Eyam: Plague Village

In September 1665, plague was inadvertently transported from London to Eyam in Derbyshire on a consignment of cloth. This small country village subsequently became famous for its decision to instate a ‘cordon sanitaire’, isolating itself to prevent the disease from spreading. Much of Eyam’s population perished during that torrid period. Eyam: Plague Village follows the local rector, the Revd William Mompesson, as he tries to support his parishioners and contain the disease. Basing his account closely on the known facts, David Paul describes the events during this time in the village’s history from the perspectives of the rector, his wife Catherine, and the fictional character of Beth Hounsfeild, Catherine’s cousin.