Photo-a-Day (Thursday, 27th March, 2025)
Plague Pit or Garden?
1649 was probably the worst time in Wigan's History, after years of Civil War, Poor Harvests Food Shortages and Civil Strife the town was hit by Plague.
Infected people were moved to wooden 'Plague Houses' on the outskirts of town, Woodhouse Lane is named after them!
Due to the size of the outbreak many more cabins were built and a great many died in these Plague Houses.
Plague victims were buried in this Graveyard, the last recorded one being 23rd July 1649.
So next time you're sat on a bench eating your 'Butties' watching the children play on the grass, just think of all those Bubonic Plague victims a few feet down!
Photo: Colin Traynor (iPhone)
Colin, I'm led to believe the bubonic plague victims were buried at the entrance to the church grounds via the King of Prussia Yard, not where the photo is showing. It's also said that the main plague outbreak in Wigan was in the 1340's.
Splendid very nice indeed, Colin.
Love the colourful flowers.
Oh no not another Church.....only kidding.
Like the flower beds.
Another Church......
The grounds look lovely with the flower beds in Bloom. What great time of year it is, Spring is very much welcome.
A mini oasis in the town centre
Beautiful Little Park and photo with the primula in full bloom.
I wonder how many died in the plague and who was that last victim?
Slipper Mick, no doubt they were buried there also Mick but I am on reciting what it says ‘On The Tin’ or in this case the information board at the Cenotaph entrance to the Garden.
Put your email address up and I’ll send you a photo of it.
It is quite like as you say that there were previous plague outbreaks in Wigan and possibly even after. Not counting Spanish Flu and Covid!
The Symptoms of Bubonic Plague. It’s hard to imagine how people suffered in many parts of the country. More so looking on that very peaceful scene…….
“There are three types of plague. Most of the sick in 1665-1666 had bubonic plague. This created swellings (buboes) in the lymph nodes found in the armpits, groin and neck. Plague sufferers experienced headaches, vomiting and fever. They had a 30% chance of dying within two weeks. This type of plague spread from a bite caused by a black rat flea that carried the Yersinia pestis bacteria.
Worse still was pneumonic plague, which attacked the lungs and spread to other people through coughing and sneezing, and septicaemic plague, which occurred when the bacteria entered the blood. In these cases, there was little hope of survival
Treatments and prevention at the time did not help. Sometimes, patients were bled with leeches. People thought impure air caused the disease and could be cleansed by smoke and heat. Children were encouraged to smoke to ward off bad air. Sniffing a sponge soaked in vinegar was also an option.
Some scientists suggest that the black rat had started to develop a greater resistance to the disease. If the rats did not die, their fleas would not need to find a human host and fewer people would be infected. Probably, people started to develop a stronger immunity to the disease. Also, in plague scares after 1666, more effective quarantine methods were used for ships coming into the country. There was never an outbreak of plague in Britain on this scale again.”….
A flock of sheep wouldn’t look out of place, even if they were concrete or fibreglass.
That's put me right off my meat pie, Colin! I'll eat it in the town centre in future, pigeons or no pigeons! (Only joking.....the church garden is a lovely peaceful spot).
Just beautiful. Very relaxing in a safe environment.
Too much information Veronica, put me right off my breakfast. I kept looking at the Black Pudding imaging all sorts things.
Think I’ll go for a lie down!
It looks lovely and well-kept to me, a few weeks ago I read here that it was rundown and full of litter.
We might as well know what lies beneath and the cause of the tragedy of all those interred.
We can see photos of the Parish Church and never give it a thought. When I worked at the County Court in the early 90’s I would sit on a bench eating my sandwiches dropping crumbs for the pigeons. I didn’t know the plague victims were buried there. I knew it was a grave yard but not for the bubonic plague victims from the 1600’s. History at our feet Colin. That’s what the photo reminded me of and your description of the plague. It always seems that those tragedies of the past happened somewhere else and not in OUR town of Wigan. But sadly they did…
Wish my flower beds looked like that …….envious.
It’s a good job I’d eaten my fish chips and curry before reading reading Veronica’s and Colin’s comments blimey hahaha
Now you've mentioned the magistrate's court, it's got me thinking back to 1968,69 time
I was caught driving after drinking too many pints of ale and was asked to attend the court so they could ban me.
And before my hearing, I
remember sitting in the churchyard waiting until it was my time.
Sounds like you’ve always been a very, very naughty, boy Mick.
There's a Thai massage shop in one of the buildings on the top left of the photo, I've noticed over the last few years a lot of Wigan men who seemed to have developed bad backs all of a sudden.
Makes me wonder if there wive know we're they have been.
https://i.servimg.com/u/f54/18/71/57/65/plague10.jpg
My father was knocked down by a drunk driver in 1973, and suffered severe brain damage, unconscious for 3 weeks, lost his livelihood as a builder - in effect, lost everything at the age of 52. Nothing 'naughty' about drunk driving.
I am really sorry to hear that Pat. It must have been devastating for all your family. There was still a long way to go before the ban came in regarding drinking.
There's a Thai massage shop in one of the buildings on the top left of the photo, I've noticed over the last few years a lot of Wigan men who seemed to have developed bad backs all of a sudden.
Makes me wonder if there wive know we're they have been.
How awful, Pat McC.....so sorry to hear that about your dad.
Too right Pat McC, I too have no sympathy for when drunk drivers are caught, they know full well that it is wrong, and besides no one but themselves is pouring the stuff down their throats.
In 1967 All Saint's Rector, Canon John Park said that the church stood on a hill of bones, also many graves were disturbed by the building of Wallgate station, see this information and more about the churchyard in the link: https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=2&id=31470
Pat,that’s terrible,God bless him,life just isn’t fair at times.
Thank you Irene and Veronica. Apologies for deviating from your photo Colin. A beautiful Spring scene. My favourite time of year.
From Wigan building preservation trust website
https://www.wiganlocalhistory.org/articles/wigan-the-black-death
Another blunder by WN6 !