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The Oldest Chemist Shop first opened its doors as a pharmacy in 1720 during the reign of King George I, when John Beckwith was the apothecary. However, the listed building complete with oak beams and quaint rooms dates back even further to medieval times. Situated in the market square, it is right in the heart of the town. The most well known Chemists were W P Lawrence and his son Edmund who ran the pharmacy from 1884 until 1965, and Mrs Lawrence, wife of W P Lawrence, who used to bottle her own Lavender Water. Today our shelves are stocked with confectionery, teas, jams, preserves and gifts but we still sell Lavender Water, toiletries and herbal remedies, which entitles us to retain the title of Oldest Chemist Shop in England. |
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The shop was famous for it's old drawers and shelves which held lotions, crystals and powders, among the more well known were Lawrences Corn Eradicator and Lawrences Liniment. He also sold many preparations for animals like Colic Drink for Horses. A dog-spit mortar stood in the corner next to the 'bleeding couch' where leeches were used to draw infection from open wounds. Some of the older generation can still remember the Chemist pulling teeth from sufferers sitting on the couch. |
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| The following are excerpts from an article written by W P Lawrence, which appeared in the Bradford Weekly Telegraph, July 27, 1906. | |
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I
have on the premises several old mortars, pestles, rotorte,
ancient jars and bottles - the remains of the old contents
of the shop. One of the interesting exhibits which I keep
in my shop and which in almost daily use, is a marble mortar.
The pestle up to some sixty years ago was worked by turnspit
dogs in a manner much as a squirrel turns its cage. Formerly
dogs were used to turn meat spits and to draw carts of
greengrocers, costers, milkmen, cats'-meat men and any
light vehicle, such as children's carts. This was common
in London when I was a boy in the thirties (1830s).
The work the dogs did on these premises was principally
to make unguentum hydrargyri, which was afterwards diluted
and largely used as an application to sheep before the
invention of sheep dips. |
Another
relic of the past, nailed to the centre pillar of my shop,
are slips of leather where used to be kept quills of quicksilver
(mercury)
to wear as charms or talismans against disease; and if Culpepper,
the herbalist (whose book, which is in my possession, is
dated 1659) is to be believed, these quills were placed under
the door to a house to keep away witches. - W.P. Lawrence,
M.P.S.,Ph.C. |
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Knaresborough
is steeped in history which goes back to about the 5th century
AD. There has been a market here since at least Norman times
and Knaresborough was granted a Royal Charter in 1310 to
hold a market every Wednesday. Complete with a market cross,
ruined Norman castle and fantastic views over the Nidd Gorge,
Knaresborough and the Oldest Chemist Shop is well worth a visit. |
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