The Plague Stones of England
Across the English countryside, beside old roads, at parish boundaries and near ancient churches, there are curious stones that once held vinegar. They are called plague stones, and they are silent relics of one of the darkest chapters in human history. These hollowed boulders, simple and unassuming, tell stories of isolation, desperation, and the inventive ways people tried to survive the plagues that swept across medieval Europe. They are more than carved rock. They are echoes of fear and faith. They remind us that even in times of terror, people sought ways to protect one another while clinging to the thin hope that cleanliness, prayer, and distance might keep death away. Today these stones still stand in places like Derbyshire, York, and Cornwall. Most passersby have no idea what they once were. Yet when you stop and look closer, they tell you everything about the human instinct to endure. What Were Plague Stones Plague stones are hollowed-out stones or boulders used during outbrea...