European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Maps of the Village and literature on its past Are available inside St. Lawrence die Parish Church. A amps Brian Smith Sas Brian Smith seven members of the Hancock family were buried Here during one the cottage where the plague began is on week. The widow driven nearly mad was one of Only two people to the building in the foreground. Leave Eyam after the pledge to remain was made. Wooden stocks sit in the Middle of Imam s Village Green. At left is the town s Market Hall. The plague Village a Symbol of sacrifice continued from Page 9 Back of the Church is a Well stocked stall with literature about the Church Village and area. Leaving St. Lawrence armed with a map costing a few pennies the visitor passes a Saxon Cross a bit battered by the puritans and various ancient tombstones. Then at a Corner House right by the Church is the first of Many ominous Little signboards and the beginning of a tale of sad a and heroic a events that took place in the Little Valley. The year was 1665. In the Lead mining Village of Eyam with a population of around 350, the occasional traveler or tradesman was a Welcome source of news and gossip from far off London and other parts of the world so it was not unusual when at the end of August a travelling tailor named George Viccars was Given lodging at the Home of Mary Cooper a Miner s widow. Soon after his arrival Viccars received a Chest of cloth from London. The tailor removed the Damp material and spread it out to give it a Good airing. Within a Short time Viccars fell ill and died. Nowadays it is Clear that the bolts of cloth were infested with infected fleas. But though outbreaks of the plague were fairly common Back then medical science had no idea where the sickness came from or How it was spread. At a time when the streets of even the capital were strewn with garbage and sewage nobody suspected the Ever present rats or their parasites which often jumped to humans when the original hosts died. Fantastical cures were tried some of them almost As deadly As the plague but All were useless. The disease spread rapidly by the Spring the death toll had topped 100, with More falling ill. William mom Pesson the Young Parish priest and Thomas Stanley his Puritan predecessor boldly resolved to do something about it. Realizing that Contact with the sick was dangerous it was decided that people should Bury their own dead without a Church funeral that the Church should be closed and most important that none of the villagers should leave Eyam. In a supreme act of self sacrifice the Sas Brian Smith townspeople took an oath to stay put to the right Side of avoid carrying the disease to the surrounding area. Arrangements were made with nearby villages to have food and supplies delivered regularly at Eyam s Boundary stones while Money for special requests was to be left in natural Springs or vinegar to Quot Wash away the seeds of  throughout the summer Eyam continued to suffer but Only two people left the Village after the oath had been taken. By the beginning of Winter the outbreak had ended having claimed 260 lives and leaving a population of Only about 100 to mourn them. But the plague had been contained. Neighbouring towns were left untouched. Over the years Many of the grave markers have disappeared or been moved but the devastating plague has not been forgotten by historians a or the townspeople. On the last sunday in August a religious service is still held rain or Shine in Ucklet Delf the natural Amphitheater where the Rev. Mom Pesson called his flock together before so Many of them Quot All fell  its Brian smut 10 stripes Magarine december 12, j991