Latest news with #StoneyMiddleton
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Incredible sacrifice of tiny English village that's become a haven for dark tourism 359 years later
A LOT of historic sites are shrouded in suffering and death, but one UK town is known entirely for its tragic past. Eyam in Derbyshire suffered mass casualties during the Black Death, establishing itself as a haven for dark tourism centuries later. 4 The Peak District village lost a staggering 260 villagers in just 14 months as the plague spread across England. Given the town at the time only housed 350 residents, this loss was felt all the more by those in the area. After the spread of the Black Death in the 1660s, Eyam earned the title of "plague village". The bubonic plague first wreaked havoc worldwide in the 1300s before another outbreak in England during the 1660s. It claimed over 68,000 lives in London alone during this period. The deadly disease eventually made its way north, reaching Eyam in the summer of 1665. In a bid to shield neighbouring villages, Eyam's inhabitants bravely chose to isolate themselves after symptoms of the plague were reported within its borders. A boundary stone, which remains to this day, was erected between plague-ridden Eyam and the nearby unaffected town of Stoney Middleton. Eyam's residents would make their way to this stone to deposit vinegar-soaked money in exchange for food and medical supplies, left by Stoney Middleton's inhabitants. Today, visitors to Eyam can witness the lasting impact of the plague outbreak on the village. English seaside town to transform abandoned beach shelters into new attraction There are numerous graves scattered throughout the village and surrounding fields as families were urged to bury their deceased near their homes instead of in the church graveyard. These stringent rules were established by Reverend William Mompesson and Puritan minister Thomas Stanley. They also opted to move all church services outdoors and ensured no one could enter or leave the village. A recent visitor to Eyam shared a heartbreaking love story that has become part of the folklore surrounding the plague-stricken village. "In 1665, the plague hit Eyam and they locked down the village, separating Emmott Sydall from her fiancé Rowland Torre," the tourist said in an Instagram post. Eyam during the plague The Black Death is thought to have first arrived to the village in September 1665. Historians have hypothesised the disease was brought to Eyam via a parcel of cloth delivered from London to a local tailor. The cloth is believed to have been infested with plague-carrying fleas. During the 14-month voluntary quarantine, 75% of the town's residents passed away. One resident, Elizabeth Hancock, buried her husband and six children with her own hands within eight days. Plague cottages, where victims lived and died, still stand in the town today. "Emmott and Rowland would meet at the village boundary once a week, keeping their distance so he wouldn't contract the disease. "One day, Emmott didn't show up, when the lockdown was lifted, Rowland was among the first to enter the village in search of Emmott." A plaque indicates that Emmott was one of the village's many victims of the black death. The romantic rendezvous of the two at the village boundary has been immortalised in a stained glass image visible in Eyam's St Lawrence's Church. More on dark tourism Plus, the stunning paradise island with WW2 wrecks that has also become a haven for dark tourism. And the darkest and weirdest weekend breaks across Europe. Dark tourism has reached all corners of the globe, with many visiting suicide forests and nuclear disaster zones. Some thrillseekers even risk death in the world's most dangerous countries. 4 4
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
English village where lovers were separated by plague is now a haven for dark tourism
A quaint village in Derbyshire has become a hotspot for dark tourism, owing to its sorrowful past that traces back to the Black Death in the 1660s. Over the centuries, the Peak District hamlet of Eyam has earned the moniker 'plague village', following the demise of 260 villagers within a span of 14 months. The bubonic plague, which first swept across the globe in the 1300s, has claimed innumerable lives. A particularly catastrophic outbreak engulfed England in the 1660s, causing over 68,000 fatalities in London alone. Eventually, this lethal contagion reached Eyam in the summer of 1665. In an act of self-sacrifice to safeguard neighbouring villages, the inhabitants of Eyam chose to isolate themselves from the surrounding settlements. READ MORE: The beautiful UK hidden gem that's reminiscent of a scene from a Disney movie READ MORE: One of UK's best beaches has a dark past and is a 'graveyard' for 300 ships A boundary stone, still visible today, was erected between Eyam, plagued by the disease, and the nearby unaffected town of Stoney Middleton. At this stone, Eyam's residents would deposit vinegar-soaked money in exchange for food and medical supplies, provided by the people of Stoney Middleton. Modern-day visitors to Eyam can witness the enduring impact of the plague, with numerous graves scattered throughout the village and adjacent fields. Families were urged to inter their deceased relatives near their homes instead of the church graveyard. Jackie Todd, a recent visitor to Eyam, took to Instagram to share a heartbreaking love tale that has become woven into the folklore of the plague-stricken village of Eyam. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jackie Todd (@jackietodd_) In a video recounting this story from her visit, Jackie penned: "In 1665, the plague hit Eyam and they locked down the village, separating Emmott Sydall from her fiancé Rowland Torre. "Once a week, Emmott and Rowland met at the village boundary, at a distance so he wouldn't catch the disease. One day, Emmott didn't show up. When the lockdown lifted, Rowland was one of the first to enter the village looking for Emmott." She then displayed a plaque indicating that Emmott was tragically among those who succumbed to the black death. The star-crossed lovers and their rendezvous at the village boundary have been eternally captured in a stained glass depiction visible in Eyam's St Lawrence's Church.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- BBC News
Teenager died after car crashed into tree in Derbyshire
An 18-year-old man has died after a car crashed into a tree in VW Polo left the road and crashed in The Dale, Stoney Middleton, at 03:50 BST on Saturday, police driver suffered serious injuries and died at the are appealing for anyone with information or dashcam footage of the crash to get in touch.
