A pomander
9th February 2026 by | Uncategorized
What Is This? – Inside The Reflection in the Mirror
While writing my current historical novel, The Reflection in the Mirror, set in 1540, I found myself using words, objects, and terms that are no longer part of everyday language.
Many of these appear throughout the novel, exactly as they would have been spoken or understood at the time.
To help modern readers, I have included a glossary at the back of the book, explaining these items and expressions.
In this series of posts, I will explore some of those terms and objects in more detail.
A pomander
In 1540, a pomander was a small, often ornate object filled with scented substances such as ambergris, cloves, or rose petals. It was worn on a chain or carried in the hand to ward off foul smells and, it was believed, disease.
In the novel, pomanders appear at court and in crowded streets, where scent was both protection and status.
These details remind us that Tudor England was experienced through smell as much as sight.
My second novel in this Murder in the Tower saga, The Wolf of Whitehall, will be published in late February 2026.
Gemma
The past is never silent.
www.murderinthetower.london