Surrey Archaeological Collections
Surrey Archaeological Society, 2003. (updated 2023) https://doi.org/10.5284/1000221. How to cite using this DOI
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- ADS Collection: 379
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1000221
- How to cite using this DOI
SURREY ARCHAEOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS
Epidemics in Tudor and Stuart Guildford
J R BIGNALL
There are few references to plague and other pestilences in the records of the Borough of Guildford that have survived from the 16th and 17th centuries. In the Loseley Manuscripts there is a petition dated 12 September 1563 from the inhabitants to the mayor that âin consideration of the prevailing pestilence an order be issued to restrain people from having recourse to the hill of St Catherineâs for the annual fairâ. This epidemic is also mentioned in the Richard Symmes Manuscript, which states that: âThis year the plague was in the towne Mem â that in this time of plague the mercate house was builded, with the clock and dyallâ. A letter from the Privy Council to the mayor in October 1578 has been preserved, stating that the fair of 11 November must not be held owing to the prevalence of the plague in and around London, from âwhence so many usually attendâ. This report concerns an investigation of the registers of the three parishes of the borough from 1560 to 1669. The âold styleâ calendar â the start of the year being 25 March â is used throughout. 1560 is the first year that registers of the two larger parishes are both complete, and the last date was chosen to include the end of plague as a major cause of death in this country.
