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Results for Monmouth
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| Monmouth Welsh - Trefynwy |
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| Population | 8,547 |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Principal area | Monmouthshire |
| Ceremonial county | Gwent |
| Constituent country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MONMOUTH |
| Postcode district | NP25 |
| Dialling code | 01600 |
| Police | Gwent |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | Monmouth |
| European Parliament | Wales |
| List of places: UK • Wales • Monmouthshire | |
Monmouth (Welsh: Trefynwy = "town on the Monnow") is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated where the River Monnow meets the River Wye.
Monmouth boasts a medieval 13th-century stone gated bridge, unique in Britain as it is the only preserved bridge of its design remaining. After centuries of waiting a second bridge over the Monnow was finally opened on March 15, 2004, thus allowing the old bridge to become pedestrianised. This project has, however, meant the demolition of the old cattle market, thus Monmouth is no longer the market town it has traditionally been; however, a farmers' market selling local produce is still held.
Monmouth is very much a town of schools. Apart from the comprehensive school with over 1600 pupils, there are two independent schools - Monmouth School (founded 1614) and Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls (founded 1892). There are also several state primary schools, with most areas served by both infants' and juniors' Schools.
The annual Monmouth Show has been held each year (traditionally on the last Thursday of August) since 1919 (when it was called the Monmouthshire County Show), though its history can be traced back further, to May 30th 1857, when the eighth Duke of Beaufort and Sir Charles Morgan M.P. put up the funds for a Monmouth Cattle Show, and even prior to that there had been an agricultural society in existence in the town dating back to the 1790s, which held ploughing competitions.
Nightlife in Monmouth is limited to a number of pubs (Old Nags Head, Queens, Punch House, The Gloucester, The Vinetree and The Kings Head(J D Wetherspoons)). Some of these hold quizzes and live music throughout the week. There is a small theatre which has many live shows and includes a cinema, but the films being shown have often been available elsewhere for many weeks. The town also has a number of good restaurants and some takeaways.
Monmouth is twinned with Carbonne, France and Waldbronn, Germany.
Archaeological excavations undertaken by the Monmouth Archaeological Society on various sites along Monnow Street in recent years have uncovered a wealth of information about the early history of the town. Indeed, the Council for British Archaeology have designated Monmouth as one of the top ten towns in Britain for archaeology.[1]
Monmouth as an organised settlement dates back to the times of the Roman occupation of Britain. The Romans called it Blestium, and it was part of a network of Roman forts covering the region, linked to Abergavenny or Gobannium and Usk known as Burrium and modern local archaeologists and historians have found items of pottery and coinage that date from that period.
The town appears in the Domesday Book, and for the eleventh and twelfth centuries the town and surrounding areas were ruled by Norman French lords after the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066. During this time, Monmouth Castle was built, in 1067 under William Fitz-Osbern of Breteuil, Normandy, a significant castle-builder, holding commanding views over the surrounding area from a sound defensive site. Initially it would have been a motte and bailey castle, rebuilt in stone and later refortified and developed over time.
A Benedictine priory was also created in 1101,[2] and it was traditionally there that Geoffrey of Monmouth - author of the Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain) - gained his education. A fortified bridge was built during the thirteenth century.
The castle came into the possession of the House of Lancaster through the marriage of John of Gaunt to Blanche, a Monmouth based heiress. John of Gaunt strengthened the castle, adding the Great Hall.
In 1387, Henry V was born in Monmouth Castle in the Queens Chamber within the gatehouse. The castle became a favourite residence of the House of Lancaster. Henry would win the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Many parts of Monmouth, including the town's main square, are named after this battle.
During the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr between 1400 and 1412 Monmouth Castle and town was not attacked by Welsh forces, however skirmishes and battles were fought in the area, such as at Campston Hill when Prince Henry's men followed a retreating force of Glyndwr's, capturing the Welsh standard and killing the standard bearer, Ellis ap Richard ap Howell ap Morgan Llwyd. Other battles took place at nearby at Craig-y-Dorth, at Grosmont and Usk, such as the Battle of Pwll Melyn. Grosmont town was razed and Abergavenny and Crickhowell attacked.
In 1605, James I granted Monmouth a town charter by letters patent. The granting of the charter included the charge that the town "at all perpetual future times ... be and remain a town and borough of Peace and Quiet, to the example and terror of the wicked and reward of the good".[3]
The layout of the town as depicted in Speede's map of 1610 would be easily recognisable to present day inhabitants, with the layout of the main axis from the castle via the main street, Monnow Street, to the bridge clearly visible. Monnow street is a typical market street, in being wide in the middle (for those selling) and narrow at each end (to help prevent the animals escaping).
Four railways were built to serve Monmouth between 1857 and 1883 - they were gradually closed between 1917 and 1964, since when Monmouth has not had any rail services. One of them has now been replaced by a major road, built along the same route.
Famous people associated with Monmouth include:
It is generally believed Monmouth is a contraction of 'Monnow-Mouth', and is pronounced by those who live in the area as 'Mon-muth', much like Bournemouth.
Deeper into Wales the town is often pronounced as 'Mun-muth', in the same way as London is pronounced "Lun-dun" and is arguably derived from Mynwy (Monnow) and Mydd (Mouth) (c.f. myn-mydd).
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
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![]() | Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ Read more | |
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