Tuesday 4 October 2016

Abergavenny, South Wales



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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