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Monmouth / Trefynwy

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"MONMOUTH, a parish, market town, municipal and parliamentary borough, having separate jurisdiction, but locally in the lower division of the hundred of Skenfreth, county Monmouth, of which it is the county town, 130 miles W. by N. of London, and 79 miles from Worcester by the West Midland section of the Great Western railway, which has a branch of 18 miles from Pontypool Road to Monmouth." [Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)

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Bibliography

  • Allen, Richard          Keep Monmouth tidy  - 1673!             Gwent Local History 75 1993      Welsh Journals Online
  • Bibliography of Monmouth Borough. Cwmbran : Gwent County Council, 1986. 316p.
  • Bold, Wyndham E. Methodism and its beginnings in Monmouth. 1987. 55p.
  • Clark, John        Early Impressions of Monmouth            Gwent Local History vol 56 1984    Welsh Journals Online
  • Davies, Ebenezer T. The inns and friendly societies of Monmouth. Monmouth : Monmouth Historical and Educational Trust, 1982. 48p.
  • Davies, O Talog. Antique maps of Monmouth Part 1, 1573-1695. Wolverley, Kidderminster] : O. Talog Davies, [1985]. 32p.
  • Dunning, Robert. The Monmouth rebellion. Dovecote, 1985.
  • Edwards, Arthur. The seven bishops : in celebration of the seventy-fifth birthday of the Diocese of Monmouth - 1996. [Newport] : Monmouth Diocese, 1997. 69p.
  • Gomme, Andor. St. Mary's Monmouth : the building of the eighteenth century church. Monmouthshire Antiquary 5 (1985-88), p. 88-95.
  • Harrison, Derek. Monmouth and its railways : Derek Harrison looks at three single-line railways that once served a diverse community. Steam Days 39 (1992), p. 595-9.
  • Heath, Charles. Historical and descriptive accounts of the ancient and present state of the town of Monmouth : including a variety of other particulars deserving the stranger's notice, relating to the borough and its neighbourhood. Collected from original papers and unquestionable authorities, the whole never before published. [Monmouth] : Printed and sold by him [Charles Heath]: sold also by Mr. Roberts, Ross; Mrs. Kirby, Chepstow; and at all the inns in the county, 1804.
  • Hopkins, Anthony            Repairing Monmouth Gaol in 1560           Gwent Local History vol 81 1996    Welsh Journals Online
  • Hopson, Mary. Monmouth in 1885 : or, Gleanings from the Monmouthshire Beacon, Forest of Dean Gazette, General Advertiser for the Counties of Monmouth, Hereford and Gloucester, and for South Wales, January to December, 1885. [Llanrothal, Monmouth] : Tregate Press, 1985. 56p.
  • Hopson, Mary. A record of the memorial stones in Monmouth Parish churchyard. Llanrothal, Monmouth] : Tregate Press, 1988. 37p.
  • Illustrated handbook to Monmouth and the various objects of interest around it : with a map showing the railways and distances from Monmouth to the principal points of attraction. Monmouth : R. Waugh, [18--?] 77p.
  • Kissack, Keith            Thomas Tudor, a Monmouth artist             Gwent Local History vol 53 1982    Welsh Journals Online
  • Kissack, Keith. Life in the Monmouth Militia, 1778 to 1812 : from the duke of Beaufort's orderly books at Badminton. Monmouthshire Antiquary 7 (1991), p. 71-81.
  • Kissack, Keith. Victorian Monmouth. [Monmouth] : Monmouth Historical and Educational Trust, [1986]. 213p.
  • Kissack, Keith. Monmouth : the making of a county town. London : Phillimore, 1975. 345p.
  • Kissack, Keith. Mediaeval Monmouth. Monmouth : Monmouth Historical and Educational Trust, 1974. 80p.
  • Kissack, Keith. Education in Monmouth. Monmouth & district Field Club & Antiquarian Society, 1967?. 21p.
  • Kissack, Keith. The formative years : the rise of Monmouth under its Breton Lords 1075-1257 with an appendix of dates from 1066 to the present day. Monmouth & district Field Club & Antiquarian Society, [1946?] 17p.
  • Kissack, Keith. The building of Monmouth. Monmouth : Monmouth Historical and Educational Trust, 1989. 12p.
  • Kissack, Keith. Monmouth School and Monmouth, 1614-1995. Hereford : Lapridge Publications, 1995. 158p.
  • Kissack, Keith. The lordship, parish and borough of Monmouth. Hereford : Lapridge Publications, 1996. 159p.
  • Monmouth and the river Wye : in old photographs : from Goodrich to Brockweir. Gloucester : Sutton, 1989. 160p.
  • Monmouth official guide. Monmouth : Post Haste, 1985. 40p.
  • Phillips, Roger.           Stage coach rivalry at Monmouth.         Gwent Local History vol 62 1987     Welsh Journals Online
  • Powell, David A. St. Mary's Catholic Church, Monmouth 1793-1993 : a short history. Monmouth : St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1993. 64p.
  • Roots, Ivan A. The Monmouth rising. Exeter : Devon Books, 1986. 96p.
  • Rowell, Christopher          The Kymin, Monmouth           Gwent Local History vol 61 1986     Welsh Journals Online
  • Sedgwick, Molly         Dolly Shepherd, an Edwardian Parachutist, at Monmouth           Gwent Local History vol 62 1987     Welsh Journals Online
  • Shirehampton. W J P. Monmouth's railways : a historical survey. Monmouth & district Field Club & Antiquarian Society, [196-?] 10p.
  • Taylor, Robert. Taylor's illustrated guide to the banks of the Wye, including Chepstow, Monmouth, Ross ... and other parts of the Welsh borders : with historical and topographical remarks. Chepstow : Robert Taylor, 1853. 70p.
  • The Monmouth registers : illustrative of the history, manners, and morals, of the town and neighbourhood. Monmouth : W. Bailey, 1872. 29p.
  • The true and interesting history of William Owen and Polly Morgan, both of Monmouth town. London : printed by W. Bailey, 1782. 32p.
  • Tucker, Clifford         A Monmouth Boyhood             Gwent Local History vol 42 1977          Welsh Journals Online
  • Wigfield, W Macdonald. The Monmouth rebels, 1685. Taunton : Somerset Record Society, 1985. 225p.
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Business & Commerce Records

MONMOUTH GAS WORKS   - on the People's Collection Wales site

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Church History

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 towards 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 established after 1851.

Monmouth Parish & Borough; Statistics; Area 3420 acres; Population 2445 males, 2744 females, total 5189

  • St Mary's Parish Church, Monmouth "Erected - two distinct periods, about the C15th; and about one hundred and fifty years back" Attendance - morning 500 + 150 scholars, afternoon 50 scholars, evening 600 3 services in English Edw. F. Arney, Vicar
  • Church of St Thomas "An ancient Saxon Structure but whether originally a Parish church or otherwise is not known. It was in a dilapidated state and had not been used for many years. It was restored in 1831 and opened for Divine Service in 1832." Attendance - morning 200 + 57 scholars, evening 250 + 20 scholars 2 services in English Joseph Fawcett Beddy, M.A, Minister
  • School Room belonging to Jones's Charity Attendance - afternoon 97 "The Lectureship was endowed 200 years ago to afford week day administration and a Lecture on Sunday to the inmates of Jones's almshouses" Charles Augustus Halson, Lecturer
  • Chapel of the Union House "For the use of the Inmates of Monmouth Union House" Attendance - afternoon 51 + 47 scholars J B Bourne, Chaplain
  • Chapel in the County Gaol "a new one erected about one or two years ago" Attendance - 85/90 Informant; Edward Johnson Gosling, M.A, Chaplain
  • Roman Catholic Chapel Erected 1794 Attendance - morning 180 Thomas Burgess, Catholic Priest, St Mary's St, Monmouth
  • Glendower St Independent Chapel Erected 1832 Attendance - morning 250 + 50 scholars, evening 200 William Major Paull, Minister
  • Wesleyan Free Church Meeting Room Wesleyan Methodist (Reformer) Attendance - morning 50, evening 105 William Higgins, Manager, Monnow Bridge, Monmouth
  • Monnow St Primitive Methodist Meeting House Erected 1835 Attendance - afternoon 53, evening 64 George Grigg, Superintendant, Dry Bridge St, Monmouth
  • Monnow St Baptist Chapel Erected 1820 Attendance - (average) morning 80, afternoon 50 scholars, evening 130 Henry Clark, Minister
  • St James St, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel Erected 1837 Attendance - morning 50 + 40 scholars, evening 200 "Divine Service has been held in this town for more than 60 years. The present chapel is a new erection and some untoward circumstances have made against the congregation. Perhaps not more than half the inhabitants of the town attend any place of worship on the Sabbath day, " William Baker, Minister, St James's St, Monmouth
  • Primitive Methodist (Branch) Meeting House Erected 1846 Attendance (average) - morning 40 George Watkins, Steward, Wye Bridge, Monmouth
  • Buckholt Primitive Methodist Meeting House Erected 1850 Attendance - afternoon 20, evening 45 George Gregg, Superintendant, Dry Bridge St, Monmouth
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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.
    Monmouth / Trefynwy, St Mary's Church - records with the NLW
    Baptisms/Marriages/Burials1598-1754 with gaps
    Bishops Transcripts1660-88, 1690-4, 1696-1833, 1836-42 - records with the HRO
    Monmouth / Trefynwy, St Mary's Church - records with the Gwent RO
    BaptismsMarriagesBannsBurials
    1755-19081754-19181823-47, 1915-641755-1918
    Bishops Transcripts1843-59, 1862-9 - records with the NLW
    Monmouth / Trefynwy, St Thomas Overmonnow's Church (formed from St Mary 1831) - records with the Gwent RO
    BaptismsMarriagesBannsBurials
    1846-19101846-19421846-19391850-4
    Bishops Transcripts1846-60, 1862, 1865, 1867 - records with the NLW
    [Details as published in The Parish Registers of Wales, NLW 1986 - present location/availability may vary]
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Monmouth / Trefynwy which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • Various items   - on the People's Collection Wales site
    • Crude illustrations from a 15th century Welsh language version of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s highly influential Historia Regum Britanniae (‘History of the Kings of Britain’)
    • Remains of the Priory at Monmouth & Geoffrey of Monmouth's Study
    • Floods in Monmouth, 1910
    • Shire Hall, Agincourt Square, Monmouth
    • Monnow Bridge, Monmouth
    • An old Gateway at Monmouth
    • Initial stages of construction of the railway bridge across the Monnow, Pwlholm, Monmouth, 1906
    • Broadside newspaper documenting 'Trial of the Chartist Chief Zephaniah Williams at Monmouth for High Treason', 1840
    • Charles Heath, 'Accounts of the ancient and present state of the town of Monmouth', 1804 
    • Calendar of Prisoners (Chartists) to be tried at the Special Commission at Monmouth, 1839 
    • The Chartists (collection of 111 items)
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Maps

  • Family Search have an interactive map called "England and Wales Jurisdictions 1851" showing parish (and other) boundaries with optional background maps such as Ordnance Survey. There is also a Search facility, do read the guidance notes to get maximum benefit from this useful resource. See here for further background information to assist in the interpretation of this data
  • 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.
  • Map of Monmouth parish in the County of Monmouth   - on the People's Collection Wales site

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SO495140 (Lat/Lon: 51.821951, -2.734093), Monmouth / Trefynwy which are provided by:

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Military History

  • 'Castle Wales' site - Monmouth Castle.
  • Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers Regimental Museum
  • Various items  - on the People's Collection Wales site (includes a much large selection relating to the Monmouthshire Regiment)
    • Monmouth Regimental Football Team, c.1910  
    • The Monmouthshire Regiment Railway Company, pictured with a model train, Monmouth, 1901
    • Officers of the Monmouthshire Regiment by the castle ruins, Monmouth, 1904
    • Monmouthshire Regiment on parade, Monmouth, c.1900
    • Company of the Monmouthshire Regiment before leaving Monmouth for the Boer War, September 1901
    • Monmouthshire Regimental Band on the steps of Castle House, Monmouth, c.1870
    • The Monmouthshire Regimental Band, Monmouth, c.1900
    • 101 Company, Monmouthshire Regiment, preparing to leave Monmouth for France, 1939
    • Regimental drum of the Royal Monmouthshire Regiment, dated to the period after its incorporation into the Royal Engineers in 1877
    • 101 Company, following their return from Dunquerque, 1940
    • Photo of the last draft to go to War from Monmouth Army Barracks
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Newspapers

Front page of the earliest surviving copy of the Welsh newspaper Glamorgan, Monmouth and Brecon Gazette and Merthyr Guardian   - on the People's Collection Wales site

Newspaper extracts

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Occupations

 The slaughterhouses, Priory Street, Monmouth, 1902 - on the People's Collection Wales site

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Schools

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Social Life & Customs

  • Various items   - on the People's Collection Wales site
    • Photograph of William on motorcycle and Emma in cart. Owners of a fancy goods shop in Monmouth
    • Opening Ceremony of the Monmouth Rifle Club, 1909
    • Charles Rolls' balloon meet, Monmouth, 1908