Snuff

Today's the day ....................... to sneeze

Did you know that snuff is still made and offered for sale in this country - in my home town of Kendal, no less...

Snuff has been ground from tobacco here since the early 17th century. Tobacco was brought from Maryland and Virginia via Whitehaven, Workington and Maryport which were just a day's packhorse journey away. In return, Kendal cottons were exported to America. If you look up when walking in Lowther Street, you can see this effigy of a Turk above the doorway to the offices of Gawith Hoggarth & Co - still makers of the celebrated Kendal Brown Snuff.

Apparently snuff had a reputation as a herbal remedy for every ill. It is thought that the effects of the plague of 1632 were less devastating than that in 1598 when snuff was not available. Mmmmmh - think the jury's probably still out on that one .........................