Anyway, William landed in Brixham, Devon in 1688. This is an oil painting of his arrival which hangs in Hampton Court. As you can see, he arrived in some force.
But, back in Brixham, the local people were delighted when he arrived and went out of their way to welcome him and of course to ingratiate themselves. From Brixham, he made his way to London to assume the Throne, stopping first in Newton Abbott, some 30 kms north of Brixham. He must have caused quite a stir in this little town, since he was apparently by then accompanied by 30,000 men. The first declaration of William III, calling him ' the glorious defender of the Protestant Religion and the liberties of England', was read out from a pedestal in Newton Abbott market place on 5 November - ironically, given the events of exactly 83 years previously against James' grandfather, James I.
We were in Newton Abbott last week (aha! Hence the history lesson!). So here is the pedestal, now bearing a lamp standard, in front of the St Leonard's Tower, all that remains of the 13th century chapel of St Leonard.
I just wonder, if he had arrived at Christmas, if he'd then have been known as William Of Satsuma?
ReplyDeleteHa ha. Very good!
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