Herb Strewer facts for kids
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The Herb Strewer was a special job in the United Kingdom that doesn't exist anymore. This person's main task was to spread nice-smelling herbs and flowers, called "strewing herbs," all around the royal palaces. They did this to make the rooms smell better, especially when the nearby River Thames was quite smelly before modern sewers were built in London.
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The Royal Herb Strewer: A Scented Job
This job was important because, a long time ago, there weren't good ways to keep places smelling fresh. The air inside buildings could get quite unpleasant. So, the Herb Strewer would scatter fresh herbs and flowers on the floors. This helped to cover up bad smells and made the royal living areas more pleasant.
Who Were the First Herb Strewers?
The earliest Herb Strewer we know about was Bridget Rumney. She held the job from 1660 to 1671. For her work, she received a yearly payment of £24. She also got two yards of fancy scarlet cloth for her uniform, which was called a "livery." All the Herb Strewers who came after her also received this special cloth.
The Last Full-Time Herb Strewer
The very last person to work as a full-time Herb Strewer was Mary Rayner. She worked for King George III and two of his sons. Mary Rayner held this unique job for an amazing 43 years!
Herb Strewers at Royal Coronations
Sometimes, a Herb Strewer was appointed just for a special event like a coronation. For example, when King George IV was crowned in 1820, he chose his old friend, Anne Fellowes, for the role.
Anne Fellowes and her six helpers scattered flowers and herbs. They spread them all along the carpet inside Westminster Abbey. This is where kings and queens are crowned. Anne wore a beautiful white satin dress with a red cloak trimmed with gold. She also had a special headpiece decorated with gold wheat, laurel, and oak leaves. She carried a gold badge and chain too.
The End of a Royal Tradition
Anne Fellowes tried to get the job again for the coronation of King William IV. However, the ceremony was made simpler, and her services were not needed. After that, neither Queen Victoria nor any later British monarchs have had a Herb Strewer for their coronations. Even so, the Fellowes family still claims this special position for the oldest unmarried daughter in their family.
What Herbs Did They Use?
A writer named Thomas Tusser, who lived around the time of Henry VIII, listed many herbs used for strewing. In his poem from 1557, he mentioned twenty-one different kinds! These included:
- basil
- lemon balm
- chamomile
- costmary
- cowslips
- daisies
- fennel
- germander
- hyssop
- lavender
- spike lavender
- cotton lavender
- marjoram
- maudeline (which is a type of sweet yarrow)
- pennyroyal
- roses
- red mints
- sage
- tansy
- violets
- winter savory
