Lockdowns 400 years apart are highlighted in audio dramas and stories premiered in Derbyshire plague village

Two of the stories are GPS triggered audio dramas, with augmented reality, and are based in Eyam in the mid 17th century when the village went into lockdown to prevent the plague spreading to nearby towns and cities.

The audio dramas, available on the GeoStories app, reimagine life in the village through the stories of siblings Marshall and Grace Howe, who had the difficult job of dealing with the dead, with the second audio drama focusing on Emmott Sydall and Rowland Torre, young lovers who were separated by the lockdown and secretly met at the Cucklett delph across the stream separating Eyam from Stoney Middleton where Rowland lived. The delph also became the place where people met to worship during the plague and became known as the Cucklett church.

Amanda Pearce, writer and producer. “Producing stories based on life in Eyam at the time of the plague was a powerful reminder of how challenging it must have been at that time and it was a privilege to work with colleagues at Eyam Museum and Arts Council England to bring the characters to life."

Love in a Pandemic, funded by Arts Council England is a selection of stories and poems relating to the recent Covid pandemic is also being launched as part of the Lockdown Stories project, with contributions from the public who shared their own poignant experiences of love and separation during the 2020/21 lockdowns.

The project is launching on Saturday, March 23, from 2pm to 4pm at Eyam Church Centre and will feature an exhibition of photos to accompany the stories, printouts of the writers’ contributions, live cello music, readings from the two stories and cake and coffee.

Amanda said: ““The response from people who we invited to submit their own stories of love in lockdown, was fantastic and we’re delighted to be able to share some very personal and impactful testimonies of personal resilience and the power of love. Not only will their work be available for everyone to hear across the world through their mobile phones via the app but we are also delighted to be able to exhibit them in the village of Eyam which also endured its first lockdown and social distancing in the 17th century.”

All of the stories are available from the free GeoStories app (search ‘GeoStories’ in App Store or Google Play).

Anyone interested in finding out more about Geostories or downloading the free app can follow the GeoStories Facebook page @HelloGeoStories www.geostories.co.uk