Lost Parchment Reveals People Who Survived The Black Death

Researchers identified a previously overlooked parchment in a Ramsey Abbey account that lists 22 tenants likely struck by plague in 1349.

The record notes how long each person was absent from work, offering rare clues about illness and recovery after the Black Death.

It is unusual evidence because medieval sources usually record deaths, not survivors or the length of recovery.

The find helps fill a major gap in understanding who survived the plague and how communities recovered.