The Plague Stone in Penrith 

Sitting incongruously beside the main road is this little noticed and unloved stone. But the story it tells is as fascinating as it is sad. In 1597 the Plague struck in Penrith. Normal life in the town was suspended as the disease tore through the population. Farmers living around Penrith were too terrified of the plague to risk bringing their goods to market. So there were serious food shortages to compound the townsfolks’ problems. So plague stones were set up around the outskirts of the town. These stones had a hollow filled with vinegar. Townsfolk left coins in the vinegar and retreated a safe distance. Farmers then brought food and left it by the stone and took the money. The plague finally released its grip after 15 months having killed almost half of the population of the town. Such stones were quite common around England but few now remain.

 

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