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Eyam, England: The Plague Village
Eyam is a small village located in Derbyshire, England. It is the town's past that inspired the novel `Year of Wonders' by Geraldine Brooks. The area is commonly referred to as the plague village because of its decision to quarentine itself to prevent the spread of the plague in 1665. For 16 months, the disease wreaked havoc on the area. Over that period of time, about 260 villagers died. Out of the original population of 350, only 83 villagers survived.
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Reverend William Mompesson was Eyam's rector during the time in which the plague struck the village. He urged the villagers to isolate themselves from neighboring towns in order to prevent the spread of disease. The Reverend is the inspiration for Michael Mompellion, the minister in the novel `Year of Wonders'. His wife is also included in the novel, known as Elinor Mompellion. The only character who keeps his identity in the novel as well as in history is George Viccars, the tailor. He was the first to be infected by the plague after a bolt of fabric carrying the disease was sent in from London.
