Elizabeth Ambler started compiling her household book of cures in the early eighteenth century, including historic treatments passed down over the decades. These intriguing remedies include Sir Walter Raleigh's Receipt against Plague, Viper Broth and Snail Milk Water, as well as Ginger Bread and Apricot Ratafia. In addition to traditional flowers and herbs, ingredients consist of precious stones, exotic and expensive spices, and large amounts of brandy and wine. Set against the backdrop of the family's country houses, silverware and lavish portraits, this book is much more than just a collection of curiosities: it offers a fascinating insight into the sickness and health of our Georgian ancestors, and into what really went on in their kitchens.

Elizabeth Ambler started compiling her household book of cures in the early eighteenth century, including historic treatments passed down over the decades. These intriguing remedies include Sir Walter Raleigh’s Receipt against Plague, Viper Broth and Snail Milk Water, as well as Ginger Bread and Apricot Ratafia. In addition to traditional flowers and herbs, ingredients consist of precious stones, exotic and expensive spices, and large amounts of brandy and wine. Set against the backdrop of the family’s country houses, silverware and lavish portraits, this book is much more than just a collection of curiosities: it offers a fascinating insight into the sickness and health of our Georgian ancestors, and into what really went on in their kitchens.

A gothic tale set in a rambling house by the sea in which a maid cares for a mute old woman with a mysterious past, alongside her superstitious staff--from the author of The Silent Companions. A perfect spooky read! Consumption has ravaged Louise Pinecroft's family, leaving her and her father alone and heartbroken. But Dr. Pinecroft has plans for a revolutionary experiment: convinced that sea air will prove to be the cure his wife and children needed, he arranges to house a group of prisoners suffering from the disease in the caves beneath his new Cornish home. While he devotes himself to his controversial medical trials, Louise finds herself increasingly discomfited by the strange tales her new maid tells of the fairies that hunt the land, searching for those they can steal away to their realm. Forty years later, Hester arrives at Morvoren House to take up a position as nurse to the now partially paralyzed and mute Miss Pinecroft. Hester has fled to Cornwall to try to escape her past, but surrounded by superstitious staff enacting bizarre rituals, she soon discovers her new home may be just as dangerous as her last. Laura Purcell's THE SHAPE OF DARKNESS is now out from Penguin!

What was life really like in a grammar school in the 1950s and '60s? For those educated at a grammar school during their heyday, this time holds very special memories. They were more than just the years of being taught Latin and domestic science, custard and semolina school dinners, and learning about the birds and the bees; they were the formative years of a generation, when those from all walks of life were given a uniform, a code of behaviour and, most importantly, pride in the institution to which they belonged. This generation of Baby Boomers holds a unique place in British history: growing up during the years when the country was emerging from the shadow cast by the Second World War, they were the first youngsters to benefit from the 'mod cons' and innovations which were gradually being introduced. With fascinating memories and details that will resonate with thousands of grammar school pupils across the country, School Songs and Gymslips is a heart-warming collection of the experiences of the author and her contemporaries during a golden era. MARILYN YURDAN attended Holton Park Girls' Grammar School in Oxfordshire during the 1950s and '60s. She has been awarded a Master of Studies in English Local History from the University of Oxford, and has written numerous books, including Oxford in the 1950s & '60s. She lives in Abingdon.