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Rushlight

A rushlight is a rudimentary candle consisting of the pith of a rush plant dipped in grease.^[1] Historically, rushlights served as an inexpensive lighting source primarily for the poor and working classes in rural England from the Middle Ages through the 19th century, with more limited adoption in colonial and early America.^[2]^[3] They were particularly favored by households unable to afford taxed beeswax or tallow candles, often produced at home using locally gathered materials to supplement firelight during long winter evenings.^[4] In settings like 18th-century American homes, such as the Hammond-Harwood House, enslaved servants and laborers used them for tasks requiring dim illumination, like late-night sewing.^[2] Rushlights were made by harvesting common rushes (Juncus effusus) from marshes, peeling the pith, and dipping it in melted animal fat such as mutton suet or tallow.^[2]^[5] They burned at a 45-degree angle in simple wrought-iron holders, typically lasting 10-15 minutes and producing a smoky, foul odor.^[4]^[2] Despite limitations such as short burn time, easy extinguishing, and fire hazards, they provided a practical, low-cost alternative to refined lighting until the 19th-century adoption of oil lamps and gas.^[5]

Overview

Definition and Characteristics

A rushlight is a primitive form of candle consisting of the pith from the stem of the rush plant, typically Juncus effusus, saturated with animal fat or tallow to serve as both wick and fuel.^[6]^[7] The term "rushlight" derives from the English words "rush," referring to the plant material, and "light," indicating its role as an illuminant, with the earliest documented usage appearing in 1635.^[8] Physically, rushlights measure approximately 12 to 15 inches (30 to 38 cm) in length and feature a thin, flexible pith core with a diameter of about 1/8 inch (3 mm), rendering them structurally weak and unable to support an upright burn.^[9]^[10] When ignited, they must be held at an angle of roughly 45 degrees to regulate the burn rate, producing a dim flame that provides minimal illumination suitable only for basic tasks.^[4]^[3] The device functions through capillary action in the pith, which draws molten fat upward from the saturated reservoir to feed the flame at the tip, combining the roles of wick and combustible material in a single element.^[11] This simple mechanism results in an inefficient light source, providing dim illumination much less bright than later wax candles or oil lamps.

Historical Development

Rushlights, consisting of the pithy cores of rushes dipped in animal fat, trace their origins to ancient civilizations, with the earliest known examples dating back to ancient Egypt around 3000 BCE, where they served as rudimentary torches predating the development of true wicked candles.^[12] These early forms provided a basic, affordable illumination by soaking the inner pith of reeds in melted tallow or fat, allowing the material to burn steadily.^[13] While archaeological evidence shows prehistoric fat-burning lamps in Europe using plant fibers as wicks, rush-specific lights from Juncus effusus are more firmly documented in ancient Egyptian contexts.^[14] By the Roman period (pre-1st century CE), rush wicks were commonly employed in oil lamps, enhancing controllability and efficiency over earlier torch designs.^[13] During the medieval period (c. 500–1500 CE) and into the early modern era, rushlights became a staple lighting source in rural Britain and broader Europe, particularly among lower socioeconomic classes due to their simplicity and low cost of home production.^[15] Abundant rushes from wetlands made them accessible for peasants and laborers, who stripped and dried the pith before dipping it in rendered animal fats from household livestock.^[16] In contrast, elite households and churches reserved beeswax candles for their cleaner burn and symbolic purity, as rising demand for beeswax in Christian rituals underscored its status as a luxury item unaffordable to the majority.^[17] This socioeconomic divide highlighted rushlights' role as an egalitarian technology, enabling basic evening activities in modest dwellings across the British Isles.^[12] Rushlights reached their peak prevalence in the 17th to 19th centuries within European cottages, especially in the UK and Ireland, where they remained a primary light for the poor until gradually supplanted by superior alternatives.^[15] The invention of paraffin wax in 1830 by Karl Reichenbach revolutionized candlemaking, yielding odorless, reliable paraffin candles that burned more cleanly and affordably than tallow-based options, accelerating the decline of rushlights by the 1830s–1850s.^[13] Concurrent advancements, such as the Argand oil lamp in 1780, further diminished their use by providing brighter, longer-lasting illumination.^[15] Similar pith-dipped lights appeared in colonial America, adopted by lower classes for nighttime tasks like sewing, reflecting the technology's transatlantic spread via British settlers.^[2] By the late 19th century, rushlights persisted only in isolated rural areas, marking the end of their widespread dominance as industrialized lighting transformed daily life.^[13]

Production

Materials

The primary plant material for rushlights is the common rush (Juncus effusus), a perennial herbaceous plant valued for its soft, pithy core that serves as the natural wick after peeling. This species is harvested in late summer or early autumn from wetland habitats such as marshes, ditches, and moist meadows, where it grows in dense clumps up to 1.5 meters tall. Harvesters, often laborers, women, and children, select straight, mature stems to ensure the inner pith can be easily stripped, exposing a cylindrical core approximately 1/8 inch in diameter suitable for dipping.^[18]^[19] The fuel source for rushlights consists primarily of animal fats, such as tallow rendered from beef or mutton suet, or lard from pork fat, which are melted and used to coat the rush pith. These fats, typically sourced from kitchen leavings or animal byproducts, have a melting point of around 40–50°C, allowing them to solidify at room temperature for a stable coating while burning steadily when ignited. Vegetable oils were less commonly employed due to their tendency to produce more smoke during combustion and their liquid state, which made them less practical for the dipping process in pre-industrial settings.^[19]^[20] While true rushlights rely on the rush pith as the wick, variations in some regions occasionally incorporated cotton or linen fibers for similar rudimentary candles, particularly in later periods when these materials became more accessible. In non-European contexts, such as ancient Egypt, regional substitutes like the pith of reeds were used instead of rushes, soaked in animal fat to create comparable lighting sources.^[14] Quality factors significantly influence the effectiveness of rushlight materials; rushes must be fresh at harvest to prevent brittleness during peeling and drying, while fats require purity to reduce excessive smoke and odor during use. Harvested rushes are typically stored in dried bundles in cool, dry conditions to maintain flexibility and prevent mold, ensuring the pith remains absorbent for fat impregnation.^[19]

Preparation Methods

The preparation of rushlights traditionally began with harvesting the common soft rush (Juncus effusus), a plant found in moist pastures, along stream banks, and under hedges. The optimal time for cutting was during the height of summer, when the stems were mature and the air warm enough to facilitate drying, though they remained usable into early autumn. Once cut at the base, the rushes were immediately immersed in water to prevent drying, shrinking, or splitting of the pith; this soaking preserved the structural integrity of the stems for subsequent processing. Unusable sections, such as thin or damaged stems, were discarded to ensure only the fattest and fullest rushes—those likely to burn longest—were selected. Initial processing involved peeling the outer leaves to expose the pithy core while leaving a narrow, even rib of rind for support; this delicate task was typically performed by women and children using thumbnails and forefingers, with skill improving through practice. The peeled rushes were then laid on grass to bleach under dew for several nights, followed by drying in the sun for one to two days. This step ensured the pith remained pliable and ready for fat application without cracking. Fat for rushlights was commonly prepared from animal sources, with tallow rendered at home from suet obtained after autumn slaughtering of cattle, sheep, or goats. Suet was chopped into small pieces and slowly boiled in water to melt the fat, which was then strained to remove impurities like meat scraps and connective tissue; the liquid tallow was heated gently to a scalding state without boiling to prevent scorching and preserve clarity. Alternative fats included bacon drippings or kitchen grease scummings, which were similarly heated and clarified for reuse. Approximately six pounds of such fat were needed to coat one pound of prepared rushes.^[21] The dipping process formed the core of rushlight creation, where the dried pith was repeatedly immersed in the melted fat to build up layers of fuel around the wick-like core. For basic rushlights, a single dip sufficed for quick production, yielding a thin, economical light suitable for immediate use. Thicker variants, known as rush dips or rush candles, required multiple immersions—typically 10 to 20 times—with cooling intervals between each to allow the fat to set and accumulate evenly, resulting in a more stable and longer-burning product. After the final dip, excess length was trimmed, and the rushlights were set aside to harden fully.^[3] A typical home batch from one pound of rushes—containing over 1,600 individual stems—produced around 800 hours of total light, though smaller family-scale efforts often yielded 50 to 100 rushlights per session depending on available materials. Finished rushlights were stored in cool, dry places, such as wooden boxes or shelves away from heat and moisture, to prevent the tallow from rancidifying and extending usability through the winter months.

Usage

Light Output and Duration

Rushlights typically burned for 15 to 30 minutes per unit, with the exact duration varying based on the length of the rush (often 30 cm or about 12 inches), the type and saturation level of the animal fat used, and environmental factors such as drafts that could accelerate consumption.^[22]^[23] Longer rushes, up to 40 cm, could achieve closer to an hour in optimal conditions.^[24] The light output from a rushlight was notably dim and inconsistent, producing a flickering, yellowish flame that offered feeble illumination suitable only for close-range tasks like reading or sewing within arm's reach.^[22]^[24] Historical accounts describe it as providing little more than the glow of a modern match, often accompanied by smoke from the burning pith and fat, which further reduced clarity and filled rooms with an acrid odor.^[22] Efficiency was low, with rushlights consuming animal fat at a rate that supported their brief lifespan, primarily limited by the pith's tendency to char quickly and cause fat to drip unevenly, leading to sputtering and premature extinguishment.^[23] The fuel, typically tallow from mutton or beef, was absorbed into the rush during preparation, but drafts or improper angling exacerbated dripping, reducing effective burn time by up to half in suboptimal conditions.^[22]^[23] Compared to contemporary alternatives, rushlights were markedly inferior to beeswax candles in both brightness and duration—shorter-lived and dimmer than a standard tallow candle—yet they remained popular among the poor due to their low cost and ease of production from locally gathered materials.^[25]^[24] While a tallow candle might provide steadier light over several hours, a rushlight's output was dimmer and shorter-lived, often requiring multiple units to match even a single candle's performance for evening activities.^[25] Users often extended usability by trimming the charred pith end mid-burn to prevent excessive smoking and collapse, and by burning the rush at a 45-degree angle rather than upright to minimize dripping and promote even consumption.^[23] In emergencies, lighting both ends could double the immediate light but halved the total duration, a practice noted in accounts of household necessity.^[22] These adjustments, typically managed by children or servants, were essential to mitigate the inherent limitations of the rushlight's design.^[23]

Fixtures and Holders

Rushlight holders, often referred to as rushnips in British contexts, were essential devices crafted primarily from wrought iron to securely grip the rush during burning, with designs featuring pronged clips or plier-like jaws that positioned the rush at a 45-degree angle to optimize combustion.^[26]^[3] This angle was critical to prevent the wick from sagging, which could cause uneven burning or extinguishing, while allowing the rush to burn more brightly and steadily.^[27] Common in 17th- to 19th-century households, these basic holders were hand-forged by local blacksmiths and measured a few inches in height, with adjustable jaws to accommodate the rush's gradual consumption.^[28] Various types of fixtures emerged to suit different settings, including table-top stands on wooden or iron bases for portable use, wall-mounted sconces for fixed illumination near work areas, and taller floor-standing models on tripod bases for central placement in rooms.^[29] Wrought iron was the preferred material due to its heat resistance and durability against the rushlight's low flame, though simpler wooden versions with split tops served in rudimentary setups.^[3] Functional adaptations included notches or secondary clips to catch dripping tallow, reducing mess on surfaces, and some designs incorporated candle sockets for versatility when better lighting was available.^[28] These features ensured safe, efficient use in hearth-centered homes. Regional variations highlighted practical differences, with British rushnips often featuring intricate, counterweighted arms for precise angling, reflecting the abundance of rushes in the UK's marshy landscapes.^[26] In contrast, American colonial holders tended toward simpler, imported wrought iron forms or locally made wooden prongs, adapted to scarcer resources and paired with splint wood alternatives.^[30] Over time, designs evolved to include multi-rush holders, such as hanging chandelier-like fixtures with several jaws, enabling brighter light from simultaneous burning of multiple rushes for tasks requiring more illumination.^[29] Maintenance involved regular wiping with a rag to manage dripping grease and snuffing the flame with crossed pins to prevent smoking, while accumulated soot was cleaned from the iron jaws to maintain grip and airflow.^[28] Holders were typically integrated near fireplaces, where the ambient heat kept tallow fluid and provided a convenient spot for lighting and extinguishing rushes alongside other household fires.^[28]

Cultural Significance

Role in Daily Life

Rushlights served as the primary source of artificial illumination for rural poor households in Britain and Ireland from the medieval period through the 18th century, particularly during evening activities such as cooking, sewing, and mending clothes.^[31] Due to their dim output—equivalent to about one-quarter of a modern candle—they were typically limited to one per room, placed strategically near work areas to maximize visibility for essential tasks.^[31] This constrained lighting influenced daily routines, with greater reliance in winter months when natural daylight diminished, enabling brief evening activities and segmented sleep patterns consisting of a "first sleep" after dusk followed by a brief wakeful period and "second sleep."^[32] Economically, rushlights were nearly cost-free to produce at home, utilizing waste animal fat (tallow or grease) and locally foraged rushes, requiring only about 1.5 pounds annually for a typical family—far cheaper than purchased tallow candles.^[31] Preparation labor was often divided among women and children, involving evening collection and dipping of rushes.^[31] This self-sufficiency underscored their role in the household economy of the working classes, minimizing expenditures on lighting amid broader poverty.^[31] Socially, rushlights symbolized economic hardship, reserved for the rural poor and servants while wealthier households used brighter beeswax or tallow candles, reinforcing class distinctions in domestic comfort.^[31] Their use in confined spaces contributed to health issues, including eye strain from inadequate brightness and respiratory irritation from acrid smoke and odors produced by burning tallow-soaked pith.^[31] By the mid-19th century, rushlights declined sharply as kerosene lamps became affordable and widely accessible to working-class families, offering brighter, cleaner light that extended evening productivity without the labor of home production.^[33]

Representations in Literature and Folklore

In 19th-century literature, rushlights frequently appear as symbols of poverty and simplicity, illuminating scenes of hardship among the working classes. Charles Dickens employs them to evoke the dim, precarious existence of the poor; in Oliver Twist, Oliver counts the faint circles of light cast by a rushlight's reflection on the workhouse ceiling, underscoring his isolation and deprivation. Similarly, in Great Expectations, Dickens describes a rushlight as "an object like the ghost of a walking cane, which instantly broke if its back were touched," highlighting its fragility and association with rural indigence. These depictions contrast rushlights' meager glow with the brighter gaslights of urban prosperity, reinforcing themes of social inequality and endurance. In folklore, particularly Irish and Scottish traditions, rushlights feature in tales emphasizing thrift and the supernatural, often as humble aids in nocturnal quests or domestic rituals. The Irish legend of Nera and the Hill of Cruachan portrays a hero navigating the Otherworld with a "guttering rushlight," its faltering flame mirroring the perils of the spirit realm and the resourcefulness required for survival. Such narratives link rushlights to fairy lore, where their soft light might ward off or attract ethereal beings, reflecting rural economies where every resource, including animal fat for dipping, was meticulously conserved. Proverbs and expressions rooted in these traditions, such as variants of "burning the rushlight at both ends" for brief, intense effort, underscore values of frugality and late-night labor, akin to the broader idiom "burn the midnight oil" but tied to pre-industrial parsimony. Artistic representations in Victorian-era paintings and poetry further romanticize rushlights as emblems of rustic simplicity, evolving from practical tools to nostalgic icons of pre-industrial life. Genre scenes depict modest interiors with rushlight holders, capturing the intimate, flickering ambiance of cottage homes and symbolizing domestic virtue amid economic constraint. These portrayals often idealize the rushlight's warmth, though historical accounts note its smoky, inadequate output, leading to over-romanticization in later art that glosses over its association with squalor. In modern contexts, rushlights persist in historical fiction and cultural revivals, serving as authentic details in recreations of bygone eras while critiquing inaccuracies in popular media. Authors of 20th- and 21st-century novels, such as those set in Regency or Victorian periods, reference rushlights to ground narratives in material realism, emphasizing their role in evoking sensory hardship without modern conveniences. The Belfast-based publication Rushlight: The Belfast Magazine, founded in 1972, revives these motifs through articles on local history, using the term to symbolize unvarnished heritage and thrift in Irish urban folklore. Interpretations today frame rushlights as poignant reminders of pre-gaslight austerity, though depictions in films and novels sometimes exaggerate their brightness, perpetuating a sentimental view detached from their actual dimness and labor-intensive preparation.

References

[1]
RUSHLIGHT Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
noun rush· light ˈrəsh-ˌlīt : a candle that consists of the pith of a rush dipped in grease. Word History First Known Use 1637, in the meaning defined above.
[2]
Rush Light - Hammond-Harwood House
Oct 29, 2020 · Rush lights were used by the lower and servant classes, and were mainly used to illuminate late night craftwork like sewing.
[3]
Rushlight or Splint Holder — Denison Homestead Campus
May 8, 2020 · Rushlights were made from rushes, typically common rushes or juncus effusus. They were widely used in Britain from the Middle Ages into the 19th ...
[4]
Rush lights the poor mans candle.....? - Opus Antiques
Dec 2, 2011 · Rush lights were devices for holding the rush which had previously been dipped in animal fat before being lighting it. The outer skin of the ...
[5]
Rushlight: How the Country Poor Lit Their Homes - The Victorian Web
Feb 1, 2009 · Rush-light holders were mostly same pattern as to the way the jaws held the rush, the chief variation being in the case of the spring holders.
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The Oldest "Candle" Still in Use? - Found in the Collection
May 22, 2013 · Rushlights were made by dipping the pith of the soft rush, Juncus Effusus, in melted fat. This particular iron rush light is a slender iron ...
[7]
Rush lights Background - General - Cumbria County History Trust
Instead, every August, the families went to where they could find the common rush (juncus effusus) ... rushlight was stuck slant, and shifted as it burned away'.<|separator|>
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rushlight, n. meanings, etymology and more
OED's earliest evidence for rushlight is from 1635, in the writing of William Barriffe, military writer and parliamentarian army officer. rushlight is formed ...
[9]
Archive and Museum Database | Details - University of Reading
Rushes were normally about 12 inches long and one of this length would burn for about half an hour. ... Holder, rushlight, Holder, candle. Material. Metal ...
[10]
https://www.victorianweb.org/technology/domestic/1.html
[11]
How To Make Rushlights - Sew Historically
Feb 3, 2021 · Make rushlights with leftover cooking fat & DIY natural wicks as emergency candle or as eco-friendly alternative to store-bought candles!
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https://candles.org/history-of-candles/
[13]
History of Candles
The earliest use of candles is often attributed to the Ancient Egyptians, who made rushlights or torches by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat ...
[14]
A Brief History of Lighting - Optics & Photonics News
Sep 1, 2008 · In Roman times, pitch was melted and smeared on bundled sticks to make more controllable torches. Later, wood treated with pitch was burned in ...
[15]
European Oil Lamps from Prehistory through the Viking Age - The Oak
Jun 16, 2025 · The dimensions of these lamps ranged from 6-30 cm in length and 2-15 cm in width, but less than 5.5 cm in height. Robson and colleagues (2022) ...
[16]
The illuminating history of lighting | English Heritage
Nov 6, 2017 · Wellcome Library, London. Homemade rushlights were made by rolling the dried pith of rushes in fat to make a rough and ready, with the pith as ...Stone Age Solstice · Candles And Lighthouses · Gaslight Heralds New Age
[17]
Out of the Dark - John Moore Museum
Jul 27, 2021 · Candles of the medieval and Tudor times were usually of two types, “Rush” lights and “Tallow” candles. A natural reed or “rush” grew in ...Missing: Europe rural
[18]
[PDF] Bees in the medieval economy: Religious observance and the ...
The high and late Middle Ages saw a significant increase in demand for beeswax, a fundamental component of medieval Christian devotion, spurred by both changing ...
[19]
[PDF] SOFT RUSH - Juncus effusus L. - USDA Plants Database
The Quinalt of western Washington used soft rush for plaiting tumplines for baskets (Gunther 1973). They also mixed soft rush with cattails to make string.Missing: tallow lard<|control11|><|separator|>
[20]
The Story Of The Lamp And The Candle
... fats used were the leavings of the kitchen (particularly mutton or bacon fat) and White calculated that. 6 lb. of fat would dip a pound of rushes or so. In ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[21]
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The Cost of 18th-century Lighting | Pen and Pension
Jul 27, 2016 · Beeswax candles were the best and longest lasting kind, but only the rich could afford to use them, especially after they were taxed at eight ...Missing: socioeconomic | Show results with:socioeconomic
[24]
“Burning the candle at both ends” – Julian Cartwright - WordPress.com
Jul 16, 2019 · Soft rush (Juncus effusus) Soft rush (Juncus effusus) will be familiar to many hill ... juncus effusus, rushlight, rushlights, soft rush. Post ...
[25]
https://www.soane.org/exhibitions/georgian-illuminations/lighting
[26]
Electrifying: The story of lighting our homes | Science Museum
Jan 28, 2020 · The poor mostly used even feebler and fast-burning rushlights, usually dipped in smelly animal fat. The average 40cm rushlight only burned for ...
[27]
Artificial light in Georgian England | Sir John Soane's Museum
Nov 4, 2023 · Held in an iron pincher, a rushlight burned for around twenty minutes and provided similar light to a candle. Prominent figures of Georgian high ...
[28]
Terms of the Trade: Rushlight | BADA
Rushlights are produced by cutting the long stalks of rush plants, which grow in abundance in the UK in marshes, bogs, and wet meadows.
[29]
Rushlight and Candle Holder | All Works - The MFAH Collections
The rushlight holder was usually mounted on an iron tripod, like this one, and metal clips at a 45-degree angle held the rushlight so it burned brighter.Missing: historical prong
[30]
Rushlights, holders, making rush dips, lighting with pine splinters
Jan 2, 2008 · A rushlight, also known as a rush dip or candle, was made by dipping ... A rush-light fifteen inches long would burn about half-an-hour.
[31]
Upholding the Light: Regency Candle Holders – Part One
Jul 8, 2011 · By the seventeenth century, a rushlight holder design had come into wide use and was still in use during the Regency. These rushlight holders ...
[32]
Early Lighting: Rushlights - Antiques - Colonial Sense
Rushlights are one of the earliest forms of lighting in the 18th century. Since one can still find them for sale at auctions and antique shows, ...
[33]
None
Summary of each segment:
[34]
Segmented Sleep in Preindustrial Societies - PMC - PubMed Central
Mar 1, 2016 · People relied on primitive illuminants, such as rushlights and oil lamps, or on the natural light of the moon and stars on clear nights, even ...
[35]
The History of the Kerosene Lamp | Blog | ISU University Museums
Apr 24, 2020 · Kerosene lamps were used throughout the 19th century as gas lighting was namely reserved for the wealthy and electric lighting was just catching on in rural ...