The plague - known as the Black Death during the 14th Century when it caused an estimated 50 million deaths - had brought death and despair to England on various occasions before. The first outbreak in England had occurred between 1348 and 1350 when it killed around 30 to 40% of the population with further epidemics breaking out in 1563, 1593, 1625 and of course 1665.

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From September 1665 to December of the same year, 42 villagers had already died in the outbreak – to put this into perspective the population stood at around 350 before the outbreak – and as spring came around in 1666 many villagers were considering fleeing the village to save both their lives and livelihoods.

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It was at this point that William Mompesson intervened.

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William was the newly appointed rector at Eyam and, wanting to stop the plague spreading to nearby towns, believed that the town of Eyam should be quarantined. Aside from the huge task of getting the villagers to agree to this sacrifice, there was another issue facing William because he was very unpopular with the residents of Eyam who preferred the previous rector who had been exiled to the edge of the village.

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The previous rector in Eyam had been a man by the name of Thomas Stanley. Thomas – and most of his parish – had supported Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan government, prior to the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. When Thomas had refused to accept the 1662 Act of Uniformity - an Act introduced by Charles II which made it compulsory to use the Book of Common Prayer in religious services – he had been removed from the position and William had taken over in April 1664.

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Realising he needed help, William personally met with and spoke to Thomas and between them they devised a plan and on June 24, 1666 Mompesson spoke to his parishioners.

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Telling them that the Earl of Devonshire, who lived at nearby Chatsworth. had offered food and supplies if the village agreed to quarantined, he told them nobody should be allowed to either leave or enter the village. It was a sacrifice that he was prepared to make himself too, as he stated he would rather die himself than see other communities nearby decimated like theirs had been. Though the villagers were understandably hesitant, Thomas also stated his support for the plan and the villagers reluctantly agreed.

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As well as the quarantine itself, various other measures were introduced. Families were to bury their own dead, church services were relocated to the natural amphitheatre of Cucklett Delph and supplies from surrounding villages would be left on marked rocks. When the villagers collected the supplies, they would make holes in the rock which they would fill with vinegar to disinfect the money left as payment.

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While the villagers lived under these conditions the plague was contained – but its toll on the village was unfathomable.

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By August 1666 five to six people were dying daily and entire families were decimated. In the space of eight days Elizabeth Hancock buried six of her children and her husband, while Mary Hadfield – wife of Alexander Hadfield the tailor – lost thirteen relatives including Alexander himself, and by the time the plague abated in November 1666, only 83 people had survived.​