The Bull Hotel and the Monmouth Rebellion

The summer of 1685 brought unprecedented turmoil to the West Country, transforming the peaceful coaching inns and market towns of Dorset into unlikely battlegrounds in a struggle for the English throne. At the heart of this drama stood The Bull Hotel in Bridport, a modest coaching inn that would become forever linked with one of the most tragic and futile rebellions in English history. The events that unfolded within its walls during those fateful June days created a legacy of tragedy and supernatural activity that continues to this day.

The Pretender’s Landing

The crisis began on 11th June 1685, when James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, landed at Lyme Regis with a force of just 82 men and three ships. Monmouth, the illegitimate son of the late King Charles II, had fled England following the failed Rye House Plot of 1683, living in exile in the Netherlands under the protection of William of Orange. The death of his father in February 1685 and the accession of his Catholic uncle, James II, to the throne provided Monmouth with what he believed was his opportunity to claim what he considered his rightful inheritance.

Monmouth’s small invasion force was poorly equipped and inadequately funded, relying entirely on the hope that the Protestant population of the West Country would rally to his banner in sufficient numbers to create a viable challenge to James II’s rule. The choice of Lyme Regis as his landing point was strategic – the Dorset port had a reputation for Protestant sympathies and had previously demonstrated opposition to Catholic influence. However, the enthusiastic reception Monmouth received from the local population at Lyme Regis would prove to be misleading regarding the level of support he could expect throughout the broader region.

The March to Bridport

From Lyme Regis, Monmouth’s growing but still amateur army began its advance inland, hoping to gather intelligence about royal forces whilst recruiting additional supporters from the market towns and villages of West Dorset. Bridport, with its strategic position on the main coaching route and its status as a significant market town, represented a crucial test of the rebellion’s viability. If Monmouth could secure support in Bridport and use it as a base for further recruitment, his cause might have some hope of success.

The Duke’s forces reached Bridport on 14th June 1685, just three days after the initial landing. Contemporary accounts describe a motley collection of farmers, weavers, and labourers armed with an assortment of weapons ranging from proper military muskets to agricultural tools hastily converted for combat use. While their enthusiasm was evident, their lack of military training and proper equipment would prove to be fatal weaknesses in the confrontations to come.

The arrival of Monmouth’s forces in Bridport created immediate tension within the town. While some residents were sympathetic to the Protestant cause and opposed to the Catholic James II, others remained loyal to the crown or were simply unwilling to risk their lives and property in what many recognised as a desperate venture with little chance of success. This division within the community would contribute to the chaotic and violent nature of the events that followed.

The Bull Hotel as Reluctant Fortress

The Bull Hotel, already well-established as one of Bridport’s premier coaching inns, found itself thrust into the centre of the unfolding drama. Its substantial stone construction, strategic location on East Street, and commanding views of the surrounding area made it a natural focal point during the military manoeuvring that characterised the rebellion’s brief passage through Bridport.

Wadham Strangeways, a local gentleman of considerable standing in the community, was among those who found refuge within The Bull Hotel as reports of approaching royal forces reached the town. Strangeways represented the type of educated, property-owning supporter that Monmouth desperately needed to legitimise his cause and provide military leadership for his amateur army. His presence at the inn suggests that The Bull was being used not merely as accommodation but as an informal headquarters for local supporters of the rebellion.

The hotel’s upper floors provided excellent vantage points for observing the approaches to Bridport, making it an ideal location for lookouts and messengers. The building’s substantial construction also offered superior protection compared to the timber-framed buildings that comprised much of the town centre, making it a logical choice for those seeking to defend their position against incoming royal forces.

Colonel Venner’s Assault

The military situation in Bridport became critical with the arrival of Colonel Venner’s forces, representing the official royal response to Monmouth’s rebellion. Venner, an experienced military commander loyal to James II, had been dispatched with orders to crush the rebellion before it could gain sufficient momentum to pose a serious threat to the established order. His forces were better equipped, better trained, and better disciplined than Monmouth’s amateur army, giving them significant advantages in any direct confrontation.

The engagement that erupted around The Bull Hotel was not a formal battle but rather a chaotic urban skirmish characterised by confusion, panic, and tragic accidents as much as deliberate military action. The narrow streets of Bridport were unsuited to conventional military tactics, forcing both sides to adapt to close-quarters fighting in an environment filled with non-combatant civilians attempting to flee the violence.

Venner’s strategy appears to have focused on isolating and neutralising key strongpoints where Monmouth’s supporters had taken refuge, rather than engaging in a general assault on the town. The Bull Hotel, with its concentration of rebel sympathisers and its strategic importance as an observation post, would have been a priority target for his forces. The building’s sturdy construction meant that it could not be easily overwhelmed by direct assault, necessitating a more methodical approach involving musket fire from multiple positions.

The Fatal Shot

The tragic climax of The Bull Hotel’s involvement in the Monmouth Rebellion came when Wadham Strangeways positioned himself at an upper window of the inn, musket in hand, to defend the building against Venner’s approaching forces. This act of courage, though ultimately futile, represented the type of individual heroism that characterised much of the rebellion – well-intentioned but ultimately doomed gestures by individuals who lacked the military experience necessary to mount effective resistance against professional soldiers.

Contemporary accounts of Strangeways’ death vary in their details, but all agree that he was struck down by musket fire while defending his position at the window. Some sources suggest that his death was the result of deliberate targeting by Venner’s marksmen, who recognised the strategic importance of eliminating defenders from the hotel’s upper floors. Other accounts characterise his killing as a tragic accident, the result of indiscriminate firing during the heat of the engagement.

The immediate aftermath of Strangeways’ death marked the effective end of organised resistance at The Bull Hotel. The loss of this prominent local figure, combined with the overwhelming firepower demonstrated by Venner’s forces, convinced other defenders that continued resistance was futile. The hotel was abandoned by rebel forces, who either fled the town or attempted to blend back into the civilian population.

The Sealing of the Chamber

The decision to seal the room where Wadham Strangeways died reflects both practical and superstitious concerns that emerged in the immediate aftermath of the rebellion. From a practical standpoint, the chamber bore physical evidence of the violent death that had occurred within its walls – bloodstains, musket ball damage, and other reminders of the tragedy that many found too distressing to confront daily.

However, the sealing also responded to supernatural phenomena that began manifesting almost immediately after Strangeways’ death. Hotel staff and guests reported hearing unexplained sounds from the chamber – heavy footsteps, the rattling of weapons, and what some described as the voice of a man calling out warnings or instructions. These manifestations were so disturbing and persistent that the decision was made to permanently close off the room to prevent further disturbances.

The sealing process involved not merely locking the door but actually boarding up the windows and blocking access to the chamber entirely. This extreme measure suggests that the supernatural activity was considered genuinely threatening rather than merely unsettling. The fact that the room remained sealed for centuries indicates that subsequent owners and managers of the hotel found the phenomena too troubling to risk reopening the chamber.

Historical Consequences and Legacy

The events at The Bull Hotel during the Monmouth Rebellion had consequences that extended far beyond the immediate tragedy of Wadham Strangeways’ death. The failure of the rebellion to gain sufficient support in Bridport contributed to its ultimate collapse at the Battle of Sedgemoor on 6th July 1685, where Monmouth’s amateur army was decisively defeated by professional royal forces.

The brutal reprisals that followed the rebellion, known as the Bloody Assizes under Judge Jeffreys, saw hundreds of rebel sympathisers executed, transported, or imprisoned. While there is no evidence that anyone directly connected to The Bull Hotel faced these extreme punishments, the atmosphere of fear and suspicion that characterised the post-rebellion period undoubtedly affected the establishment and its community.

The hotel’s reputation was forever changed by its association with these violent events. While some might have expected this notoriety to harm the business, the opposite appears to have occurred. The tragic romance of Wadham Strangeways’ heroic death and the supernatural phenomena that followed created a unique atmosphere that attracted curious visitors and added to the establishment’s mystique.

Architectural and Physical Legacy

The physical structure of The Bull Hotel bears lasting evidence of its role in the Monmouth Rebellion. The sealed upper chamber remains a tangible reminder of the events of 1685, its blocked windows still visible from the street as testament to the tragedy that unfolded within. The building’s stone walls show evidence of musket ball impacts, though centuries of renovation and repair have obscured many of these battle scars.

The hotel’s courtyard, now a peaceful dining area, would have witnessed the immediate aftermath of the skirmish, including the removal of Wadham Strangeways’ body and the flight of surviving rebel sympathisers. The contrast between its current tranquil atmosphere and its violent history adds to the poignant nature of the location.

Modern visitors to The Bull Hotel can still sense the weight of history within its walls. The building’s Tudor architecture, with its low ceilings, narrow staircases, and thick stone walls, creates an atmosphere that easily evokes the dangerous and uncertain times of 1685. The preservation of original features throughout the hotel allows contemporary guests to experience something approaching the same physical environment that Wadham Strangeways and his contemporaries knew during those fateful June days.

The Continuing Story

The Bull Hotel’s role in the Monmouth Rebellion represents just one chapter in its long history, but it remains perhaps the most dramatic and consequential. The events of 1685 transformed what had been simply another coaching inn into a location of genuine historical significance, while the supernatural phenomena that followed ensured that the memory of those tragic days would never be forgotten.

Today, The Bull Hotel stands as both a comfortable modern accommodation and a living monument to one of the most tumultuous periods in English history. The ghostly presence of Wadham Strangeways serves as an eternal reminder of the courage, desperation, and ultimate futility that characterised the Monmouth Rebellion, ensuring that visitors to this historic establishment can never forget the human cost of political upheaval and the enduring power of individual sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds.