A RECIPE for a beer made with snails has been put on display, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.

Archivists at the Treasure House in Beverley have recently rediscovered recipes for 'snail water' which date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, and show previously forgotten similarities between British and French cuisine.

One of the recipes stresses the importance of taking the snails alive: "Take a peck of garden snails heap’d up & be careful [that] none of them are dead. Keep stiring them in a bole of beer and as the froth riseth take it off."

Sam Bartle, collections officer at Treasure House, said: "You could say that for most of us in this country, the idea of consuming a snail would be like doing a bushtucker trial, it’s just not on our list of ‘acceptable’ foodstuffs. So it’s surprising to learn that our forebears right here in the East Riding did just that in the 17th and 18th centuries.

"It’s funny how things can just go out of fashion, but believe it or not we’re starting to rediscover the amazing properties of snails. Snail facials are fast becoming the next big thing in cosmetics as people start to take advantage of the nutrients and antioxidants contained in snail mucus, which helps promote healthy-looking skin."

All the recipes are now available to view at the Archives at the Treasure House, Champney Road, Beverley.