The Monmouth Rebellion

THE MONMOUTH REBELLION

The Monmouth Rebellion,The Revolt of the West or The West Country rebellion of 1685, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England, King of Scots and King of Ireland at the death of his elder brother Charles II on 6 February 1685. James II was unpopular because he was Roman Catholic and many people were opposed to a papist king. James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, an illegitimate son of Charles II, claimed to be rightful heir to the throne and attempted to displace James II.

The rebellion ended with the defeat of Monmouth’s forces at the Battle of Sedgemoor on 6 July 1685. Monmouth was executed for treason on 15 July, and many of his supporters were executed or transported in the “Bloody Assizes” of Judge Jeffreys. (Wikipedia)

Seavington families affected

There were 7 rebels from Seavington St Mary and 2 from Seavington St Michael and their names were:

St. Mary:

Drewer, Geo - ‘in the rebellion and not come in’ (ie not caught and whereabouts not known) Dunn, Sam - ‘in the rebellion and not come in’
Gummer, Rog - ‘in the rebellion and not come in’
Gummer, Sam - ‘in the rebellion and not come in’
Rawlins, John - ‘in the rebellion and not come in’
Swayne, John - ‘in the rebellion and not come in’
Tappell, WM (Seavington Abbott) - ‘in the rebellion and not come in’

St Michael:

Drewer, Jos - ‘in the rebellion and not come in’
Willey, John - ‘in the rebellion and not come in, presented at Wells, confused with another John Willey from Kingsbury Episcopi, one had his certificate allowed and the other remained in custody.

The information for all this comes from the Constables’ Presentments of 2,611 names intended for the Assizes at Dorchester, Exeter and Taunton (also called the Monmouth Roll, British Library, Additional MS 30077).

The additional, confused information for John Willey comes from Jeffreys’ Report to King James, British Library, Additional MS 90337, copy in Harleian MS 4689. Printed in Bloody Assize, ed Muddiman, 195-225.

The source where all this information came from, brought in by a volunteer is Somerset Record Society, Volume 79, The Monmouth Rebels 1685, compiled by W. MacDonald Wigfield, MA in 1985. ISBN 090

Lord Cameron mentions the Monmouth Rebellion in his ‘A History of the Dillington Estate’ which is on the farming page under Village Life.