Intreaging mediaeval wall paintings at The Abbotts Antiques. sweetener), at a time when Henry was rather seriously strapped for cash for his next round of costly and pointless war-mongering, to get it back.
their lot with the hapless Duke and make for Lyme post-haste, hotfoot and at the double.
Henry, for once, did not hold all the aces, and, backed into a tight corner, he was advised that the only way to ‘get out of jail’ was to ‘enfeoff’ them all and create a ‘Court of Pie Powder’ (1). Nobody really had a clue what this meant but they remained stumm when they observed the positive effect it appeared to be having on His Royal Majesty’s infamously volatile humour.
but the striking rubble masonry, Beer-stone mullions and dressed flint chequer-patterning of the upper storey can be glimpsed, with discretion, with its imposing fourcentred-arch gateway.
Ironically, some months after the embarrassing and catastrophic débâcle at Sedgemoor, a bloodlusting Judge Jeffreys, on the trail of
Trouble-maker-in-chief amongst their number was one Roger Satchell, listed rather quaintly in the ‘Monmouth Rolls’(2) as cordwainer (aka shoemaker) and yeoman, of Colyton. Roger was given the rightroyal run-around.
Here the ill-fated Duke of Monmouth stayed as guest of local dignitary, Sir Walter Yonge, whom he misguidedly wooed as a potential sympathiser, five years before his disastrous and ill-considered putsch in 1685. Monmouth, on a supposedly innocent ‘fact-finding mission’ at the time, rather misread the body language, as Walter, when push came later to shove, decided conveniently to be away in London on ‘important business’ and was markedly conspicuous by his absence for the entire duration.
Oorlong House Henry had effectively invented the ‘Town Council’ and the Trading Standards Institute in one involuntary, fell swoop - got his money, and everyone went home happy. Colyton still has a Chamber of Feoffees, which is a handy, comforting sort of a thing to have, and has a (nearly) spanking-new Town Hall (by comparison with other ancient buildings in the vicinity) in which to ‘feoff’. Everyone’s a winner. The impressive ‘Great House’ 1 along South Street, is in private ownership
When the revolting Monmouth did finally stagger ashore at Lyme Regis with a pathetic ‘army’ of 83 and four miserably inadequate field guns, 105
Captured at Chard, he was imprisoned at Ilchester, tried at Dorchester and finally hanged at Weymouth; dying, after an impassioned speech, with the words of a psalm on his lips, and leaving Colyton in the grips of a minor shoe-crisis.
The Square, Colyton
gainful employment for his hangman, the infamous, bungling Jack Ketch, and failing to find a clean, well-priced B&B en route betwixt the gallows in Dorchester and the freshly-erected gallows in Exeter, lodged, it is rumoured, with the ever-vacillating
The
Kingfisher Inn A typical 16th century old English pub. The Kingfisher is steeped in character, original beams, flint stone walls and a pretty garden area. We offer a traditional pub menu, offering many home made dishes. Being members of CAMRA and Cask Marque, The Kingfisher offers a good selection of quality real ales.
Chantry Bridge on a wintry day
Colyton men, out of an estimated male population of 375 (a staggeringly high proportion), had decided to throw in
WHAT ELSE DO WE OFFER? Theme nights, Sunday Roast, Monthly Quiz, Private Functions, Darts, Skittles, Crib and Boules Teams. Indoor and outdoor music events. Contact: Nick and Sally Bunkall, The Kingfisher, Dolphin Street, Colyton.
nickandsally@kingfisherinn.co.uk
A Celebration of Life in East Devon
01297 552476 27