a base for medicinal preparations.
Frogs - Frogs, particularly frog spawn, were used in remedies for various ailments, such as inflammation.
Gall of hare - The bile from hares, believed to have medicinal properties, particularly in treating jaundice and other liver disorders.
Goose dung - Was used in some traditional remedies, particularly in poultices or external applications for skin ailments.
Harts horne shavings - Derived from the antlers of a hart (deer), these were used to make hartshorn jelly, believed to have medicinal properties and used in confections.
Horse dung - Horse dung was occasionally used in traditional remedies, such as poultices, believed to draw out toxins or treat various skin conditions.
Ivory shavings - Used in medicinal concoctions and sometimes in cosmetics.
Mice dung - Occasionally used in traditional remedies, although specifics on its uses are not well-documented.
Oxes gall - Bile from oxen, used in remedies and sometimes as a pigment fixer in paint and ink making.
Snakes / Adders / Vipers - Used in traditional medicine, particularly in "snake stones" or preparations believed to counteract poisons or venom.
Spermaceti - A waxy substance found in the head cavity of sperm whales, used in ointments, cosmetics, and candle making.
Swallows - Swallows, or parts of them, were used in traditional remedies, often in poultices or concoctions believed to bring good health or vitality.

5. Minerals and Chemicals:

Antimony (Antimonial cup) - Antimony is a metallic element used historically in medicine, particularly in the form of cups made from it, believed to treat various ailments. The cups were used to dose liquids with antimony, which was thought to induce vomiting and purging. They were also known as "pocula emetica," "calices vomitorii," or "emetic cups"
Aqua fortis - Nitric acid. A highly corrosive acid used in alchemy, metalworking, and occasionally in medicine, particularly for its caustic properties.
Arsenick - Arsenic. A toxic metalloid used in various historical remedies, believed to treat conditions like syphilis or used as a tonic, though dangerous due to its poisonous nature.
Bay salt: Sea salt obtained by evaporating seawater in shallow bays. It was commonly used in the preservation of food and preparation of medicines.
Bole armanack - Bole armeniac. A type of clay rich in iron oxides, used in medicine for its absorbent properties, often as an astringent or to treat digestive issues.
Brimstone - Sulfur. Used in various remedies and alchemical preparations for its purgative properties.
Callis sand - Sand from Calais (France). Likely used as a cleaning or scouring agent in the stillroom.
Ceruss - Ceruse (white lead). A white pigment made from lead, used in cosmetics but known to be toxic.
Crude mercurie / Mercury - Mercury. A liquid metal used in various remedies, particularly in treating syphilis, despite its toxicity.
Flowers of brimstone - Flowers of sulfur. A bright yellow sulfur powder produced by sublimation and deposition which was used medicinally in skin treatments.
Lead - Used in various applications, from plumbing to medicine, although toxic.
Nitre - Potassium nitrate. Used in medicine, food preservation, and gunpowder production.
Oyl of vitriol - Sulfuric acid. Used in alchemy and medicine, particularly for its caustic properties.
Salt armoniack - Sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride). A naturally occurring mineral used as an expectorant cough medicine. Nowadays it is used as a food additive under the E number E510.
Salt peter - Saltpeter or Potassium nitrate. Used in medicine, preservation, and gunpowder production.

6. Liquids and Wines:

Aqua vitae - "Water of life". Term for distilled spirits like brandy. Used as a solvent in medicinal tinctures, as a preservative, and in perfumes.
Claret / Clarret wine - Claret (red Bordeaux wine). Used in cooking, medicinal tonics, and as a base for other preparations.
Gascion wine - Gascony wine (from the Gascony region of France). Used similarly to other wines, often in cooking or medicinal concoctions.
Malmsey / Malmsie - Malmsey (Madeira wine). A sweet, fortified wine used in cooking and medicine, particularly for soothing throat ailments.
Spanish wine - Used for cooking, medicinal preparations, and as a solvent.
Veriuyce / Verjuice - Verjuice. A sour juice made from unripe grapes or crab apples, used in cooking, as a condiment, and occasionally in remedies.
White wine lees - The sediment from wine fermentation, sometimes used in medicinal preparations or as a source of yeast.

7. Perfumes and Aromatics:

Amber-grease / Ambergreece - Ambergris. A substance produced in the digestive tract of sperm whales, used in high-end perfumes and occasionally in medicines.
Calamus aromaticus grains - Sweet flag (Acorus calamus). An aromatic rhizome used in perfumes and medicines for its scent and believed therapeutic properties.
Civet grains - Civet musk grains. Musk derived from the glands of civet cats, used in perfumes.
Lignum rhodium - Rhodium wood or rosewood. Used in perfumery for its fragrance.
Musk / Muske grains - Musk. A strong-smelling substance obtained from the musk deer, used in perfumes and sometimes medicines.

8. Miscellaneous:

Manus Christi - "Hand of Christ". A historical sugar preparation or candy given to the weak, sometimes mixed with medicinal ingredients, often flavoured with cinnamon, violets, or rose water.
Sugar (white) - Used as a sweetener and preservative.
Unicorns horn - Historically believed to be a cure-all, often made from narwhal tusk or rhino horn.