Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore is considered a classic work of literature and for good reason. John Ridd is an amiable protagonist who falls in love with the equally amiable Lorna Doone, a young woman from a criminal, thuggish family which he has always hated (and for good reason – his father was murdered by the Doones and… Read on
Today I have the pleasure of welcome my friend – and fellow 17th-century buff – Anna Belfrage to The Seventeenth Century Lady. Anna has written several wonderful historical novels, and I’m sure you’ll love her guest post. _______________ Falling in Love with Mr Unknown – How One Painting Inspired a Whole Series It’s all the fault of the… Read on
My assignment for my online course, in case you were interested! The Seventeenth Century was a remarkable time in the history of the world. It was a time of growth in terms of economy and global trade, colonial expansionism, and at the same time, the roots of the modern world took hold. Both conquerors and conquered peoples had… Read on
On Monday the 15th of July, I went to Tower Hill where I spoke about the life of James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. I will now include photos and excerpts I used from contemporary sources. It was a beautiful day to remember a beautiful man. It was a very hot and sunny, and I bought two bouquets of… Read on
Ford, Lord Grey, was one of the Duke of Monmouth’s closest friends, and played a particularly important role both in the Rye-House Plot of 1683 and Monmouth’s Rebellion in 1685. During the course of researching His Last Mistress, I re-read The Confession of Ford, Lord Grey, which he wrote during his incarceration at the Tower of London in… Read on
This will be an informal meetup to commemorate the tragic execution of James Scott, Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch on the 15th of July, 1685. We will meet by the plaque between Tower Hill Tube Station and The Liberty Bounds pub. This is generally the area upon which his execution took place. There will be readings of excerpts… Read on
Blake Museum is nestled in a little street near the heart of Bridgwater, only a few minutes walk from St. Mary’s Church at 5 Blake Street, Bridgwater, TA6 3NB. This was the home of Admiral Robert Blake (1598-1657) who was one of the most important men from this town. His bust is on display in St. Mary’s Church.… Read on
I’m just adding the review for this that I gave them on TripAdvisor: I was in this area researching for my novel about the Duke of Monmouth and the Battle of Sedgemoor. Doing this, I worked up quite an appetite, and I looked around for somewhere to eat. This inn has excellent location, right next to the historic… Read on
One of the things on my bucket list was to visit the site of the Battle of Sedgemoor, and I was able to cross that one off the list. But…I have a confession to make…I got lost… How can this be possible? Well, see the photo above? I asked a passing local which direction, and I was told… Read on
This week, I was very fortunate to be able to go to Somerset. My husband celebrated his fortieth birthday last weekend and we were given a two night stay in East Bower, Bridgwater. It couldn’t have been more perfect because, as some of you know, I have been working on a novella about the Duke of Monmouth for… Read on
[This is available as a podcast on iTunes] He was unquestionably one of the handsomest of the Stuart men. Tall, dark, and seductive, James Crofts, later James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, was born in Rotterdam, the Dutch Republic, on the 9th of April 1649, to an exiled King Charles II and his mistress Lucy Walter. James had a… Read on
I’ve been researching Henrietta Wentworth in more depth since beginning my novella about her relationship with the Duke of Monmouth. I find her fascinating, though some of my peers seem quite happy to brush her off as “dull.” I don’t see that, I see a woman who did what other women could not do – have a truly… Read on