Monday, March 5, 2018

Eyam Hall




I do hope all is well with all of my friends that come here to visit.  March has roared in like a lion for most of us.  Particularly those that live on the east coast of the United States and those that live in Britain.  There are many with power outages and flooding and plenty of snow.  Other than a plethora of sticks and limbs and a lost mailbox cover and a broken outside thermometer, we were unscathed by the powerful winds that roared for two days.  I do pray all is well with you, my friends.

It's been a while since I posted another place we visited on our Golden Adventure to England.  For those of you who have just joined us here, my husband and I celebrated our 50th anniversary last fall in Britain.  I've been writing about our time there when I can.  We were gone for six weeks so this is probably going to take a while to post all of our adventures.  I hope I don't bore you, but it's important to us to journal our special time.  Thank you for coming along with us on our magical trip to a land we both adore.


Today I'd like to take you to Eyam Hall in the Peak District, Derbyshire.  Eyam Hall has been the home of the Wright family for 11 generations. 


The village of Eyam has a heartbreaking story of the plague that nearly wiped out the whole population.  In 1666 the village made the decision to quarantine themselves so the Bubonic Plague would not spread further.  Months earlier cloth from London had arrived.  It was damp and was hung to dry.  Unfortunately as the cloth dried fleas began to hatch that carried the plague.  As sad and heartbreaking this story is, it is one of sacrifice for others.  The new unpopular rector, William Mompesson persuaded the villagers to quarantine themselves so as not to spread the disease. 


In a little over a year more than 260 villagers had died.  It's hard to say how many other's lives were saved by their actions!

Let's go inside one of the homes that was built just six years after the outbreak of the plague.


  Eyam Hall was a wedding gift for Thomas Wright's second son, John.  It is a lovely Jacobean manor house that is set within a walled garden.  Let's go inside to have a peek.

With so many generations of the Wright family having lived here there are furnishings from many generations. 




When we visited the home was being leased by the National Trust.  The family is now taking it back under their care and will still offer tours, even though they will live here.


The table was set with beautiful pieces of china and silver that had been in the family for generations.



You can notice the children's portraits are from a newer generation of Wrights.  I really love this room and the beautiful colors!



It's really like a museum in this home.  So many lovely pieces from so many eras.




Most of the estates we visited had the bell system to ring for help and Eyam Hall was no exception.  So do you miss Downton Abbey as much as I do?



I can imagine many children have played here through the years.







The bedrooms were full of treasures.







I really like this old needlepoint fireplace screen.  So intricate and delicate.



This bird painting made us smile! 



The music room would be a lovely spot to enjoy afternoon tea.



Or we can choose a book and while away the afternoon on an adventure through the pages.



Maybe an afternoon nap?



Oh, I know what I want to do.  Let's go through the parlor and visit the beautiful garden I see peeking through the window!





English gardens are so lush and green...sigh.







It's time to leave this lovely garden and reflect on all we have learned about Eyam.  I'm so glad to know more of the story of this area.  So much beauty and so much heartache.  I salute the villagers of Eyam! 































38 comments:

  1. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this amazing village and home but so sad hearing the tragic story of the townspeople. Wouldn't it be amazing to actually live in a house like that? I'm related to one of the king's of England so I like to think that some of my ancestors lived in manor homes and castles, I hope they were nice to the staff. :-) ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    1. Teresa, I imagine your relatives did live in a manor home and the king surely lived in a castle! Ancestry is a interesting topic to me.
      Learning more about the sacrifice the people of Eyam made for the good of others really touched my heart. ♥

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  2. Oh my, dear friend...
    I lingered over your beautiful photos and savored each one!
    Thank you for sharing these, as well as the information about this amazing place.
    It is always so nice to open one's eyes and look beyond the day to day, jumping into a time and place so long forgotten, even for a moment.
    I loved this post, and am so happy you experienced this with your man!

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    1. Billie Jo, history did come alive when we traveled about England. When we visited Eyam I really was unexpectedly emotional about the plight of these poor folks so long ago. Life is fragile, but quite so for the folks in Eyam. Grayden and I loved all the places we visited in England, but I must say this place really touched us. ♥

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  3. That is an amazing story of selflessness. Sad indeed, yet we don’t know, as you said, how much more sad it might have been. The home is rather too much of a museum for me to be content in, but ohhhhh, those gardens! I chuckled when you said you loved the colors in the room with the children’s portraits because you do have a thing for red and that room perfectly matches your blog.

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    1. Vee, you know me all too well! I'm sitting here with my red pj's on writing to you on my laptop. Loving red like I do, I perk up when I see it featured in a much grander home than our's.
      I can just bet the family that lives in Eyam Hall have separate quarters that we didn't get to view. Probably more cozy. The gardens in England make my heart sing. ♥

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  4. Eyam Hall is such a lovely home! So many treasures to admire, especially the books! I wonder if the family that moves back will keep it all as is?

    Plague really was a health disaster for so much of Europe during those ages. I learned how much it effected the towns in southern Italy on our trip.

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    1. Pat, the Plague had a devastating affect on most of Europe. I can only imagine the heartache...
      The family has continued to live at Eyam Hall all these years in spite of it being open for tours. They are going to do so themselves now and not with the National Trust. I'm sure there are advantages of both. ♥

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  5. Bored with the posts about your anniversary trip to England? A resounding no! I learn so much from your lovely photographs and well-told stories and interesting history . . . please keep going!

    That is certainly a fascinating story about how the villagers of Eyam placed themselves under voluntary quarantine so that they would not spread the plague. It was a truly selfless act. Eyam Hall is also fascinating . . . eleven generations of the same family! I loved touring it and seeing representations of different eras. Those gardens must have made you swoon!

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    1. Thank you Cheryl for your encouragement. You are so kind, my friend.
      The Plague certainly was a scourge for these poor souls of Eyam. When I learned of this sacrifice it truly touched my heart.
      You know how I am about gardens and the one at Eyam Hall was wonderful. ♥

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  6. In west Wales, I survived as Storm Emma and the Beast from the East collided overhead, but it's been a few days to remember, for all the wrong reasons, but hopefully over now, although not yet for Cumbria! Thank you for asking about us all. I'm glad you got through there with minimal damage, too.

    Oh, Downton Abbey ~ how do I miss thee? Let me count the ways. Sunday nights will never be the same again.

    Such a sad story, how the villagers agreed to sacrifice themselves during the plague outbreak.

    While I wholeheartedly support the work of the National Trust, I think it is wonderful news that the family is moving back to live in Eyam Hall ~ as it should be, lived in by a family and ringing with the voices of the next generation of custodians.

    ~~~Waving~~~from Across the Pond~~~Deb in Wales xoxo

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    1. Oh Deb, I'm so glad you have survived the poor weather conditions. It certainly came at a bad time for you, dear one. I do hope Cumbria will survive without too much damage. As you know it's one of my favorite areas in your beautiful land.
      If I understand the family at Eyam Hall has always kept quarters there in one fashion or another. They are just going to be handling the tours themselves now. You are right, the next generation should add their own history to Eyam Hall. xoxo ♥

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  7. You took us on a wonderful tour. Although I have heard the story about the village I have never been there so it was a joy to share your tour. The garden looked stunning, a feast for the eyes.

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    1. The gardens at Eyam Hall were so lovely and well kept. Even though it was Autumn, the gardens in Britain were gorgeous. Just one of the reasons I love it there! ♥

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  8. Just fascinating, Martha Ellen! This special home holds such a powerful story in its past. Thank you for taking us into the charming garden, too. There is something so special about the stone walls as a historical backdrop for the colorful Autumn blossoms. I love the twig trellises, too. So grateful to know that you were safe in the storm! You have been on my heart as the news reports showed the effects of the terrible storm. Hope the coming days will be calm ones for your home and trees. Warm hugs, my friend!��

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    1. Dawn, I know you would love the gardens in England! They are so lush and full of life. The stone walls, wattle fences and garden structures all add up to beautiful, peaceful spaces.
      We are really thankful we had some tree work done last year, Dawn! The winds were quite ferocious and scary. The fact that there were no leaves on the trees yet, kept them from being like sails to fall in the winds. I hope you are well and looking forward to gardening outdoors. Meanwhile, I'm sure you are enjoying your paper garden. Have a lovely week, dear one. ♥

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  9. Enjoyed your photos and the history of Eyam. Glad you did not have too much damage. We lost several large trees, one of which fell across the power line to our house taking the pole down with it. We lost our power early Friday morning and only just got it back last night--and Cable late this afternoon. But we managed--I called it glamping since we have a heatilator fireplace and it was cold enough to put the refrigerated food on the porch. The house maintained a 50-deree temperature and under the comforter at night we kept quite warm--reminded me of sleeping at my grandmother's in Mississippi with no heat at night in the bedrooms! At least we have an indoor bathroom!

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    1. Cathy, I'm so glad you are doing okay. I wondered how the storm treated you! Sorry to hear about your trees. I'm so glad your house was sparred. We had a large oak removed before we went to England last year along with other large tree limbs removed. I'm so glad we did before this awful storm came through. We really depend on our electricity and I'm sure glad your's has been restored. Enjoy your return of heat, my friend, as it's colder now! ♥

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  10. This is really fascinating, that 11 generations are living in the same house.. I also do envy English garden here in California, no matter how much I water the plant I don't get the same effect..

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    1. Krishna, I understand. In the heat of summer, here in VA, the plants need rain from the heavens and cooler days. In Britain there seems to be a perfect balance of both! ♥

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  11. Wow, that is quite a sacrifice they made.... interesting learning these things. Lovely pictures and so much history in them :-) I love English gardens too! Have a wonderful week.

    Blessings,
    Jill

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    1. The story of Eyam really touched our hearts, Jill. I don't know how I would react to such a request to stay in a village full of disease. Have a cozy evening. ♥

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  12. I love history and knowing the stories behind these stately old homes and surrounding areas...So many people have sacrificed much ... I don’t think I’d want a sleep over though... Just a friendly reminded that we are so lucky to live in this day and age... I do love the table settings and wonderful memorabilia that comes along with the past... the dollies, the hand embroidered fire screen and even the stately bell system ...I ‘d love one of those in my house (ha ha)... I adore the beautiful gardens... Thank You for sharing the story and your travels.... Hugs

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    1. Thank you for visiting today. The story of Eyam is one of sacrifice. I certainly am glad also that we live in a different time than the folks that lived through the plague. We sometimes romanticize these eras, but life was quite difficult and full of uncertainty. Enjoy your weekend. ♥

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  13. I enjoyed learning about and visiting Eyam Hall with you. Wonderful rooms and I loved that amazing book case most of all!

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    1. That bookcase was so handsome, Dotsie. It would have been nice to be able to linger and explore that library more. Have a nice day, my friend. ♥

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  14. I so enjoyed this post, Martha Ellen! I especially like that music room and of course the photo of all the lavender colored flowers and wall in the garden. Thank you for the tour. I had first heard the tragic story of Eyam on Mike's blog, bitaboutbritain.com and was so intrigued by it. Thank you for the reminder. Lovely photos and of course I never tire of anyone's trip to Britain! Just today I ordered a huge print made from a photo of the chancel of Canterbury Cathedral. I don't know how anyone can visit that country without longing to return to it. (I know you empathize). :-)

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    1. Judy, the heartache story of Eyam really touched our hearts. It's such a beautiful place and it's hard to believe such tragedy happened. Of course, all of Europe went through this unbelievable plague. I haven't read Mike's post about it.
      I know you are going to enjoy the new photo enlarged of Canterbury! Yes, I do empathize--Britain has captured my heart like no other destination. Just love it! ♥

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  15. I love that all those buildings over there are brick or mainly rock. So different than what we have over the pond. THanks for sharing.

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    1. That's why most of them are still around after hundreds of years! Have a nice evening, Pam. ♥

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  16. Such a sad story and sacrifice. The home is lovely and full of history and exceptional items. Treasures beyond it’s walls. How special to be able to see it all. Never boring, so rich of history. 6 weeks to explore and take it all in. English gardens are so beautiful. Happy Sunday.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by today, Linda. We were so blessed with our time in England and really enjoyed ourselves learning more about the life of those who walked before us. Have a happy day. ♥

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  17. There's so much to love about this post ~ the beautiful home, the gardens, the history... I wonder how many of the Wright family were lost in the plague.

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    1. I really don't know the answer to your question, but it is a good one. I'm sure their family must have been affected. Such a sad, sad time for Eyam and most of Europe. Thank you for visiting today. ♥

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  18. Amazing post, great piece of information ,That place is so beautiful . I am sure you had great time with your husband on your 50th Anniversary. Have more such lovely years.
    I just discover your blog and start following you #53, hope you follow me back. please visit my blog. (You can click on below link to go to my blog) Happy week ahead.
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    1. Thank you for visiting my little corner, Shweta. I will try to stop by soon. Have a lovely day! ♥

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  19. A 50th anniversary is so special and you are blessed to have such an enjoyable trip and see many wonderful places.
    So good reading and looking at your post.

    All the best Jan

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    1. We are so thankful we were able to take this amazing trip to your beautiful part of the world, Jan. Thank you for your kind comments! ♥

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