Events - Season 2023-24

A chilly January evening saw an amazing audience of nearly 80 members and visitors turn out to thoroughly enjoy a scholarly, erudite and entertaining talk on ‘The Black Death in Suffolk 1348 – 1500’ given by speaker, Mark Bailey.
The Black Death was the greatest catastrophe in recorded history, a terror which struck communities worldwide. Believed to have originated from ground boring mammals such as marmots, the disease mutated to the human race becoming airborne and spreading rapidly. Shown firstly(1346) in European shipping routes, by 1349 it had moved to Suffolk along the main arterial routeways. Records show that 46% of parish priests died and were  replaced, whilst in dense areas of poverty struck populations with poor nutrition, the disease reigned supreme! Coupled with a time of dramatic climate change (1351 was extremely cold), the vulnerable and frightened population had only one choice and that was to turn to God. Believing He had brought this horror upon them as a punishment, their faith strengthened, and to appease Him, avoid purgatory and protect their souls they turned to the church. The period from 1350-1530 in Suffolk saw money spent on the building and enlarging of many fantastic, large perpendicular churches, Long Melford and Lavenham, to name just two. This was made possible also by Suffolk’s prowess in the sheep and wool trade, and later with ‘ cheap and trendy’ textile production, which generated the enormous wealth needed. Mark concluded his talk by itemising the significant changes wrought by the Black Death many of which led to a much better life for the smaller communities of survivors. In fact, during the later period, records show that Suffolk, along with London and its proximity to the continent , became the most dynamic and flexible economy in the UK. An excellent much appreciated talk!