Medieval Herbalist and Murder Detective

A unique program I’ve enjoyed on British television called, Cadfael, (I rented episodes from Netflix until I bought the series from Amazon) is based on the books by Ellis Peters. The thing I like most about this production is that Cadfael, an exceptional monk, is an expert herbalist. He’s often in his herb garden and the rustic chamber where he dries roots and bunches of herbs, grinds them up with a mortar and pestle, and brews his potions and lotions.

He also solves murders, very unusual for a monk, but Brother Cadfael wasn’t always in the monastery. He was a soldier in the Crusades who killed a lot of men and is atoning for his sins by being a healer and bringing about justice in Medieval England. This gifted sleuth uses his knowledge of herbs and plants to help him solve murders. In one episode, entitled Monkshood, guess what poisons the victim?  Oh, go ahead and take a shot at it.

About the Monkshood episode:

'Richildis, widowed, remarries because of the promise that her son will become heir to her proposed husband's estate. But a fight between stepfather and stepson results in the revoking of his promise, and a contract made with the monastery that they will receive the estate in exchange for lifetime care of the husband and wife. That would seem to settle the matter, but the formal contract signing is delayed when the abbot is called away. And then permanently halted when the husband is poisoned with monkshood of Cadfael's own manufacture.

Impelled by pride to look into the poisoning, Cadfael is shocked to realize that Richildis is one of the women from his own past.'

For more on our herbalist/detective monk: http://www.iment.com/maida/tv/cadfae...characters.htm

***Also about monkshood from a highly informative site: The Natural World

The author reminds us of the deadly nature of the plant saying,” You don't have to take in the poison by mouth, it can be absorbed through the skin. Be it the stem, the sap, the petals or the roots, this plant is a killer if not given all due care and respect. Many people through the ages have been killed either accidentally or even on purpose by this plant...the assassins plant of choice!” And goes on to add, “I just hope that the Police forensic department and indeed medical profession know that (as far as my research has uncovered ) aconite poisoning leaves no trace in the blood and the victim resembles one who has died of asphyxia. This is one of the main reasons why Monkshood is the perfect murder weapon.”

'Poison Plant' Garden in Honor of Agatha Christie

The great Agatha Christie favored poison as her preferred means of dispatching unfortunate characters in many of her murder mysteries. One of the deadliest herbs, Monkshood, also called Aconite and Wolfsbane, certainly played a part.  Torre Abbey in Torquay has a garden devoted to the plants that rear their heads in her work. Torre Abbey, built in 1196, is the largest surviving medieval monastery in Devon and Cornwall.

“Agatha Christie’s Potent Plants is the creation of Torre Abbey Head Gardener Ali Marshall, who in true crime writing style researched around 80 of Agatha Christie’s novels and short stories in just six months to come up with the Abbey’s own unique commemoration. The new feature links the author’s interest in poisonous plants, her wartime work as a pharmacy dispenser and the medicinal plants that Torre Abbey’s medieval canons might have used.

With Poirot-esque determination and attention to detail Ali Marshall, with the help of experts at Torquay’s Agatha Christie Shop, has designed a garden with a central display of potent plants surrounded by plants that serve as Agatha Christie clues, solved only with a knowledge of the plots of some of the author’s short stories. What better way could there be for Agatha Christie fans to exercise their ‘little grey cells’?”

“Do not touch is the warning for all visitors to the new garden and a skull-rating denotes the level of toxicity of each of the plants. Ali Marshall explains: “While this might sound extremely dangerous for staff and public alike we have been very careful in our choice of plants, substituting less potent garden cultivars where possible.

This is a garden designed to entertain – not provide murderous opportunities!

The fruit stones of the Prunus family, for example, once processed, produce cyanide, used to lethal effect in “The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side” and “A Pocketful of Rye” amongst others.  Monkshood and Foxgloves also play a big part, as do Poppies and Yellow Jasmine. Other plants however have a more positive purpose. A Kilmarnock Willow (aspirin) takes centre stage while Valerian and Fennel owe their inclusion to their reputed therapeutic benefits.”

For more on Torre Abbey~

*Royalty free images