Monmouth Rebellion 1685, Dorset Volunteers

Monmouth Rebellion 1685, Dorset Volunteers

This record set lists persons who joined the Monmouth Rebellion and were part of the Duke of Monmouth's army and is brought to you in partnership with the Dorset Family History Society and the Family History Federation.

The Monmouth Rebellion occurred in 1685 when the Duke of Monmouth, exiled illegitimate son of the late King Charles II, rebelled against his recently crowned uncle, King James II of England.  Monmouth believed the English people would join him in rising against James II, a practicing Catholic.  He landed in June at Lyme Regis, Dorset, with 82 followers and quickly raised over 4,000 men, but he was unable to rally the gentry to his Rebellion. On July 6th his army of peasants was totally defeated on the plain of Sedgemoor, Somerset, with 500 prisoners being taken by the Royal Army. Monmouth escaped but was soon captured and taken to London where he was beheaded nine days later.

After the Battle of Sedgemoore which ended the Rebellion there followed the Bloody Assizes which were a series of trials starting at Winchester on 26th August 1685. From there the court proceeded through the West Country to Salisbury, Dorchester and on to Taunton, before finishing up at Wells on 23rd September. More than 1,400 prisoners were dealt with and although most were sentenced to death, fewer than 300 were hanged or hanged, drawn and quartered. Some 800–850 men were transported to the West Indies where they were worth more alive than dead as a source of cheap labour. The most notorious man for giving out many death sentences was Judge Jeffreys who was known as the ‘Hanging Judge’ at the ‘Bloody Assizes’.

© Dorset FHS