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Monmouthshire Towns & Parishes

ABERGAVENNY / Y FENNI, Monmouthshire

"ABERGAVENNY, a parish and market town in the hundred of Abergavenny, in the county of Monmouth, 14 miles to the W. of Monmouth, and 143 miles from London, or 165½ by the Great Western railway. It is situated in a range of pleasant meadow grounds at the confluence of the Usk and Gavenny. The mountains terminate abruptly near the town, and the scenery is very picturesque. One of the hills, called the Sugar Loaf, rises to the height of nearly 1,900 feet. Another lofty one is the Skirrid Vawr."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]

Archives and Libraries

• See Museums in Monmouthshire.

Bibliography

• 125 years of Rugby : 1875-2000 : Abergavenny Rugby Football Club. Abergavenny : Abergavenny RFC., 2001. 68p.
• Abergavenny in the Twentieth Century. Abergavenny : Comma International, 1992. 176p.
• Abergavenny: the Official guide. [1970]. Cheltenham : Burrow, [1970]. 44p.
• Allen, Richard           Catholic records in the attic; details of everyday life found in the seventeenth century Catholic household of the Gunter family of Abergavenny          Gwent Local History vol 86 1999    Welsh Journals Online    
• Barclay, W J. Geology of the South Wales coalfield. Part II, ; The country around Abergavenny. 3rd ed. London : H.M.S.O., 1989. 147p.
• Burnes, Emma-Kate. The Prehistory collection at Abergavenny Museum : a catalogue.            Gwent Local History 79 (1995), p. 38-47.
• Burnes, Emma-Kate            The Father Ignatius Collection at Abergavenny Museum       Gwent Local History 76 1994      Welsh Journals Online
• Evans, John       Beat 'em up and knock 'em down: the anti-recruitment riot in Abergavenny in 1706          Gwent Local History. No. 97 2004   Welsh Journals Online
• Feldwick, Cyril E.   F. B. Foerster : a unique Abergavenny resident.      Gwent Local History vol 60 1986      Welsh Journals Online
• Guntert, G W           Pedigree of the Family of Gunter of Abergavenny and of London            Gwent Local History 69   1990   Welsh Journals Online
• Harris, Glyn. An Abergavenny sons' [sic] poetry and sketches. Abergavenny : P. M. Heaton, 1994. 63p.
• Hatton, A G               Abergavenny Museum           Gwent Local History vol 45 1978         Welsh Journals Online
• Hopkins, Anthony. Abergavenny Lordship in the late fifteenth century : the Valor of 1499/1500. Monmouthshire Antiquary 14 (1998), p. 30-5.
• Hornsey, Brian. Ninety years of Cinema in Abergavenny, Penrith, Tenby. Stamford : Fuschiaprint, [1999]. 28p.
• Jones, Alan             The Crawshay Bailey Estate            Gwent Local History vol 80 1996     Welsh Journals Online
• Jones, Alan         The introduction of public electricity in Abergavenny           Gwent Local History. No. 92 2002   Welsh Journals Online
• Jones, Gwyn     Town Plaques in Abergavenny         Gwent Local History vol 56 1984    Welsh Journals Online
• Morgan Irena M. Abergavenny past & present. Stroud : Sutton, 2003. 143p. Britain in old photographs series.
• Morgan, Octavius. Some account of the ancient monuments in the Priory Church, Abergavenny. Monmouthshire & Caerleon Antiquarian Association, 1872.
• Nelmes, Graham V.      A history of King Henry VIII's Boys Grammar School at Abergavenny.    Gwent Local History vol 59 1985      Welsh Journals Online  &  part II Gwent Local History vol 60 1986      Welsh Journals Online
• Phillips, Neil.             Abergavenny castle 1087-1535.             Gwent Local History vol 88 2000    Welsh Journals Online   
• Phillips, Neil         Castell Arnallt: a topographical survey              Gwent Local History. No. 90 2001  Welsh Journals Online
• Rattenbury, Gordon. Tramroads of the Brecknock & Abergavenny canal. Oakham : Railway and Canal Historical Society, 1980. 136p.
• Rowles, Helen       Cure for all ills          Gwent Local History vol 58 1985    Welsh Journals Online
• Sheen, I D          Elementary Education in Abergavenny 1869-1902              Gwent Local History vol 48 1980      Welsh Journals Online
• Sproule-Jones, H R. The story of St. Mary's Priory Church, Abergavenny. 8th ed. Gloucester : British Publishing Company, 1968. 20p.
• Stevens, R Alan. Brecknock & Abergavenny and Monmouthshire canals. Cambridge : Goose & Son, 1974.
• Tasker, W W. The Merthyr, Tredegar & Abergavenny Railway and branches. Poole : Oxford Publishing, c1986. 144p.
• The Catholic registers of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, 1740-1838. Catholic Record Society. Excerpt from: Catholic Record Society Publications, Vol XXVII. 98-235p.
• The Official handbook to Abergavenny, Crickhowell, Raglan and Usk. J Burow & Co. Cheltenham, London, 1904.
• Tucker, Anna.            'Old Bank' Abergavenny.           Gwent Local History vol 61 1986     Welsh Journals Online
• Tucker, Anna. The Abergavenny Local History Society town survey : a case study.         Gwent Local History vol 63 1987     Welsh Journals Online
• Tucker, Anna C S          Marquis of Abergavenny estate houses           Gwent Local History vol 57 1984    Welsh Journals Online
• Tucker, Anna C S         Coach-building in Abergavenny              Gwent Local History vol 55 1983    Welsh Journals Online
• White, John. Guide to the town and neighbourhood of Abergavenny. Abergavenny : James Hiley Morgan, 1845. 88p.
• Winston, Jeremy. St Mary's Priory Church, Abergavenny. Much Wenlock : R J L Smith for St Mary's Priory Church, Abergavenny, 2000. 28p.

Church History

• St Mary's Priory Church - on the Abergavenny Local History Society site.

• See John Ball's site Welsh Churches and Chapels Collection for a photograph/data re St Mary's Priory Church, Abergavenny

Church and chapel data from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales. Ed. by  I.G  Jones, & D. Williams. UWP,  Cardiff, 1976. The names given at the end of each entry are those of the informants.  Check with  Gwent RO to see what extant records are held, and possible names of chapels/churches built after 1851.

Abergavenny parish statistics; Area 4229 acres;  Population, 2646 males, 2860 females, total 5506

• Abergavenny Parish Church; - Pre Henry VIII belonged to the Priory. Attendance - morning 700 , afternoon 650, plus 160/65 scholars. Both in English. William Powell, BD, Vicar.  Body of church and aisles taken down and rebuilt in 1828, and galleries added.
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• Trinity Church;  - Original patron, Miss Rachel Herbert. Consecrated 1840 as additional church for use of church tenement cottagers. Attendance - morning, 200, afternoon 350, both plus 40 scholars. Both in English. Thomas Williams, Incumbant.
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• St Michael's Roman Catholic Church. - Erected 1835. Attendance - morning 223, afternoon 71.  James Millward, Catholic Priest.
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• Tabernacle Chapel, Prim.Meth.. - Erected 1850. Attendance - morning 36+32 scholars, evening 90.  Only open 9 months. William Tinney, local preacher, Leader; Steward, S S Superintendent, Grofield, Abergavenny.
• Frogmore Street Chapel, Baptist. - Erected 1815. Attendance - morning 220, evening 300.  Micah Thomas, Pastor.
• Welsh Baptist Chapel. - Erected 1769. Attendance - afternoon 64.  John Michael, Deacon, Monte St, Abergavenny
• Providence Chapel, Lion St, Baptist.  -  Erected 1828.  Attendance - morning 57, evening 82.  John Poole, Minister.
• Castle St Chapel, Independent. - Erected 1786.  Attendance - morning 149, evening 189.  W H Woodhall, Deacon, Tea Dealer, Abergavenny.
• Castle St Chapel, Wes. Meth. - Erected 1829.  Attendance - morning 80+40 scholars, evening 300.  Thomas Rogerson, Minister.
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• No entries in the Return for Lloyndu and Hardwicke hamlets.

Church Records

See the Monmouthshire county page for links to online records

• This list of parish records is intended as a rough guide to coverage only. Their location as stated should be confirmed with the appropriate Record Office prior to any visit.

  Abergavenny / Y Fenni, St Mary's Church - records with the Gwent RO
  Baptisms	Marriages	Banns	Burials
  1653-89, 1692-1707, 1719-1872	1653-8, 1663-88, 1695-1706, 1719-1895	1763-8, 1776-1853, 1905-26, 1941-60	1653-89, 1691-1707, 1710-1917
  Bishops Transcripts	1696, 1725-1835, 1863-86 - records with the NLW

  Abergavenny / Y Fenni, Holy Trinity (formed from St Mary 1895) - records with the Gwent RO
  Baptisms	Marriages	Banns	Burials
  1888-1976	1895-1971	1923-50	1895-1958

  [Details as published in The Parish Registers of Wales, NLW 1986 - present location/availability may vary]

Description and Travel

• Welcome to Abergavenny - a community site, lots of old photographs.
• Monmouthshire Brecon and Abergavenny Canal Trust.
• Abergavenny - on wikipedia
• Abergavenny photographs - on geograph.org.uk
• Abergavenny Gateway

Directories

• Kelly's Directory of Monmouthshire 1901 - Abergavenny.

Gazetteers

• The transcription of the section for Abergavenny / Y Fenni from the National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

Maps

• Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R., Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: History Data Service, UK Data Archive [distributor], 17 May 2001. SN: 4348.  Here is a gazetteer/finding aid plus a set of overview maps to accurately identify the position of parishes within the county
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• View maps covering the area of this parish and places within its boundaries

Military History

• 'Castle Wales' site - Abergavenny Castle.

Social Life and Customs

• Abergavenny Market.

(Last updated - Gareth Hicks  - 3 Feb 2013)

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