Culpeper - Inspired by Herbs

About Culpeper

Continuing the traditions of Culpeper

Mrs C. F. (Hilda) Leyel

Culpeper was founded in 1927 by Mrs C. F. (Hilda) Leyel, a trained medicinal herbalist and founder of The Herb Society.

The inspiration for the company's name came from Nicholas Culpeper, the 17th century apothecary known as the father of modern herbalism whose famous book 'Culpeper's Complete Herbal' has been in continuous print since publication in 1652.

The Truth About Herbs

Mrs Leyel was a prolific and successful writer on gardening, cookery and all manner of herbal matters and in her book 'The Truth About Herbs', published in 1943, Mrs Leyel wrote of Culpeper shops:

"My intention was merely to present the still-room elixirs, distillations, lotions, and creams of our ancestors in an agreeable and attractive setting that would immediately convey an impression of modem hygienic cleanliness. I wanted to destroy the idea fixed in so many people's minds that an herbalist's shop inevitably meant a small shabby room with dirty windows, dirty walls, and dusty shelves, all suggestive of mysterious and probably evil practices. The whole business was to be extremely English in character, soon all the wooden bins and spotless white jars were painted with the old familiar names of many English flowers and plants. The shop was to sell the wholesome sweet-scented distillations of plants in the form of medicines, perfumes, lotions, superior soaps and creams, the latter made from such healing flowers as lilies, roses and cowslips. It was also to offer many of the simple tisanes, such as chamomile and lime-blossom tea. All the ingredients were to be as pure as possible, and the whole shop was to revive the taste for wholesome, natural medicines, pure cosmetics, and the use of herbs in cooking and to form a counter-attraction to the modem craze for strong synthetic scents. Success was instantaneous. The old traditions had not been forgotten."

The first "Culpeper House"

Baker Street

The first "Culpeper House" was established in Baker Street, London, in 1927. An early visitor to Culpeper House, the then well-known writer Mr. B Lucas, described his reactions in an article in The Sunday Times:

"A certain new establishment which I was tempted into the other day is radiant and alluring with its green facade, its barrels and jars and bottles... on the herbalist's labels I found words that, if not actually new to me, had been long forgotten, and just for that reason came back with added charm: such words as Comfrey and Agrimony, Eyebright and Melilot, Borage and Basil, Silverweed and Marjoram, Betony and Lovage."

Baker Street

Such was the success of Culpeper, that by the mid 1930's, the business had expanded to include 8 shops in "English Spa's and Watering Places".

As awareness of herbal and natural products increased, Culpeper responded by creating new products: Quality essential plant oils took their place alongside organic culinary herbs. Aromatherapy candles, herbal tinctures and natural toiletries were now part of a diverse range of herbal products available, each developed to maximise the power and benefits of the individual herbs.

Expanding on the legacies

Culpeper continues to expand on the legacies left by both Nicholas Culpeper and Hilda Leyel by developing pure and beneficial products for today's discerning consumer. The diversity of our products is a direct echo of the 'still room' of the past.