This week for Looking Back we will be looking at how a popular beach received its name.

The chances are that if you have been to Monmouth Beach located at Lyme Regis, you probably haven't given much thought as to why it got its name or its history.

It received its name from the Duke of Monmouth, who landed there in 1685 in an attempt to take the crown from King James II.

Thanks go to Neil Mattingly for providing the information and the pictures for this piece.

Charmouth as a whole welcomed welcome the return of the Duke of Monmouth (James Scott), the illegitimate eldest son of Charles II and his mistress, Lucy Walters.

The duke unsuccessfully attempted to dispose his uncle, King James II, in what is commonly called the Monmouth Rebellion.

After declaring himself the legitimate king and gaining support from the Protestants, who opposed their Roman Catholic king's rule, the duke set sail from Holland and landed in Dorset in May, 1685 gathering his supporters at Lyme Regis.

The duke had three ships with which to invade, and chose Lyme as it was near to Taunton where he believed he had great support.

The night prior, a number of his followers under the leadership of Thomas Dare of Taunton, landed on the beach at Seatown, near Charmouth, with the mission to seek support in the surrounding villages.

No doubt Charmouth was amongst those visited, gaining 16 followers from the population of around 250 people.

Those living in the town would have seen the boats pass the shore, and three fishermen were detained about the duke's ship.

History tells us that one of whom was Samuel Robbins from Charmouth, who sold his catch to the rebels.

A report from the time shows Robbins taken at Lyme Regis and sent to Dorchester, where he was tried and hanged at Wareham, even though he was not a supporter.

In John Tutchin's 'The Western Martyrology or Bloody Assizes', Doctor Temple, chief physician to the Duke of Monmouth said: "One Samuel Robbins of Charmouth, who was executed or rather murdered at Wareham.

"I cannot pass him by in silence, his case being so extraordinarily hard, that to speak moderately between the King and his case, I do say this, that I verily believe neither man suffered innocently, as I hope you will be satisfied in matter you have heard his crime."

Robbins often used the craft of fishing to pay maintenance for his family, and having been out at sea when the Duke came in to land, was taken a board one of the ships, not knowing who they were, made to sell his fish, after which they told him that the Duke of Monmouth was going to land, and he would receive his liberty once this happened.

Another Charmouth man, William Guppy, also met an unfortunate end. He was tried at Dorchester by the notorious Judge Jeffreys and transported from Weymouth on the way to Barbados, but tragically died on board the Betty on December, 17 1685.

Another reminder of Charmouth's involvement in the rebellion is a memorial to Edward Coker at St Mary's Church, Bridport.

It reads: "In memory of Edward Coker of Maypowder (Mapperton) Slayne at The Bull Inn in Bridport, June, 14 1685 by one Venner, who was an officer under the late Duke of Monmouth in that rebellion."

It is a record of the rebels attack on the town by a party of 400 foot soldiers and 40 by horse which left Lyme Regis on the Saturday after the landing which went back-and-forth between the town and surrounding areas.

The following day they were routed, and in the afternoon came to Lyme Regis.

They then left and returned by the lane to Charmouth along the bottom of the cliffs.

The Duke of Monmouth was defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor six weeks after setting foot in Lyme, fleeing from the battlefield, to then be caught and executed on July, 15 on Tower Hill.

Unlike his father, King Charles II, he was not able to escape back to the continent.

And so we finish with the slightly horrific backstory to the naming of Monmouth Beach.

In the aftermath of Monmouth's defeat, twelve locals were hanged on the beach on the order of the well-known to be in favour of hanging judge, Judge Jeffreys.

Jeffreys was sent to the west country in the autumn of 1685 to conduct the trials of captured rebels, the centre of which was based in Taunton.

Estimates of those executed has been as high as 700, however its thought the likely figure is between 160 and 170.

Three years later, the unpopular catholic King James II was deposed by William of Orange.