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Illustrated talks exploring the role of perfume in medieval, Renaissance, and early modern life
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A guided scent walk and sensory exercises connecting landscape, memory, and aroma
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A dedicated session on Hildegard of Bingen and the spiritual use of botanicals
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Historical storytelling on figures such as Agnès Sorel and the scented world of the royal court
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Introduction to Avicenna and the origins of rosewater distillation
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The splendour of Versailles through Louis XIV and the fragrant traditions of the Orangery
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The elegance of neroli and courtly perfume culture with Marie Anne de La Trémoille
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Hands-on tincture making using grappa
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Working with rare historic materials including ambergris, orange blossom, rose, and beeswax
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Create your own rosewater and traditional perfume accords
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Make a beeswax pommade using historic techniques
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Final blending and decanting of your own scents to take home
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Shared meals, wine tastings, and relaxed evening discussions in a convivial setting
5-day Historical Perfumery Masterclass with Celia Lyttelton (May 2026)
From Wednesday, 27 May - Tuesday 2 June 2026
Join perfumer and author Celia Lyttelton, writer of The Scent Trail, for an immersive six-night exploration of fragrance across history. Drawing on research from collections such as the British Library, Celia brings archival recipes and historical figures vividly to life through lecture, guided walks, tastings, and hands-on perfume making. From medieval mystics to the glittering courts of France, participants will experience scent as history—studied, handled, distilled, and worn.
Highlights include:
Celia Lyttelton is a historical perfumer, sensory researcher, and independent scholar whose work explores the intimate relationship between scent, memory, and material culture. With a background in early modern social history and botanical traditions, Celia specialises in reconstructing fragrances from the medieval and Renaissance periods, bringing to life the aromatic worlds of courts, kitchens, apothecaries, and monasteries.
Her practice draws on archival sources, household recipe books, trade records, and medical manuscripts from institutions such as the British Library and the Wellcome Collection, translating historical formulas into carefully researched, wearable perfumes. Celia’s reconstructions focus not only on ingredients—orris root, civet, rosemary, storax—but on the cultural meanings embedded in scent: devotion, status, hygiene, seduction, and power.
Celia has lectured on olfactory history in collaboration with heritage sites and museums across the UK, including programs inspired by collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Her approach combines practical perfumery with critical historical inquiry, encouraging students to understand fragrance as both a craft and a historical text.
Day 1 – Arrival & Welcome
From 4pm: Arrival and settling in
7pm: Guided wine tasting with castle winemaker Charlotte Horton
8pm: Dinner
Day 2 – Sacred Scents & Hildegard
10am–1pm: Morning Session
- Illustrated lecture: Fragrance in the medieval world
- The language of resins, herbs, and incense
- 2-hour historical scent walk (local botanicals and aromatics)
1pm: Lunch
4pm–7pm: Afternoon Session
- Hildegard of Bingen session
- Medicinal and spiritual uses of scent
- Preparing simple herbal aromatic blends inspired by her texts
8pm: Dinner
Day 3 – Royal Mistresses & Animalics
10am–1pm: Morning Session
- Introduction to Agnès Sorel and courtly beauty rituals
- Tincture making using grappa (hands-on maceration)
- Ambergris workshop: history, myth, and olfactory exploration
1pm: Lunch
4pm–7pm: Afternoon Session
- The art of tinctures and infusions in Renaissance perfumery
- Blending animalic and floral notes
- Creating a small historical-style extrait
8pm: Dinner
Day 4 – Roses & Distillation
10am–1pm: Morning Session
- Introduction to Avicenna and the birth of distillation
- The story of rosewater
- Rosewater and rose perfume workshop (distillation demonstration and blending)
1pm: Lunch
4pm–7pm: Afternoon Session
- The Silk Road and the spread of perfume materials
- Working with classical rose accords
- Refining personal rose composition
8pm: Dinner
Day 5 – The Sun King & Neroli
10am–1pm: Morning Session
- The court of Louis XIV (The Sun King)
- The Formula of the King’s Orangery Eau
- Working with orange blossom
- Aqua Angeli recreation
1pm: Lunch
4pm–7pm: Afternoon Session
- Marie Anne de La Trémoille, princesse des Ursins
- The rise of Neroli in European perfumery
- Neroli workshop: building a radiant citrus-floral accord
8pm: Dinner
Day 6 – Pomades & Finishing
10am–1pm: Morning Session
- Making pommade with beeswax
- Final straining of infused materials
- Decanting finished accords into phials for packing
1pm: Lunch
4pm–7pm: Afternoon Session
- Personal blending time and refinement
- Group smelling and feedback
- Closing circle: reflections on historical scent traditions
8pm: Final dinner
Day 7 – Departure
11am: Departure
What’s included
- 5 full days and 6 nights
- Board and lodging at Castello di Potentino
- All meals paired with a generous amount of estate wines
- All sessions and activities
What’s not included
- Flights
- Transfers to and from Potentino
Prices
Prices vary by room choice and number of guests sharing the room.
A single person is from €2,330
Two people sharing a room is from €1,940 per person.
Three people sharing a room is from €1,850 per person.
If you would like to pay a deposit
The payment system asks for payment in full. If you would rather pay a non-refundable 25% deposit at the time of booking, please enter the code DEPOSIT25 at checkout. The final payment will be due one month before the start of the course.
If you have any issues booking
Sometimes, it takes a few attempts to clear the cart if you need to make any changes to your room selection etc.
If you have any issues at all, please contact Heather Percival heather.percival@potentino.com
