Down With Ye Seknes

In this episode, Martin Hall, archivist for Aberdeen City and Shire, talks about the epidemic response in Medieval Aberdeen to the known and unknown diseases including the plague between 1498 and 1549. On the 17 May 1498 the whole population of Aberdeen were gathered at the Castlegate by a premonition or sound of the bell because of what was referred to as a strange sickness, this may have been Scotland’s earliest recorded lockdown . . .

Please be advised that this episode contains sensitive material that listeners may find discomforting.

 

Title: And if you’re wondering about the title of the podcast ‘Down With Ye Seknes’ - the term for the plague at the time was ‘Ye Seknes’.

Image: A page in the Council Register: An order of 21 August 1500 that the houses of 21 persons in the Castlegate are to be shut up for 15 days, and that none can leave under pain of immediate death, to protect the town from the "plague of pestilence" - additionally all incoming cargo is ordered to be burned and all persons who have travelled upon or met anyone from the ship in the harbour are to be confined to the shut houses for 15 days, again on pain of death.