The Arrival of the Black Death in England: Origins and Spread

The bubonic plague (Black Death) entered England in June 1348 at Melcombe Regis (Weymouth), Dorset, aboard a Gascon trading vessel from infected continental ports.

Transmission Chain

1. Central Asian reservoirs → Silk Road → Crimea (1346).
2. Genoese ships → Constantinople, Sicily, Marseille (1347).
3. Coastal trade → Bristol, Southampton, London.
4. River/road networks → inland towns.

English Impact

• 1348–1350: 30–50% mortality (1.5–3 million).
• Recurrent waves: 1361, 1369, 1375, 1603, 1665 (Great Plague).
• Social: Labor shortage → wage rise, serfdom decline, Peasants' Revolt (1381).

Key Takeaway

The Black Death arrived in England via a single ship in 1348, then spread rapidly through trade routes and dense, unsanitary towns, reshaping society.