The lepers are coming

Submitted by Karen on Thu, 2005-03-10 09:01
Leprosy was eradicated from Britain in the 17th century, but "lepers" (aided by costume and makeup) will return in a torchlight procession through the town of Torrington.

Local artist Shan Miller is organizing the event as part of a wider exploration of Torrington's leper history; the town still has visible "leper fields" (which once provided for a local leper colony), and some of the former lepers' cottages are still used as residences.