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Houses reflected the social class of the people living there, but in almost all cases the floors were scattered with a layer of rushes that were replaced at intervals. These rushes were gathered from roadside ditches or along watercourses - and they cost nothing. In many houses "strewing herbs" were added to this layer of rushes; herbs such as lavender, rosemary, lemon balm, mint, sage and thyme were grown in many gardens and would not only be used in cooking but to produce strong, sweet fragrance when walked on.

Mattresses were commonly stuffed with straw with the wild herb "lady's bedstraw" added; this gives out a very pleasant odour as the bed is used.

In the poorest houses these smells would be combined with the bad odours from rush lights (the peeled stems of rushes soaked in animal fat and burned to give light) and cooking smells. Many peasant cottages included a byre for cattle, pigs, goats or other animals at one end which would smell fairly bad even when the animals were turned out in good weather. Smoke from the central hearth had no chimney; it simply hung in the roof space until it eventually filtered through the thatch.

A merchant or nobleman lived in a much more fragrant household, with beeswax candles giving light and sweet odours - and the kitchen was a separate building because of the risks of fire.

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13y ago

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