As part of Heritage Open Days 2026 at the centre we will be experimenting with
Medieval Ink making.
Medieval inks were primarily made from either carbon-based soot or from oak galls and worked together with binders and various liquids. The demonstration will attempt to make both of these inks, based on original recipes, to include, show and share knowledge of the original raw ingredients and the step-by-step methods of working, including the use of a kitchen fire for boiling and reducing with the resulting inks demonstrated for writing trials at the finish.