Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – Mompesson’s Well)

What is now called Mompesson’s Well was originally used by villagers to get water (although it’s actually supplied from a stream) and it also served as a boundary stone for Eyam. It is now an important part of the village’s history as locals would leave money in the water, mixed with vinegar to avoid the spread of the plague, in exchange for goods and provisions which were left here.

The wellhead is from the seventeenth century and so is contemporary from when the village was locked down, although the iron railings and paving slabs are from the twentieth century. The well is named after William Mompesson (1639-1709), the vicar of the village, who took a major role in sealing off the village to try and limit the spread of the plague. It’s a relatively short walk from the centre of Eyam and there’s a signed path that leads off from the rear of the churchyard.

Below is the unenclosed well from a photo taken in 1919.