About The Herb Society

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Our Mission

The Society aims to increases the understanding, use and appreciation of herbs and their benefits to health.

The Society HQ at Sulgrave Manor

The Society has its headquarters at the delightful and historic Sulgrave Manor.  The Manor dates from 1539 and was the home of the ancestors of George Washington.  The house and the grounds are run by the Sulgrave Manor Board.  Map of where we are

The Society's Gardens

The Herb Society has designed, built a herb garden which is maintain by volunteers in the grounds of Sulgrave Manor that features herbs taken to North America from Europe and herbs which have come to us from North America. Click here for a virtual tour of this garden. 

We have also made a children's garden at Sulgrave which we've called 'The Living Earth Garden' it has a strong ecological theme. The children's garden was designed by Cheryl Waller using ideas from our education officer, Janet Blundell, who in turn was using ideas from children. We asked for ideas on the schools web site and a prize for the best ideas went to Class 10 Gardening Club at Ravenswood Primary School in Newcastle-on-Tyne. The prize was a selection of potted herbs for them to plant out in their own herb garden. To see more information and photos of the childrens garden click here.

Brief History of the Society

The history of mankind’s use of herbs dates back to the earliest records in existence, and until recently it was the knowledge of the properties of herbs which made or kept people healthy, freshened their homes and made their meals more palatable and interesting.

During the past 100 years, much of the knowledge about the many uses of herbs has been lost or temporarily superseded by the substitution of synthetically prepared drugs. One of the first people to realise that herbal remedies and products should be available to the public was Mrs Hilda Leyel, who from 1916 onwards devoted herself to herbal research. She also practised herbal medicine and wrote numerous books and articles on herbs and cooking.

Hilda Leyel, 1880 - 1957. The Society's founder

The Herb Society was founded in 1927 by Hilda Leyel, who also founded the Culpeper shops at the same time. The Society was at that stage called The Society of Herbalists, and Hilda used the consulting rooms of the Society above the Culpeper shops to treat her patients. The patients would then have their medication made up afterwards in the shop downstairs. The shops also sold culinary herbs, aromatic herbs, and all produce of a herbal nature. The Society has known a dramatic history during its lifetime, including 27 years when medicinal herbalism was outlawed by the 1941 Pharmacy Act, until repealed by the Medicines Act of 1968. During this difficult time, prospective patients were able to obtain treatment legally by joining the Society of Herbalists. Hilda Leyel died in 1957 and as a result The Society of Herbalists and the Culpeper shops split, and the Society went on independently, continuing to run events and provide its many members with a regular journal. The Society then decided to change its name to The Herb Society.

The Society was at that stage based in London, and as part of their charitable aims and objectives decided to start a herb garden. Several sites were identified, and several award winning herb garden designs were submitted, but ultimately nothing came of them. The search for a herb garden moved the Society out of London in 1997, and ultimately the ideal garden was found at Sulgrave Manor, where the Society also established its office.

Further historical information about the Herb Society and its founder Hilda Leyel will be added to this site soon.

The Society's Historic Library

The Council & Management Of The Herb Society

The formal responsibility for running the Society rests with a council of trustees who are also know known as directors of the Society.  They are able supported by the administrator, advisors and those with special roles.

To make comments on the Society, go to our forum

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