This post presents the fifth part of the quiz, based on the fifth display at the Markeaton Park Family Festivities event. The first post in the series (Introduction) provides more information on the activity; and an activity summary provided in the Part 1 Quiz Post.

Sherds of black-glazed coarse earthenware are commonly found on domestic sites of this date – and many were recovered during excavations at Markeaton. Such sherds often come are from large pots, with glaze on the inside: can you think why?

Some might have come from storage jars; other from vessels known as pancheons (or panchions) – similar in form, size, and materials used as the example on display (below).

Country estates were often farmed, as appears to be the case at Markeaton, where there’s likely to have been a dairy – where pancheons were sometimes used in preparing dairy produce.

Their name also suggests that they were used in bread-making, although large houses (especially those with numerous staff, therefore needing many loaves of bread each day) often used large wooden or ceramic troughs for mixing dough.

• What do you think these objects would have been used for / how do you think they’d have been used?
• Where / in which room(s) of a house?
• Can you think how they might have been used at, or in preparing for, Christmas, in particular?

Clues

Clue 2:

Mince Pie.

Boil a neat’s tongue two hours, then skin it, and chop it as small as possible ; chop three pounds of fresh beef suet, three pounds of good baking apples, four pounds of currants washed clean, picked, and well dried before the fire, and one pound of jar raisins, add one pound of powder sugar, and mix them all together with half an ounce of mace, the same of nutmeg grated, cloves and cinnamon a quarter of an ounce of each, and one pint of French brandy ; then make a rich puff paste ; as you fill the pie up, put in a little candied citron and orange cut in small pieces. What you have to spare, put close down in a pot and cover it up; put neither citron nor orange in till you use it.

Mince Pie without Meat.

Chop fine three pounds of suet and three pounds of apples, pared and cored ; wash and dry three pounds of currants : stone and chop one pound of jar raisins ; beat and sift one pound and a half of loaf sugar; cut small twelve. ounces of candied orange peel, and six ounces of citron ; mix all well together, with a quarter of an ounce of nutmeg, half a quarter of an ounce of cinnamon, six or eight cloves, and half a pint of French brandy. Put it close, and keep it for use.

Houlston’s Housekeeper’s Assistant, 1828.

Wassail-Bowl, a Centre Supper-Dish.—Crumble down as for Trifle a nice fresh cake (or use macaroons or other small biscuit) into a china punch-bowl or deep glass dish. Over this pour some sweet rich wine, as Malmsey Madeira, if wanted very rich, but raisin-wine will do. Sweeten this, and pour a well seasoned rich custard over it. Strew nutmeg and grated sugar over it, and stick it over with sliced blanched almonds.

Obs.—This is, in fact, just a rich eating posset. A very good wassail-bowl may be made of mild ale well spiced and sweetened, and a plain rice-custard with few eggs.

The Cook and Housewife’s Manual, Margaret Dods, 1827.

Think you have the answers? Find out if you’re right! (Available Sun. 8 Dec. 2024).

Next (and last): Bonus (Part 6) – available tomorrow (Sun. 8 Dec. 2024).