Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – Lydgate Graves)

Back in the days of the plague in Eyam, local residents were allowed to bury their dead in what was previously unconsecrated ground since the main churchyard was temporarily closed off. This enclosed area, off the road called Lydgate, is known as the Lydgate Graves site, with two burials dating to 1666.

The grave of George Darby, who died on 4 July 1666. The inscription reads “Here lyeth bvr the body of George Darby who died on July 4th 1666”. The ‘bvr’ bit is either a mistake on the listed building record, or it’s an English abbreviation that I have no clue about.

This is the grave of Mary Darby, the daughter of George Darby, who died on 4 September 1666. The inscription reads “Mary, the daughter of George Darby, dyed September 4th 1666”.

Before the plague struck Eyam, there were three people in the Darby household, George, his wife Mary and his daughter Mary. George had been born in 1610 and his wife Mary in 1615, with their daughter Mary born on 28 December 1645. George’s wife survived the plague, living until 1674.