INTRODUCTION

Any tourist visiting the beautiful village of Eyam for the first time, not knowing of its tragic history, rapidly becomes aware by reading the plaques on the walls of buildings. The people of this village once endured an epic struggle. In just over 12 months, from September 1665, 260 people died from the Plague out of an initial population of about 800. It has resulted in Eyam becoming one of the most visited villages in the Peak District, with visitors wanting to learn more about its history.  

The Plague started when George Vicars, a tailor, was lodging in one of the cottages next to the church. A packet of cloth arrived, but as it was damp after its long journey from London, he spread it out in front of the fire to dry. This released fleas concealed in the parcel, carriers of bubonic plague germs. His death was sudden; others soon followed, and the villagers started to panic. 

Some families fled, but as the disease seemed to be abating during the winter, others remained, only for the Plague to intensify the following spring. The Rector of Eyam, William Mompesson and his predecessor, Rev Thomas Stanley, persuaded the villagers to shut themselves off from the outside world to avoid spreading the disease. Some refused and left the village, including the Bradshaws of Bradshaw Hall. Those who remained accepted strict quarantine arrangements to help prevent the spread of the disease.

Neighbouring villages left provisions at agreed pick-up points. On the outskirts of Eyam, a path leads up through the woods to Mompesson’s Well. Here, neighbours left provisions in return for coins soaked in vinegar in a pool at the edge of the well. Another pick-up point was the Boundary Stone on the Stoney Middleton side of the village.

Mompesson closed the church and held open-air services in Cucklet Delph to reduce the chance of infection. When the Plague was finally over, whole families had been wiped out. Only one-sixth of the original population remained in Eyam. The Plague had been contained within the agreed boundary set by the people of Eyam, but at a dreadful cost. 

From the early 1900s, an annual Plague Commemoration service has been held on the last Sunday in August, and the following Saturday, there is a carnival and a sheep roast. Also, in recent years, Well Dressings have been held at the end of August, making this a very popular time for locals and visitors.

THE CHURCH OF ST.LAWRENCE

The church has been used for worship since Norman times. In the churchyard is a Celtic cross that is well over 1,000 years old, probably once used as a preaching cross. Close by is the tomb of Catherine Mompesson, who bravely stayed with her husband during the Plague but did not survive the epidemic. Only a few other plague victims are buried in the churchyard; as the Plague took hold, families agreed to bury the dead close to where they died to contain the infection. 

MINERAL EXTRACTION

Lead mining in the area dates back to Roman times and reached a high in the 18th century. By the beginning of the next century, however, lead extraction had become less profitable, and more and more miners had turned to alternative sources of income. Surprisingly, this came mainly from the spoil heaps discarded by the lead miners, with the discovery of the uses to which fluorspar and barytes could be put. Quarrying was also important, and limestone extraction in the area continues today.

MANUFACTURING

Manufacturing has been important in Eyam in the past, and manufacturers have adapted to changing trends with great skill and initiative. After the cotton spinning industry hit problems, silk-weaving looms were introduced. They brought prosperity to the village in the 19th century. An illiterate silk worker, Ralph Wain, invented a process that repeated the design on both sides of the fabric. Unfortunately, he sold the invention to a firm in Macclesfield, which patented it and reaped the rewards. 

Silk manufacturing eventually declined, leading to the introduction of shoemaking. Soon, three factories were in production, and a small cottage industry was making shoes. In the mid-1900s, around 200 people were involved, with children’s shoes and slippers being a speciality. Cheap foreign shoes eventually forced the closure of the last shoemaking factory at the end of the last century. 

PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY

Another example of innovative thinking came when Eyam set up one of the first public water supply systems of any village in the country. A series of stone troughs were set up using natural springs, and water was piped through the village. 

EYAM HALL

Eyam Hall was built in 1671 by Thomas Wright for his newly married son on land bought from a survivor of the Plague and has remained in the Wright family until now. The outbuildings around the attractive courtyard now house craft shops, a café, and a gift shop. Opposite are the village stocks, where, at one time, you might have found a lead miner imprisoned by the Barmote Court for a mining offence. Near the stocks is the Red House, the only old brick building in the village.