With their limited cavalry in the vanguard, they turned south along Bradney Lane and Marsh Lane and came to the open moor with its deep and dangerous rhynes (drainage ditches).[69]. Dissenters has suffered in two areas of the country in particular; London and the South West. [75] The Hangman in 'Punch and Judy' is named after this notorious character, Jack Ketch. He planned to stay in Bridgwater until they returned and then break out and head for Bristol. They felt cheated by the return of the Monarchy to England and had since suffered terrible persecution at the hands of that Monarchy. [62] Monmouth's half-brother Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton, led some cavalry, dragoons, and 500 musketeers into the village, where they were surrounded by the rebels and had to hack through hedges to escape. [37] The next day, 40 cavalry and 400foot soldiers, under the command of Lord Grey and Wade, moved on to the nearby town of Bridport, where they encountered 1,200 men from the local royalist Dorset militia. [39] Many of the militiamen deserted and joined Monmouth's army. Now it is a sprawling impersonal mass of houses. The men from the West County had gathered around Monmouth because they still remembered the Civil War and what their fathers had died for. picture credit Geoff Williams. In the light of propaganda suggesting the rebels had an army of 40,000 and that 500 royalist troops had been lost at Norton St Philip, Feversham was ordered to engage Monmouth's forces. Monmouths army had by now grown to between 6,000 and 7,000 souls, with the majority being Somerset peasants and miners, with smaller numbers from neighbouring counties. The only Cavalry they had was composed of horses that knew more of pulling a plough than charging an enemy. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. Taunton itself was singled out as a centre of sedition during the reign of Charles II and it was ordered to dismantle its defenses in case of rebellion. [68], The Duke eventually led his untrained and ill-equipped troops out of Bridgwater at around 10:00pm to undertake a night-time attack on the King's army. Chevers Lane, Norton St Philip, where the fighting took place, used to be known as Bloody Lane' (Image: submitted) Robert Abbot, William Cass and William Churchill, men of Somerton, joined the Duke of Monmouth to fight for God and liberty in June 1685 and did not return home. In particular the gentry did not seem to be rallying to the cause. [65] His men damaged the Bishop's Palace and the west front of Wells Cathedral, tearing lead from the roof to make bullets, breaking the windows, smashing the organ and the furnishings, and for a time stabling their horses in the nave. On July 15th 1685 James Scott, the Duke of Monmouth, was executed for treason against the King. Web4912 x 3264 px | 41.6 x 27.6 cm | 16.4 x 10.9 inches | 300dpi Date taken: 3 June 2013 Location: Norton St Philip village, Somerset, England, UK Photographer: ICP More information: This image is Exclusive to Alamy Save up to 70% with our image packs Pre-pay for multiple images and download on demand. Primary villages vs Secondary villages what is thedifference? A group of dissident Protestants led by James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, eldest illegitimate son of Charles II, opposed James largely due to his Catholicism. Well done mtnescapes (whoever you are!) In the pubs of Taunton, a town that had suffered much under Charles II, people still sang of their relief from the Cavalier siege forty years earlier. This is important as you get older. Yet despite their lack of equipment and experience, in a major skirmish at Norton St Philip on the 27th June the rebels got the upper hand. Though some sources say it took eight blows, the official Tower of London website says it took five blows,[74] while Charles Spencer, in his book Blenheim, claims it was seven. "The Cavaliers dispers'd with fear, and forced were to run, Fletcher shot and killed Dare and was then put under arrest and sent back to the frigate Helderenberg. Amongst their number were w. orkers from the mills and workshops of Frome. We walk towards their ghosts. Monmouth was finally defeated by Feversham with John Churchill, his second in command, on 6 July at the Battle of Sedgemoor. After some small early victories Monmouth was chased all around the West Country until on July 5th Monmouth's beleaguered troops were cornered by Feversham and the King's army. Norton St Philip It was to be the common people and not the aristocracy who were to stand behind him when it he was finally persuaded by 'friends' to make a claim on the throne of England. Britain All Over is the dedicated blogging site of Britain-Visitor.com and offers useful information and services for visitors to Britain. WebThe Monmouth Rebellion. We happily cater for groups large and small, and our private dining room The Dungeon is available for parties, events and meetings a truly unique space! On the throne in 1685, following the death of Charles II, was James II, Charles brother, a Roman Catholic. HP10 9TY. Nevertheless, many more supporters enrolled in Taunton as Monmouths army continued to grow. Within four years survivors had been pardoned, but few could afford to return to England. With the assistance of the local militias they attempted to stop new recruits arriving in Taunton to join Monmouth. WebDuring the Pitchfork Rebellion of June and July 1685, the Duke of Monmouth, who was the illegitimate son of Charles II, led a ragtag army of 8,000 locals armed with muskets, scythes and pitchforks against a professional army of his uncle James II. But already Monmouths ships had been taken by the navy, removing his opportunity for escape, and a naval presence along the south coast guarded against any hope of reinforcement, though none was planned (Bryant, 1947, 121). The Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 began in Lyme Regis and was crushed in the same year on Sedgemoor. We still support NSP of course and will continue to do so and we hope the magic of the place will never be lost. He was also fined the huge sum of 5,000 for uttering "seditious" words. Monmouth later confessed that his father had told him in private that he would have no legal right to the throne. Tell your friends and neighbours about this website, encourage them to get involved. He was a noble man who met his heath with calmness and dignity. Living in a town is far more impersonal and there is not such a family feel about it. As Monmouth began to retreat his forces began to desert in large numbers, men taking up the amnesty offered by James II for those who abandoned the rebellion immediately. One supporter of the Duke was a young Daniel Defoe. [81] The Monmouth Rebellion plays a key role in Peter S. Beagle's novel Tamsin, about a 300-year-old ghost who is befriended by the protagonist. Britain All Over is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites. The fears of the people that they might have another Papist Monarch increased. They were rescued by Churchill and withdrew with approximately twenty casualties on each side; however, each side believed that the other had taken greater losses. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to Two letters from two people counts as two letters. Guests of the Plaine have a 30% discount on entry to Longleat House and Safari Park. John Dryden's work Absalom and Achitophel is a satire partially concerned with equating biblical events with the Monmouth Rebellion. Monmouths next move was to Frome where he arrived on the 28th. Bath The invasion had been inadequately funded, lacked sufficient arms and equipment and had at its core only a tiny body of experienced soldiers, including a few mercenaries such as the Dutch gunner who would command the artillery. "The Rebellion of the 9th Earl of Argyll, 1685", "Sedgemoor Battle and Monmouth Rebellion Campaign", "Monmouth's rebellion and the Battle of Sedgemoor", "Monmouth Rebellion Rebellion moves on", "Bridgewater Castle and the Battle of Sedgemoor", "The Monmouth rebellion and the bloody assize", "Monmouth Rebellion Battle of Sedgemoor", "James the Second, 1685: An Act to Attaint James Duke of Monmouth of High-Treason. Whilst it does mean temporary work for building companies to erect the houses, it does not mean that there will automatically be a creation of new jobs in the village for new residents. They were strong in the protestant religion and held firmly to their beliefs. WebAt Norton St Philip on the 27th Monmouth had failed to take the only real opportunity the campaign would offer of inflicting a serious defeat on the royal forces, which might have caused James s troops to begin to defect and many more Rot. [70] The superior training of the regular army and their horses routed the rebel forces by outflanking them. It is unfair to characterise them as farm hands, as has sometimes happened in the past,because much of Monmouth's army was made up from professional men; his army may have lacked skill but they were very dedicated to the task. The failure of Parliamentary efforts to exclude James from the succession in 1681 resulted in the 1683 Rye House Plot to assassinate Charles II and James; although Monmouth was then in exile in the Dutch Republic, he was identified as a co-conspirator. Monmouth was the illegitimate son of King Charles II, born to Lucy Walters in 1649 during Charles II's exile at the Hague. Guests of the Plaine have a 30% discount on entry to Longleat House and Safari Park. Monmouth departed from Holland and headed for the traditionally Protestant south west of England, making landfall at Lyme Regis (Dorset) on June 11 with a small party of perhaps just over 80 men, including reputedly one Daniel Defoe, who scribed Robinson Crusoe. In this crucible, at the very heart of the English Nation, near the site that Alfred the Great at last beat the Danes, we find ourselves again under attack from a government and those who seek to profit at the expense of the environment and the inhabitants of this village. He would never really have made a good King and everyone knew this; he had become a pawn in a pitiful struggle for power begin persuaded by 'friends' to claim a crown which had never ever really belonged to him. This thickly populated area had a very strong woolen industry. [62], Monmouth then marched overnight to Frome, arriving on 28 June. There were inconclusive skirmishes with a force of Life Guards commanded by Feversham. It appears that their fears may have been unfounded and James preached religious tolerance ending the legal persecution of Dissenters.