The Black Death was actually a fearful plague, basically spread by rats. It ravaged almost the whole of England for about three years-1347-1350. Its effect was serious, particularly at a time when the prevention against that dreadful disease, plague, was unknown. A person attacked by the plague usually died in less than five days.
That Black Death took a heavy toll on the English people, high and low, rich and poor. According to some reports, at least one-third of the whole population perished in it. There was the saying that often the living could scarcely bury the dead, because of an awful state. In the diocese of Norwich, nearly two-third of Parish clergy died in it. Therefore, even in some religious houses, a large number of Churchmen lost their lives. Of the sixty monks of Saint Albans, only thirteen were reported to have survived. The situations were more serious among the masses of people. The dreadful pestilence was unsparing and in some cases even the whole families were swept off, living none to inherit the land.
Effect of Black death:
1. The effect of the Black Death had serious impacts on the social life of England. There was a dearth of laborers, particularly because workmen were scarce, and a good many of them happened to be scared. As a result, production fell and there was a sharp rise in prices. Because of the paucity of labor, there was a claim for rising in wages, too. Social and economic life in the age almost 8collapsed in such a perspective.
2.It is due to or during the black death that people started questioning the healing power of clergy and Christianity.
3.It also led to the development 0f medical science.