As we sit on the precipice of a coronavirus pandemic, are we ready for mass acts of self-isolation?

In the latest in his series of reflections, Will Gore recalls a childhood visit to the plague village of Eyam and wonders if communities today would still sacrifice themselves for the greater good

Eyam villagers placed themselves under quarantine, marked by the boundary stone (Steven Ruffles)

Chocolate-box villages are 10 a penny in the Peak District. I’ve mentioned a few of them in this column over the past couple of years – Edale and Hartington to name just two.

Eyam, in the heart of the Derbyshire Dales, would rival most in the prettiness stakes. Stone cottages on winding streets, a handsome 14th-century church, a village green complete with its ancient stocks. It’s a postcard-friendly place, with a couple of nice cafes in which to write them.

It might well be 30 years since I last went there. For one reason or another, trips to the area in the decades since haven’t led me back. But with so much talk of self-isolation amidst the present coronavirus outbreak, it has been in my thoughts recently – for Eyam is the plague village.