Feast Day: October 13th
King Edward the confessor, canonized 1161, was invoked for miraculous cures for which he was famous while alive.
This replica badge was found in London. A similiar piece is in the Museum of London. This particular replica for Edward the Confessor depicts a royal crown with fleur-de-lys, jewelled circlet & lining
Buy a replica here
The Feast of the Cross, celebrated on September 14, is a celebration of the cross itself as the sign of salvation.
This month to celebrate, we are highlighting the Croix Bellaert badge which is dated to the 15th century and was found at the Sinten Shrine in France. This badge depicts a circular solid field badge with cross. The Croix Bellaert or belted cross originated with the discovery of a piece of the true cross and the healing properties then found in the well water in which it was found. original Walraversijcle, near Ostend. Belgium.
Buy your badge here
Learn more about the Exaltation of the Holy Cross here
The Assumption celebrated on 15th August is the belief that when Mother Mary died her body was assumed into heaven
This badge dated to the 15th century was found at the Eton Shrine. Shrine; Eton. Associated with Our Lady of Eton, it shows the central figure of the crowned Virgin, supported on either side by angels. She stands above the letter ‘e’ and a barrel, these being the seal for Eton. A similiar badge is located in the Musuem of London. A replica can be purchased here
Learn more about The Assumption of Mary on the wikipedia page
Various examples of whistle spoons can be found, particularly in the netherlands
2 examples of whistle spoons – both have lost the stem/bowl of the find – which can be common in soil finds due to the more fragile nature of the stem in the Rotterdam museum. Both spoons are dated to the 1350- 1450 time period and are made of lead pewter
https://bodemvondsten.rotterdam.nl/objecten/?_object=fluitjeslepel
In this Article from the Dutch Tin Association, whistle spoons are talked about in detail, including a whistle spoon found whole, expected to be dated around 1280. It also have several fragments, including one of the two in the Rotterdam museum.
16th Century English – Pewter
Feast day: July 25th
St Christopher, was and remains the Patron Saint of travellers. He was also believed to provide protection against sudden death and plague.
In this badge Christopher is shown leaning on a staff and turning to see the Christ child on his shoulder, holding the orb of sovereignty. The original badge was dated to the 15th century and was found in London.
Buy your replica of the badge here
Feast Day: June 22nd
Saint Alban is England’s first martyr. This replica badge depicts the story of how St Alban, a Romano-British Legionnaire at Veralmium was converted to Christianity while providing refuge to a priest and was killed when he refused to give up his faith and the priest.
The original badge was found in London and a similiar badge can be found in the Museum of London.
Buy a replica here
Spoons are one of the oldest and most common of dining tools. Throughout the medieval period spoons were so integral to a persons kit that they were carried everywhere with them, usually in their pouch or in a sheath along with their personal knives. When eating away from home, it was quite normal for a guest to be expected to bring and eat with their own spoon.
Spoons came in a wide variety of materials including wood, horn, bone, pewter, silver and silver gilt. People would choose based partly from personal preference and also their status and wealth. As with all tools, spoon profiles (the shape and form) were shaped based on how people ate their food so medieval spoons tend to have similar profiles – a leaf shaped shallow bowl with a straight handle and often, a knop.
The knop was a decorative element on the handle end providing weight for balance, character to the spoon, and often a meaning for the owner such as continued good health. A surprising number of different knop themes have been found, some of which recur throughout the centuries such as the Acorn and the Diamond (a pointed pyramid top) while others appeared only briefly – a snapshot of fashion and belief of a time and place.
So, choose your spoon as you would your jewellery – something that reflects your personality, beliefs and the wealth and status you’d like to project, and don’t forget to keep it close!
As the cold depths of winter rolls around, thick soups and rich stews of all kinds are on the menu. Spoons, bowls and crusty bread are on the table just as they were in Medieval times, but did you know that how we eat today is not the same as medieval families?
Soups and stews were generally drunk not ‘spooned’ from small bowls with taller sides. The spoon was used similar to a spatula – to scrape up any missed tasty solid and semi-solid morsels at the bottom of the bowl. This is part of why the shape of a medieval dining spoon bowl is so flat compared to our modern spoons. Spoons weren’t about ferrying the liquid or cutting smaller portions – that after all, was the knife’s purpose – they were about capturing the remnants.
Why not try this next time you have a stew – it’s not really that different to a cup-a-soup and it really brings a different dimension to the taste of a soup or stew
Feast Day: May 19
St Dunstan is the Patron Saint of goldsmiths, bell founders, jewellers, metalworkers, engravers and students. He was reputed to have caught the Devil and held him by the nose with a pair of red hot tongs. On the continent he is known as Saint Elegius.
This replica pewter badge of St Dunstan is dated to the 15th century. It was found at the Glastonbury Catherdral in London. The original is in a private collection. Buy a replica version here
We’re big fans of incense. We love making it, and smelling the fragrance as it burns away on charcoal. But it’s a bit of a dying art these days. So here’s some tips about burning loose incense on charcoal.
All charcoal burners require sand at the bottom. Charcoal is an intense heat and this sudden heat can damage the burner, especially ceramic ones. A level of about a cm at the bottom is required to smooth out the heat transition.
Firstly, find a good place to set the burner while it’s burning incense. (You shouldn’t move the burner once the charcoal inside). Make sure the burner is either on stone or on something which won’t mind the heat.
When lighting the charcoal, use tongs and a constant flame – either a candle, gas stove or a BBQ lighter. Once flame has touched the charcoal DON’T TOUCH THE CHARCOAL.
Lit charcoal looks extremely similar to unlit charcoal so don’t touch it if there’s a possibility it’s caught.
If you hold your hand above the charcoal, you should be able to feel the warmth emitting from it. If you’re in a quiet place, and you listen carefully, you should be able to hear a slight crackling sound – this also means that it’s caught. If you aren’t sure, put it back into the flame.
Once it’s lit, place it on the sand in the burner and then sprinkle a small amount of loose incense, or a cone, onto the charcoal tablet. The scent should release almost instantly. Be careful not to add too much or you could smother the charcoal.
A charcoal tablet burns for about 45 minutes. You may need to add more incense onto the tablet during this 45 minute period.
Want to learn more about charcoal burning?
Pamphlet on different types of charcoal and what they were used for
