Abergavenny is a town in south-east Wales, 15 miles west of
Monmouth, with a population of around 14,000 people. It lies in the valley of
the River Usk at the point where it is joined by the smaller River Gavenny,
hence the town’s name. It has a very long history, elements of which can be
still be seen.
Although there was a fort here in Roman times, the earliest remains
to be seen are from the 11th century, belonging to a castle and a
Benedictine priory. Of the latter, only the tithe barn and prior’s house remain
of the original buildings, but the priory chapel was extended to become the
parish church of St Mary, in which there is very little of the original fabric
to be seen.
The tithe barn has been restored in recent years and is open
to the public as a free museum of the history of the Priory. The display
includes the splendid “Abergavenny Tapestry” that was a millennium project that
took six years to complete. This tells the 1000-year story of the town.
The priory church, which is sometimes called the
“Westminster Abbey of Wales”, was mainly built in the decorated and
perpendicular styles of medieval architecture and contains many memorials that
date from as early as the 13th century. The choir stalls include
some 14th century work.
The castle, which predates the Priory, is in ruins, but it
is clear from what remains that it must have been a substantial structure in
its heyday. It is testament to the fact that Abergavenny lies close to the
England/Wales border and was built by the Normans to keep the Welsh at bay.
The castle was the scene of a massacre in 1175 when the
castle’s owner, William de Braose, invited the local Welsh chieftains to
Christmas dinner. However, this was a ruse to gain his revenge for the murder
of his uncle, and all his guests were slaughtered as they sat at his table.
The castle suffered most of its destruction in 1645, when it
was “slighted” (i.e. walls blown up so that the roof collapsed) on the orders
of King Charles I to prevent the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell
from using it.
Another landmark building in Abergavenny is the Town Hall,
with its tall tower. This building houses the Borough Theatre and the town
market.
There are many interesting narrow streets to explore, but
the visitor’s eye will always be taken by the hills that surround the town and
their invitation to proceed deeper into Wales, including the Brecon Beacons
National Park that is only a few miles away.
© John Welford
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