Back in 2020, the village of Eyam in Derbyshire was famous once more. In 1665, it had isolated itself so as not to spread the plague and this was brought up as an example during the Covid pandemic.
However, Eyam also had another claim to fame as the “Mock Marriage Village”. One evening, Joseph Hunt, the Rector of the Church, had been partaking of the hospitality at the Miners Arms Inn rather too freely and decided to marry the landlord’s daughter - on the spot.
He appointed a miner to officiate at a mock marriage and Miss Anne Ferns became “Mrs Hunt”. However, once word of this “jolly jape” got back to the Bishop, he was not best pleased and ordered Joseph to make an honest woman of Anne properly. This, he duly did.
However, Joseph was already engaged and his fiancée proceeded to sue him for breach of promise. The lawsuit bankrupted him and he then hid in the Church vestry to avoid the bailiffs. His wife stayed with him and they had several children – who were brought up by the village. And so it was today, 16th December back in 1709, that the Reverend Joseph Hunt died at the young age of 27.
However, Eyam also had another claim to fame as the “Mock Marriage Village”. One evening, Joseph Hunt, the Rector of the Church, had been partaking of the hospitality at the Miners Arms Inn rather too freely and decided to marry the landlord’s daughter - on the spot.
He appointed a miner to officiate at a mock marriage and Miss Anne Ferns became “Mrs Hunt”. However, once word of this “jolly jape” got back to the Bishop, he was not best pleased and ordered Joseph to make an honest woman of Anne properly. This, he duly did.However, Joseph was already engaged and his fiancée proceeded to sue him for breach of promise. The lawsuit bankrupted him and he then hid in the Church vestry to avoid the bailiffs. His wife stayed with him and they had several children – who were brought up by the village. And so it was today, 16th December back in 1709, that the Reverend Joseph Hunt died at the young age of 27.
