At midday on 3rd September 1651, the Battle of Worcester began, the final clash between Cromwell’s army and the Royalists. By five, the twenty-one-year-old Charles, son of the executed king, was forced to concede. His army were scattered when he left Worcester at dusk. As darkness fell, he and just one companion headed not to evade capture.

They rode twenty miles north to White Ladies Priory, where the owner, John Giffard, welcomed them with food and rest. At dawn, disguised as woodmen, they set off to hide in Giffard’s oak wood, an hour’s ride away.

Boscobel House and Gardens 1650

A decade earlier, Giffard had cleared an area of the wood and built a house surrounded by a  richly scented garden. He called it ‘Boscobel’- “In The Midst of Beautiful Wood’. His tenants were also royalists, so Charles was safe there. He and William chose  to hide inside a hollow oak, at the edge of the garden. From here they were able to watch, as Cromwell’s men searched the wood and gardens til night-fall. The day was warm and long, for Charles, hidden by thick foliage and surrounded by the fragrance of late-summer flowers. At dusk, the wood grew still and they cautiously made their way up to the house. 

They stayed there for a further two nights. Then set out on the perilous route south. They reached the coast five weeks later and quietly slipped across the water to France. Charles returned, to reclaim his father’s crown, on his thirtieth birthday and became a king of unguarded appetites. His reputation was one of limitless sensuality, though rarely vulgar - a king more Epicurean than Libertine!

From that time, Boscobel House entered royal legend, and the oak that had provided sheltered was commemorated, as a lasting symbol of royal loyalty. The tree was eventually destroyed by souvenirs-hunters, but there is still an oak there, grown from the original.

Flowers Grown In An English Parterre Garden 1650

1651 is a condensed scent profile of that day, evolving for Charles.

Crouched inside the hollowed tree, they watch closely for Cromwell’s men as the forest scents seep out. Dew lifting from myrtle, tansy, nettles and hyssop, is filled with their cool green, metallic notes. These emphasise the lignin-sappy, terpene accord of the just snapped branches and gouged bark. As the oak warms, it leaches out fresh limey sap, softened by the leather heart of labdanum. The first intake of rose is rich and substantive, from a garden blanketed in their petals. Its depth expanded by jasmine, orris and marigold.

Loosening his woollen serge waistcoat, releases clove, nutmeg and sweet opoponax, applied to skin, several days ago for luck, health and blessings. Their hands, still warm from the discarded gloves, bear a faint memory of neroli, animalic benzoin and agar wood beneath tempered rose and peppery sandalwood. Damsons, peaches and quince send up lucent honey and caramel from the orchard below. Under the tangled layers of intense rose and amber warmth is the intimate, salty-sweet ozone of ambergris. 

Thirty years on, his court favourites, Nell Gwyn and Louise de Kéroualle, still drifted through his life in a haze of rose, jasmine and ambergris.

This is a rose-lovers perfume - it sits between a centifolia and a damascena profile: full-bodied, with facets of bright fresh red fruits, warm tea, and soft resin. The distinctive melon nuance, often present in true rose absolutes, is apparent from the opening notes. To this is added a dewy, honeyed sweetness and that recognisable caramelised fruit/Turkish Delight. This is woven with strands of magnolia, jasmine and amber. It is opulent yet naturalistic and the combination gives the impression of sun-warmed petals after the rain... a rose with both lively brightness and antique depth.

For a lighter, very popular rose perfume, Pavlova. For a fruitier, layered mix of roses Sheean. Aroma Borealis is fruitier still, with jasmine and other white florals. If it is more a wild rose, amongst other forest flowers, then Elfin Glen provides rose amongst the bluebells. For a light, clean floral, Freesia is a soliflore, with freesias all the way down!

Which concentration?

The 10ml is in a clear, screw top bottle, if in an oil dilution, a roller-ball bottle is supplied. All other sizes are in spray bottles.

Oil

Available sizes: 10ml, 30ml and 50ml