Plague

Another day of touring the country lanes cross-crossing counties. A much milder day with some mist around creating some lovely views of fields, walls and trees.

What made most impact was a visit to Eyam where there was an interesting National Trust site with a 17th century house. It had been built after the plague hit the village in 1665. The plague had been carried North in some materials delivered to the local tailor (presumably by fleas). As the infection took hold the villagers decided to quarantine themselves to prevent the spread of the plague. In just over a year, 260 out of the estimated 700 inhabitants died of the plague.

This illuminated roll call of the dead (made in 1951) highlighted the loss to the community. Whole households and families died. I had not appreciated how long the plague lasted. There are stories of St Mary's close in Edinburgh being boarded up but this seemed to be a voluntary decision.

Even 350 years on it was a sobering visit looking on the houses where families lived and died.

I don't know if this was an isolated outbreak of the plague in Derbyshire: something to research.