I love coming across the odd little obscure historical thing on my travels. My wife and I are staying in an old hotel room above a restaurant in Ringwood Hampshire by the New Forest. It is a charming thatched room old style English cottage type design and I assume it is hundreds of years old.
I hit my head on the top door way. I'm 5'9" not exactly the tallest of men but our rooms are very oldie world. It has a charm and we are here for a week going out and exploring. The house next door to us has a round historical plaque next the front door. I read, with interest, that the Duke of Monmouth stayed here as a prisoner after the battle of Sedgemoor in 1685.
He was the illegitimate son of King Charles II and a mistress named Lucy Walter from Wales. He was classed as an English nobleman and was born in Rotterdam, Dutch Republic in the year of 1649. He was sired by Prince Charles ( Future Charles II) who was living in exile after his father Charles I was executed by Oliver Cromwell led Parliamentarians. Of course, Charles II returned as king to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland during the Restoration. When Charles II died, his younger brother James II of England, James VII of Scotland took the throne. He was a Roman Catholic and this inspired the Duke of Monmouth to lead a rebellion. He was very popular among the English because of previous wars he had fought for the nation. His rebellion was defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor and he was captured in Ringwood, where I'm staying for a week's vacation. He was held in the house next door before being taken to London and executed.
This is the house where the Duke of Monmouth was kept before being taken to London and tried for treason. He was executed at Tower Hill by beheading.
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