The Oak Room

in June 1685 the Duke of Monmouth landed at Lyme Regis in Dorset to challenge King James II's right to the throne. He assembled an army of over 3,000 men and marched towards London.

He got as far as Sedgemoor in Somerset where he was defeated by the King's army. 1300 men were taken prisoner and tried by five judges, led by the famous Judge Jeffreys, who became known as the 'hanging judge' for his harsh sentences following the Monmouth Rebellion. 312 cases were heard in Dorchester; of these 292 were sentenced to death. 74 were executed, most of the others were transported to the West Indies. Execution meant being hung, drawn and quartered and having your remains displayed around the country. 300 people from met this fate in the Bloody Assizes which followed the Monmouth Rebellion.

Because the Dorchester court room was out of use the trials took place in the Oak Room in the Antelope Hotel: this room.

It is now a splendid tea shop where the helpful waitresses wear the black-and-white uniform of the wartime Lyons 'nippy' ladies.

When the tide turned against James II Judge Jeffreys was imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he died in 1689.

All this history, and excellent coffee too, and the prices were half what you'd pay in Starbucks or Costa.

I thought I'd posted this ages ago but for some reason it didn't load, so I've done it again.