'400 years on, the plague stone still helps people'

A 17th Century stone used to cleanse the money of plague victims has found a new purpose four centuries later, as a community collection point for a local charity.

The hollowed-out stone, located on Little Hob Moor, in York, was originally filled with water or vinegar to wash the coins of those suffering from the disease.

But, Ian Tomlinson, member of preservation group Friends of Hob Moor, said when pennies started to appear in the stone's basin more recently, he decided to donate the funds to St Leonard's Hospice, which cares for terminally ill people.

He said it was "amazing this simple stone that was used to help the plague victims in the city is now once again being used, this time to raise money".

Hob Moor is part of Micklegate Stray, one of four strays - areas of open land - surrounding the city.

According to a plaque by the stone, when the plague hit York in 1604 some infected people moved into lodges on Hob Moor to avoid spreading the illness.

Visitors would bring food and supplies, but leave them by the stone in exchange for money, which could be washed in the purpose-made basin.

A secondary stone, the Hob Stone, which is believed to be an effigy of a knight, arrived a century later, and stands over the Plague Stone.

Tomlinson has been part of Friends of Hob Moor, a community group that promotes the conservation and protection of the area, since 1999.

He said he first noticed a pile of pennies at the stone in March 2022, and donated them to Marie Curie, a charity his wife worked closely with.

He did not expect to find more - but a steady trickle of small change kept appearing.

"A few days later, there were more pennies and I thought 'there's something in this'," he said.

He put up a small sign to indicate that the money would go to St Leonard's Hospice.

Located less than a mile away from Hob Moor, the charity's proximity was one of the reasons it was chosen as a recipient, Tomlinson said, as well as its significance for many York residents.

In the four years since he started collecting the change, the Plague Stone has helped to raise £936, from "loose coin people put in", he explained.

James Wainwright, director of income generation at St Leonard's Hospice said the charity was "very grateful to Ian and the Friends of Hob Moor".

"It's a wonderful reminder of the generosity of our community, and we're delighted that this historic landmark is helping us care for local people when they need us most," he said.

Despite its success as a collection point, Tomlinson said he had "never seen anyone actually putting money in", although plenty of people show an interest in the stone.

"There's a little plaque to say what they are about, and people stop to read it," he said.

"So if I see them stopping, I hover around and try and explain a little bit more about why they're there."

Tomlinson, who walks by the stone "almost daily", added that he even regularly fills the basin with water "to make it a bit more authentic".

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