The Orange Way

West of Newbury, Berkshire, the Orange Way follows the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath

The Orange Way, so called because it follows the march in 1688 of Prince William of Orange and his army from Brixham to London, is a 350 miles (560 km) long-distance footpath in England that passes through Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and London.[1]

Background information

Since 1685 leading political circles in England had been troubled by King James II of England's Catholicism and his close ties with France. This came to a head with the birth of a son in June 1688. This birth displaced William's Protestant wife Mary as next monarch and raised the prospect of an ongoing Catholic succession.[2]

On 30 June 1688 a group of political figures known afterward as the "Immortal Seven", sent William a formal invitation. He came ashore from the ship Brill at the head of a 15,000 strong Dutch force. James's support began to dissolve almost immediately, and he sent representatives to negotiate with William. On 23 December he was allowed to escape to France.[3]

William summoned a Convention Parliament in England, which met on 22 January 1689[4] to discuss the appropriate course of action.[5] After negotiation in the House of Commons the Crown was offered to William and Mary as joint sovereigns.[6] Their coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on 11 April 1689.[7]

Suggested Route

Further Information

References

  1. ↑ "Orange Way". Long Distance Walkers Association. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  2. ↑ Troost, 191; van der Kiste, 91–92
  3. ↑ Troost, 205–207
  4. ↑ "Legitimism in England". Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  5. ↑ Davies, 614–615
  6. ↑ Troost, 207–210
  7. ↑ Stanford University Papers
  8. ↑ Walking Pages

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