Historian Ruth Goodman tells the remarkable story of villagers who lived – and died – when the bubonic plague was brought to Derbyshire in a bundle of infected clothes from London in 1665.
Ruth explains how as the disease tore through Eyam, young vicar William Mompesson made an extraordinary decision – to seal off the village entirely. A third of the inhabitants died and entire families were wiped out.
The programme, titled The Great Plague: The Village that Saved Britain, reports that among the horror was a story of incredible bravery. Villagers agreed to sacrifice themselves to protect nearby communities and towns. These included the vicar Mompesson and his wife Catherine, who tended to the dying; miner Marshall Howe who took it upon himself to bury the victims; sweethearts Emmott and Rowland, torn apart by the quarantine, and Emmott’s entire family which was devastated by the disease.
This tale of unimaginable loss and remarkable courage reveals how Eyam's sacrifice probably saved tens of thousands of lives, as the plague did not spread to Derby, Sheffield or Manchester.
The Great Plague: The Village that Saved Britain will be broadcast on Thursday, September 10 from 9pm.
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Ruth meets Owen Roberts, curator of Eyam Museum, to discuss how the plague began (photo: 5 Broadcasting Limited Voltage TV) Photo: 5 Broadcasting Limited/Voltage TV