Eyam - The Plague Village
The self-sacrificing plague village where the dead still walk among the living, and phantom moans echo through the streets.
In 1665, a box of cloth arrived in the remote Derbyshire village of Eyam from plague-ridden London, bringing with it the Black Death. Rather than flee and spread the pestilence to neighboring communities, the villagers made an extraordinary decision led by Rector William Mompesson - they would quarantine themselves. Over the next 14 months, 260 of the village’s 350 inhabitants perished in agonizing deaths. The self-sacrifice of Eyam saved countless lives in the surrounding Peak District, but left the village soaked in tragedy and death.
For centuries since, residents and visitors have reported paranormal activity throughout Eyam. The most commonly witnessed apparition is that of Catherine Mompesson, the rector’s wife who died nursing the sick, seen wandering near the churchyard in period dress. The plague cottages, particularly the Riley graves where a mother buried her husband and six children in just eight days, are sites of intense supernatural activity. Witnesses report phantom moans, the smell of death and decay appearing without source, and cold spots that grip visitors with inexplicable dread.
The boundary stones that marked the quarantine perimeter, where food was left in exchange for coins soaked in vinegar, are said to emanate an oppressive atmosphere. Some visitors report feeling watched or experiencing overwhelming sadness when approaching them. The village church contains a display of plague-era artifacts, and staff and tourists have reported objects moving, unexplained footsteps, and the sensation of unseen hands touching them. Eyam remains a living memorial to sacrifice, where the past refuses to rest peacefully.