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102-510: Pawl was the ruler of Penychen and on his death (c.540 AD) passed the cantref on to his nephew. Pawl's brother Gwynllyw was the ruler of Gwynllwg and upon his death it is said that the cantref passed to his son Cadoc (Cadwg), also known as St. Cadoc. Cadoc would later take control of Penychen, but when he was killed by the Saxons he had no heirs, and both cantrefi fell under the control of Meureg of Gwent and were absorbed into his kingdom. After

204-568: A Welsh or as an English county, a debate only finally brought to an end in 1972. The laws establishing the 13 counties (shires), the historic counties of Wales , assigned four for the five new counties created from the Marcher Lordships along the Welsh/English border, Brecknockshire , Denbighshire , Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire , to the legal system operated in Wales, administered by

306-615: A foundry at Tintern in 1568, and the lower Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean became important centres for metalworking and mining. But the most dramatic impact was in the west of the county during the Industrial Revolution , in the South Wales Coalfield , where some of the largest pits in Wales were dug, and a major iron industry developed. The societal transformation was accompanied by great inequality and unrest. Chartism

408-614: A naturalist whose independent work on natural selection saw Charles Darwin bring forward the publication of On the Origin of Species , was born at Llanbadoc , outside Usk , in 1823. He is commemorated in a statue raised in the town's Twyn Square in 2021. Bertrand Russell , the philosopher and the only Nobel laureate from the county, was born at Cleddon Hall , outside Trellech in 1872. Charles Rolls grew up at his family seat, The Hendre , just north of Monmouth and, in partnership with Henry Royce , co-founded Rolls-Royce Limited . He

510-800: A 0.24 hectares (0.6 acres) outcrop of rock in the Severn Estuary , the southern foreshore of which is the boundary between England and Wales, is Monmouthshire's only offshore island. The battle to save Magor Marsh , the last remaining area of natural fenland on the Gwent Levels , led to the foundation of the Gwent Wildlife Trust . The county contains a range of nature reserves and areas of special scientific interest, including Graig Wood 14.3-hectare (35-acre) SSSI, Pentwyn Farm Grasslands 7.6-hectare (19-acre) SSSI and Lady Park Wood National Nature Reserve (45.0-hectare (111-acre)). The Wye Valley ,

612-477: A bus network, connecting Abergavenny, Monmouth, Chepstow, Raglan and Usk, with stopping points at smaller settlements on route. National coach services have stopping points at Monmouth and Chepstow. In its industrial heyday in the 18th and 19th centuries, the western part of the county was served by the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal which connected the South Wales Coalfield with the port at Newport . Today,

714-551: A contemporary observer, noted that "from this time onward, Owain's fortunes began to wane in that region." The first Tudor king, Henry VII , was born at Pembroke Castle in the west of Wales, and spent some of his childhood in Monmouthshire, at Raglan Castle as a ward of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke . His son and heir Henry VIII was to bring the rule of the Marcher lords to an end. The historic county of Monmouthshire

816-467: A feast at Abergavenny Castle . De Braose proceeded to have his men massacre the Welsh, intending the obliteration of the indigenous Gwent aristocracy, before sending them to burn Seisyll's home at Castell Arnallt and to murder his son. A wave of Welsh retaliation followed, described in detail by the contemporary chronicler, Gerald of Wales . Monmouthshire's Norman castles later became favoured residences of

918-676: A former chapel in the parish of Kidwelly . According to Serenus de Cressy this Cadoc died AD 490, is buried in France , and is commemorated in the Calendar on 24 January. The epithet of Doeth (Welsh for wise ) induced some writers to confound him with St. Sophias (Greek for wisdom), bishop of Beneventum in Italy. Hence he is said sometimes to have died at Bannaventa (Weedon, five kilometres east of Daventry in Northamptonshire ). In an episode towards

1020-562: A location in Wales is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cadoc Saint Cadoc or Cadog ( Medieval Latin : Cadocus ; also Modern Welsh : Catawg or Catwg; born c.  497 or before) was a 5th–6th-century Abbot of Llancarfan , near Cowbridge in Glamorgan , Wales, a monastery famous from the era of the British church as a centre of learning, where Illtud spent

1122-711: A lower level of road usage than in 2016. Monmouthshire is served by four railway stations: in the south are the Severn Tunnel Junction railway station at Rogiet on the South Wales Main Line , which connects South Wales to London; and Chepstow railway station and Caldicot railway station on the Gloucester–Newport line ; and in the north, Abergavenny railway station on the Welsh Marches line . The county's main centres of population are served by

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1224-494: A man who had killed three of Arthur's soldiers and Arthur was awarded a herd of cattle from Cadoc as compensation. Cadoc delivered them, but when Arthur took possession of them they were transformed into bundles of ferns . Similar incidents are often described in mediaeval biographies such as those of Carannog , Padern and Goeznovius : miracles in dealings with temporal authority bolster the case for church freedom. In later Arthurian Welsh Triads Cadoc, with Illtud and Peredur,

1326-468: A national scandal. During a debate in parliament on the establishment of a turnpike trust for the county, the local landowner Valentine Morris asserted that the inhabitants of the county travelled "in ditches". By the mid-century, commercial demands saw the first timetabled stagecoach between London and Monmouth arrive in Agincourt Square on 4 November 1763, the journey having taken four days. By

1428-422: A neighboring chieftain, but Brychan turned away the envoys asking for Gwladys' hand. Wildly in love, Gwynllyw and Gwladys eloped from her father's court at Brecon and escaped over the mountains in a raid in which 200 of Gwynllyw's 300 followers perished. Born into the royal families of Gwynllwg and Brycheiniog , it is said, he worked miracles even before his birth. Strange lights shone in his parents’ house and

1530-443: A new band of fearless warriors. Among other livestock, he stole the cow of an Irish monk, St. Tathyw of Caerwent . This is probably Tathan , a reputed early abbot of nearby Caerwent whose dedications appear around Llantwit Major . Tathyw was not afraid of Gwynllyw and boldly went to confront him, demanding the return of the cow. On a sudden impulse, or perhaps guided by divine inspiration, Gwynllyw decided Cadoc would go to live under

1632-409: A partial proportional representation system. Fire and rescue services are provided by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service , which has fire stations in the county at Abergavenny, Caldicot, Chepstow, Monmouth and Usk. Policing services are provided by Gwent Police , whose officers cover Monmouthshire, as well as Blaenau Gwent , Caerphilly , Newport and Torfaen . Civilian oversight is provided by

1734-478: A reputed healing effect until the time of king Hiuguel ( Hywel vab weyn , who died in his old age ca. 1041–44) when, due to a malevolent influence, the spot was lost. This Cadoc, grandson of Brychan Brycheiniog , to whose offspring a large number of south-west British cult sites are dedicated, may be identical to or confused with Cadoc son of Brychan, for whom the churches at Llanspyddid near Brecon and at Llangadog , Carmarthenshire, are said to be named along with

1836-465: A shoreline on the Severn Estuary , with crossings into England by the Severn Bridge and Second Severn Crossing . The name is identical to that of the historic county , of which the current local authority covers the eastern three-fifths. Between 1974 and 1996, the historic county was known as Gwent , recalling the medieval kingdom which covered a similar area. The present county was formed under

1938-491: A substantially lower number than in all of the adjoining principal areas; average annual earnings in 2020 were just over £41,000 compared to just over £32,000 in Wales as a whole. Total income tax payments from the county in 2013 were second only to the City of Cardiff, and the average individual payment exceeded that paid in the capital city. Agriculture continues to be an important employer, accounting for 15.3 per cent of businesses,

2040-581: Is Mary Ann Brocklesby. Monmouthshire elects one member to the UK parliament at Westminster , until 2024 representing the Monmouth constituency . Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies , a new constituency, Monmouthshire , came into effect at the 2024 general election , comprising 88.9% of the previous constituency. The seat was won by the Labour Party candidate Catherine Fookes who defeated

2142-449: Is a county in the south east of Wales . It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the south, and Torfaen , Newport and Blaenau Gwent to the west. The largest town is Abergavenny , and the administrative centre is Usk . The county is rural, although adjacent to the city of Newport and

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2244-425: Is a hagiography of importance to the case for the historicity of Arthur as one of seven saints' lives that mention Arthur independently of Geoffrey of Monmouth 's Historia Regum Britanniae . Cadoc's story appears in a Vita Cadoci written shortly before 1086 by Lifris of Llancarfan; "it was clearly written at Llancarfan with the purpose of honouring the house and confirming its endowments". Consequently, it

2346-482: Is also retained for a limited number of public service functions which operate across principal areas, for example Gwent Police . In the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum , which resulted in a narrow "Yes" vote, 50.30 per cent in favour v. 49.70 per cent against, for the establishment of a National Assembly for Wales, Monmouthshire recorded the highest "No" vote of any principal area, its population voting 67.9 percent against to 32.1 per cent in favour. Monmouthshire

2448-408: Is broadly rectangular in shape, and borders the county of Powys to the north and the county boroughs of Newport , Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent to the west, with its southern border on the Severn Estuary giving the county its only coastline. To the east, it borders the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire . The centre of the county is the plain of Gwent, formed from the basin of

2550-646: Is mention made of his presence in Wales. An alternate tradition holds that Llancarvan monastery or "Church of the Stags", in Glamorgan, and not far from the Bristol Channel, was founded in the latter part of the fifth century by Cadoc. Here he established a monastery and college, which became the seminary of many great and holy men. The spot at first seemed an impossible one, an almost inaccessible marsh, but he and his monks drained and cultivated it, transforming it into one of

2652-479: Is of limited historical merit though some details are of interest. Llancarfan did not survive the intrusion of Norman power into South Wales, being dissolved about 1086. Cadoc began life under a cloud of violence. His father, Gwynllyw the Bearded, was one of the lesser kings of Wales, a brother of Saint Petroc , and a robber chieftain. He wanted to propose to Princess Gwladys, daughter of King Brychan of Brycheiniog,

2754-662: Is one of three knights said to have become keepers of the Holy Grail . The kings Maelgwn of Gwynedd and Rhain Dremrudd of Brycheiniog also feature in the Vita . Though Saint Cadoc's Church at Caerleon , which, though of Norman origin and much rebuilt, stands on the foundations of the Roman legion headquarters , may memorialize an early cell of Cadoc's. Caerleon was also associated with Arthur. A certain miraculous spot associated with Cadoc had

2856-731: Is the knowledge of time spent in Brittany. He settled there on an island in the Etel river, now called L'Ile de Cado, where he built an oratory, founded a monastery and devoted himself to spreading the Gospel. There are chapels dedicated to him at Belz and Locoal-Mendon in Morbihan and at Gouesnac'h in Finistère , where he is called upon to cure the deaf. His name is also the basis of some thirty Breton place-names. According to Huddleston, most Welsh writers assign

2958-515: Is the remnant of a once much larger forest, but remains the largest ancient woodland in Wales and the ninth largest in Britain. Once a 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) woodland, it formed the hunting ground for Chepstow Castle, and gave its name to a traditional north-south, division of the county between the cantrefi (hundreds) of Gwent Uwchcoed (above the wood) and Gwent Iscoed (below the wood). Monmouth's coastline forms its southern border, running

3060-664: The 5th Duke of Beaufort , enjoyed a long military career, serving on the staff of the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo , and as commander-in-chief of the British forces during the Crimean War . Created Baron Raglan in 1852, he died in 1855. His son was gifted Cefntilla Court , near Llandenny in his memory. William Wilson Allen , who fought with the South Wales Borderers at

3162-554: The Anglo-Saxons , their common enemy. The Book of Llandaff records such a victory over the Saxon invaders achieved by Tewdrig at a battle near Tintern in the late 6th century. An example of the alliances formed by neighbouring petty kings was the Kingdom of Morgannwg , a union between Gwent and its western neighbour, the kingdom of Glywysing , which formed and reformed between the 8th and

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3264-536: The Annals of Owain Glyn Dwr , "there the English were killed for the most part and they were pursued up to the gates of the town" (of Monmouth). This was the high water mark of the revolt; heavy defeats in the county followed in 1405, at the Battle of Grosmont , and at the Battle of Pwll Melyn , traditionally located near Usk Castle , where Glyndŵr's brother was killed and his eldest son captured. The chronicler Adam of Usk ,

3366-748: The Battle of Rorke's Drift in 1879, is buried in Monmouth Cemetery , the only grave in the county of a holder of the Victoria Cross . The Monmouthshire Regiment was established in 1907. Men from the regiment fought in both the First and Second World Wars , until its disbandment in 1967. HMS Monmouth was sunk at the Battle of Coronel in November 1914, with the loss of all 734 crew. The Local Government Act 1972 , which came into effect in April 1974, created

3468-758: The Caldicot and Wentloog Levels and at Monmouth . An important hoard of Bronze Age axes was discovered at St Arvans . The county has a number of hillfort sites , such as those at Bulwark and Llanmelin Wood . The latter has been suggested as the capital of the Silures , a Celtic tribe who occupied south-east Wales in the Iron Age . The Silures proved among the most intractable of Rome's opponents, Tacitus described them as "exceptionally stubborn" and Raymond Howell, in his county history published in 1988, notes that while it took

3570-563: The Catuvellauni . His final defeat in AD 50 saw his transportation to Rome, but stiff Silurian resistance continued, and the subjugation of the entirety of south-east Wales was not achieved until around AD 75, under the governor of Britain, Sextus Julius Frontinus . Monmouthshire's most important Roman remains are found at the town of Venta Silurum ("Market of the Silures"), present-day Caerwent in

3672-579: The City of Newport , including Caerleon as it had since 1974. The new Monmouthshire, covering the less populated eastern 60% of the historic county, included the towns of Abergavenny , Caldicot , Chepstow , Monmouth and Usk . In his essay on local government in the fifth and final volume of the Gwent County History , Robert McCloy suggests that the governance of "no county in the United Kingdom in

3774-686: The Court of Great Sessions . Monmouthshire was assigned to the Oxford circuit of the English Assizes . This began a legal separation which continued until 1972; for example, the administrative county of Monmouthshire and the boroughs of Newport, Abergavenny and Monmouth were explicitly listed as being in England rather than Wales in first schedule of the Local Government Act 1933 . For several centuries, acts of

3876-514: The Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner . Monmouthshire's prisons are HM Prison Prescoed , a Category D open prison at Coed-y-paen and HM Prison Usk , a Category C prison, both in the west of the county. Monmouthshire's population was 93,000 at the 2021 census, increasing marginally from 91,300 at the 2011 census. 54,100 (58.2 per cent) of residents were born in Wales, while 32,300 (34.7 per cent) were born in England. Just over 20 per cent of

3978-496: The Kingdom of Gwent was established, traditionally by Caradoc , in the 5th or 6th centuries. Siting their capital at Caerwent, the settlement gave its name to the kingdom. The subsequent history of the area prior to the Norman Conquest is poorly documented and complex. The kingdom of Gwent frequently fought with the neighbouring Welsh kingdoms, and sometimes joined in alliance with them in, generally successful, attempts to repel

4080-627: The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 , which came into effect in 1996. In his essay 'Changes in local government', in the fifth and final volume of the Gwent County History , Robert McCloy writes, "the local government of no county in the United Kingdom in the twentieth century was so transformed as that of Monmouthshire". Evidence of human activity in the Mesolithic period has been found across Monmouthshire; examples include important remains on

4182-688: The M48 , originally part of the M4, which links Wales with England via the Severn Bridge at Chepstow. In the east of the county, the A449 and the A40 link with the M50 near Goodrich, Herefordshire , connecting Monmouthshire and South Wales with the English Midlands . The Department for Transport recorded traffic in Monmouthshire at 0.9 billion vehicle miles in 2022. This represented

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4284-647: The Parliament of England (in which Wales was represented) often referred to "Wales and Monmouthshire", such as the Welsh Church Act 1914 . Monmouthshire in the 1600s experienced to a high degree the political and religious convulsions arising from the English Reformation and culminating in the English Civil War . Following Henry VII's religious reforms, the county had a reputation for recusancy , with

4386-458: The Plantagenet nobility . Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster (c. 1310–1361), was reputedly born at Grosmont Castle , home of his father Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster , grandson of Henry III . Becoming the richest and among the most powerful lords in England, Grosmont developed the castle as a sumptuous residence, while the village became an important medieval settlement. Henry V (1386–1422)

4488-749: The River Usk and its tributaries. The west of the county is hilly, and the Black Mountains in the northwest are part of the Brecon Beacons National Park ( Bannau Brycheiniog ). The border with England in the east largely follows the course of the River Wye and its tributary, the River Monnow . In the southeast is the Wye Valley AONB , a hilly region which stretches into England. The county has

4590-497: The River Usk , while the River Wye forms part of its eastern border, running through the Wye Valley , one of the five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wales and the only one in the county. The north and west of the county is mountainous, particularly the western area adjoining the industrial South Wales Valleys and the Black Mountains which form part of the Brecon Beacons National Park . Two major river valleys dominate

4692-424: The district of Monmouth along with the Llanelly community from Blaenau Gwent, both of which were districts of Gwent. It is a principal area of Wales. Monmouthshire is styled as a county, and includes: the former boroughs of Abergavenny and Monmouth; the former urban districts of Chepstow and Usk; the former rural districts of Abergavenny, Chepstow and Monmouth; the former rural district of Pontypool , except

4794-400: The 10th centuries. The common threat they faced is shown in Offa's Dyke , the physical delineation of a border with Wales created by the Mercian king . For a brief period in the 11th century, Monmouthshire, as Gwent, became part of a united Wales under Gruffydd ap Llywelyn , but his death in 1063 was soon followed by that of his opponent Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings , and

4896-401: The 190s in response to disturbances. The Silurian identity was not extinguished: the establishment of a Respublica Civitatis Silurium (an early town council) in around 300 testifies to the longevity of the indigenous tribal culture. The Roman abandonment of Britain from AD 383 saw the division of Wales into a number of petty kingdoms . In the southeast (the present county of Monmouthshire)

4998-401: The 19th centuries county politics was dominated by the Beauforts, and the Morgans , "an everlasting friendship between the house of Raglan and Tredegar". By the late 19th century, three families held over a fifth of the land in Monmouthshire: the Beauforts, the Morgans, and the Hanburys of Pontypool . Industrialisation came early to Monmouthshire; the first brass in Britain was produced at

5100-428: The Christians throughout the whole world; for in his time the blessed martyrs Alban, that is Julian, Aaron, and many others suffered. Dioclesian begat Galerius, Galerius begat Constantine the Great the son of Helen, Constantine begat Constantius, Constantius begat Maximianus, with whom the British soldiers went from Britain, and he slew Gratian the Roman emperor, and held the government of all Europe; and he did not dismiss

5202-498: The Kings of Britain , with a focus on King Arthur and Camelot which Geoffrey located at Caerleon (now in Newport ), and which remained highly influential for centuries, although modern scholars consider it little more than a literary forgery. Christmas 1175 saw an outbreak of particular violence in the gradual extension of Norman control over South Wales. The Marcher lord William de Braose invited Seisyll ap Dyfnwal , lord of Upper Gwent, and an array of other Welsh notables to

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5304-432: The Middle Ages Penychen contained two important ecclesiastical centres: the episcopal seat of Llandaf, and Llancarfan , a clas connected to the early author Caradoc of Llancarfan . Penychen lay between Senghenydd and Gwrinydd in South Wales ; it contained the areas which today are the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff , the majority of the Vale of Glamorgan and the west of Cardiff . This article about

5406-409: The Norman conquest of South Wales, the southern parts of Penychen, on the Bristol Channel, came under the direct rule of the Norman Marcher Lords and their descendants, but the rest (the commotes of Rhondda Valley and Miskin ) remained under the rule of local Welsh lords, who paid homage to the powerful Norman lords but still retained a degree of independence, which they were very ready to defend. In

5508-674: The River Wye and several parts of South Wales, etc. relative chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; made in the summer of the year 1770 . Although his efforts were sometimes satirised, Gilpin established what became the conventional route down the "mazy course" of the River Wye , with visitors embarking at Ross-on-Wye , and sailing past Symonds Yat , and Monmouth, before the highlight of the tour, Tintern Abbey . Voyages concluded at Chepstow. The abbey at Tintern inspired artists and writers; J. M. W. Turner painted it; William Wordsworth committed it to verse; while Samuel Taylor Coleridge almost died there. Another object of interest to artists undertaking

5610-422: The Romans five years to subdue south-east England, it took thirty-five before complete subjugation of the Silurian territories was achieved. The Roman conquest of Britain began in AD 43, and within five years they had reached the borders of what is now Wales. In south-east Wales they encountered strong resistance from the Silures, led by Caratacus (Caradog), who had fled west after the defeat of his own tribe,

5712-426: The Vale of Glamorgan, and from there he went to Ireland to study for three years. Returning to Wales, he studied with Bachan or Pachan, a teacher of rhetoric from Italy. He then travelled to Scotland where he founded a monastery at Cambuslang. Back at Llancarfan, his influence helped it to grow into one of the chief monasteries in South Wales. One tradition has it that he went on pilgrimage to Rome, but more certain

5814-449: The Wye Tour was the Monnow Bridge at Monmouth. A late 18th-century watercolour by Michael Angelo Rooker is now in the Monmouth Museum . The noted architectural watercolourist Samuel Prout painted the bridge in a study dated "before 1814", now held at the Yale Center for British Art in Connecticut. In 1795, J. M. W. Turner sketched the bridge and gatehouse during one of his annual summer sketching tours. Alfred Russel Wallace ,

5916-562: The apostles Peter and Paul suffered, Nero begat Trajan, Trajan begat Adrian, Adrian begat Antonius, Antonius begat Commodus, Commodus begat Meobus, Meobus begat Severus, Severus begat Antonius, Antonius begat Aucanus, Aucanus begat Aurelian, Aurelian begat Alexander, Alexander begat Maximus, Maximus begat Gordian, Gordian begat Philip, Philip begat Decius, Decius begat Gallus, Callus begat Valerian, Valerian begat Cleopatra, Cleopatra begat Aurelian, Aurelian begat Titus, Titus begat Probus, Probus begat Carosius, Carosius begat Dioclesian, who persecuted

6018-420: The bow and arrow than those who come from other parts of Wales". There was a brief reassertion of Welsh autonomy in Monmouthshire during the Glyndŵr rebellion of 1400 to 1415. Seeking to re-establish Welsh independence, the revolt began in the north, but by 1403 Owain Glyndŵr 's army was in Monmouthshire, sacking Usk and securing a victory over the English at Craig-y-dorth , near Cwmcarvan . According to

6120-498: The canal is a popular route for leisure cruising but most of its length lies within the principal areas of Torfaen , Blaenau Gwent and Newport. The Monmouthshire villages of Gilwern , Govilon and Goetre , on the western extremity of the county, remain adjacent to the canal. Tourism remains an important element of the county's economy. It generated just under £245 million in income in 2019, from 2.28 million visitors. The sector also provides employment for over 3,000 inhabitants of

6222-406: The cellars were miraculously filled with food. Cadoc was born in Monmouthshire around the year 497. An angel announced his birth and summoned the hermit Meuthi to baptise and teach him. A holy well sprang up for his baptism and afterwards flowed with wine and milk. It is thought that he was baptised as Cathmail (Cadfael). After the birth of his son, Gwynllyw went on a wild celebratory raid with

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6324-408: The chair of Monmouthshire County Council. The western edge of the county, bordering Newport and including the settlements of Magor , Undy , Rogiet and Caldicot , forms part of the Newport East constituency which has John Griffiths of Labour as its member. Monmouth is also one of eight constituencies in the South Wales East electoral region , which elects four additional members , under

6426-518: The community of Llanfrechfa Lower ; and the parish of Llanelly from the former Crickhowell Rural District in Brecknockshire. The county is administered by Monmouthshire County Council , with its head office at Rhadyr, outside Usk , opened in 2013. In the 2022 Monmouthshire County Council election , no party gained overall control, with the Welsh Labour party forming a minority administration, its 22 councillors allying with five Independents and one Green Party councillor. The council leader

6528-438: The county is Chwarel y Fan in the Black Mountains, with a height of 679 metres (2,228 ft). The Sugar Loaf (Welsh: Mynydd Pen-y-fâl or Y Fâl ), located three kilometres (two miles) northwest of Abergavenny, offers far-reaching views; although its height is only 596 metres (1,955 ft), its isolation and distinctive peak shape make it a prominent landmark. Wentwood , now partly in Monmouthshire and partly in Newport ,

6630-497: The county of Gwent, confirmed it as part of Wales, and abolished the historic administrative county of Monmouthshire and its associated lieutenancy . It also subsumed Newport County Borough Council , creating a two-tier system of local government across the county. The entire county was administered by Gwent County Council , based at County Hall, Cwmbran , with five district councils below it: Blaenau Gwent , Islwyn , Monmouth , Newport and Torfaen . The largest five towns in

6732-555: The county of Monmouthshire, although only with the eastern three-fifths of its historic area, and with a substantially reduced population. The western two-fifths of the county were included in other principal areas: Caerphilly County Borough , part of which came from Mid Glamorgan, including the towns of Newbridge , Blackwood , New Tredegar and Rhymney ; Blaenau Gwent County Borough , including Abertillery , Brynmawr , Ebbw Vale and Tredegar ; Torfaen County Borough , including Blaenavon , Abersychan , Pontypool , and Cwmbran ; and

6834-408: The county's only National Landscape , has its largest population of deer and the UK's largest population of Lesser horseshoe bats . The Wye itself was once one of the country's major centres of salmon fishing, but this has suffered very rapid decline in the 21st century due to river pollution . The current unitary authority of Monmouthshire was created on 1 April 1996 as a successor to

6936-472: The county's population is over the age of 65. It remains one of the least densely-populated of Wales' principal areas . The 2021 census recorded that Welsh is spoken by 8.7 per cent of the population of the county, a decrease from 9.9 per cent in 2011. The number of non-Welsh speakers increased by 3,000 over the decade. In 2021, 96.9 per cent of Monmouthshire residents identified as "white European", marginally lower than in 2011, compared with 98 per cent for

7038-410: The end of his vita Cadoc is carried off in a cloud from Britannia ( de terra Britannie ) to Beneventum , where a certain prior is warned of the coming of a "western Briton" who is to be renamed Sophias; as Sophias Cadoc becomes abbot, bishop and martyr. A magna basilica was erected over his shrine, which visiting Britons were not allowed to enter. A fictitious "Pope Alexander" is made to figure in

7140-422: The end of the century, the need for access to exploit the South Wales coalfields saw the development of trams and canals. Tourism became prominent in Monmouthshire at the end of the 18th century, when the French Revolution and the subsequent Napoleonic Wars precluded travel to Continental Europe . The focus of activity was the Wye Tour , first popularised by the Rev. William Gilpin , in his Observations on

7242-488: The feast day of the Apostle Saint Matthew , and in Cardiff, St Cadoc's Day has traditionally been kept on 25 September; on the French Île de Saint-Cado  [ fr ] , a major pardon is traditionally celebrated on the third Sunday in September. Elsewhere his traditional feast day is 24 January. Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( / ˈ m ɒ n m ə θ ʃ ər , ˈ m ʌ n -, - ʃ ɪər / MON -məth-shər, MUN -, -⁠sheer ; Welsh : Sir Fynwy )

7344-705: The first period of his religious life under Cadoc's tutelage. Cadoc is credited with the establishment of many churches in Cornwall , Brittany , Dyfed and Scotland . He is known as Cattwg Ddoeth , "the Wise", and a large collection of his maxims and moral sayings were included in Volume III of the Myvyrian Archaiology . He is listed in the 2004 edition of the Roman Martyrology under 21 September. His Norman-era "Life"

7446-575: The forest to help them, which is said to be why the stream running past the monastery is called the Nant Carfan, the Stag Brook. Rev. Rees suggests that although the monastery was said to have been situated at Llancarfan, the particular spot on which it stood was called Llanfeithin. About 528, after his father's death, Cadoc is said to have built a stone monastery in Scotland probably at Kilmadock , which

7548-515: The founding of Llancarfan to the period of St. Germanus's visit to Britain in A.D. 447, stating further that the first principal was St. Dubric, or Dubricius, on whose elevation to the episcopate St. Cadoc, or Cattwg, succeeded. On the other hand, he notes that the Life of St. Germanus , written by Constantius, a priest of Lyons, about fifty years after the death of the saint, says nothing at all of any school founded by him or under his auspices, in Britain, nor

7650-532: The hill southwest of Stirling down which the Bannockburn flows). It has been suggested that the monastery was where the town of St Ninians now stands, two kilometers south of Stirling. Scottish followers were known as "Gille Dog", the servants of Cadog, which appears as a surname, first as Dog, and later as Doig, Dock, and Doak. Cadoc came into conflict with Arthur : the Vita depicts Arthur as great and bold, but willful. Lifris writes that Cadoc gave protection to

7752-548: The incumbent, David TC Davies , a Conservative Party politician who had held the previous seat since 2005 and who served as the Secretary of State for Wales in the prior government. Monmouthshire directly elects two members to the Senedd , the Welsh parliament. The Monmouth constituency covers most of the county and since May 2021 the directly elected member is Peter Fox , a Conservative Party politician who previously served as

7854-490: The length of the Severn Estuary from Chepstow in the east to the shore south of Magor in the west. The distance, roughly 15 miles (24 km), can be walked via the Wales Coast Path . The coastline includes the eastern part of the Caldicot and Wentloog Levels , also known as the Monmouthshire or Gwent Levels, an almost entirely man-made environment that has seen land reclamation since Roman times . Denny Island ,

7956-510: The lords as sicut regale ("like unto a king"). The lords established castles, first earth and wood motte-and-bailey constructions, and later substantial structures in stone, such as Chepstow Castle , begun by William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford as early as 1067, and that at Tregrug , near Llangybi , by de Clare's son, Gilbert . In the early Norman period, the cleric and chronicler, Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1095 – c. 1155), who may have been born at Monmouth, wrote his The History of

8058-559: The lowlands: the scenic gorge of the Wye Valley along the border with Gloucestershire adjoining the Forest of Dean , and the valley of the River Usk between Abergavenny and Newport. Both rivers flow south to the Severn Estuary . The River Monnow is a tributary of the River Wye and forms part of the border with Herefordshire and England, passing through the town of Monmouth. The highest point of

8160-404: The marquess died in captivity and his son spent time in prison and in exile abroad. John Arnold was a firm enemy of Catholics and pursued a policy of harassment throughout the 1670s. Monmouthshire’s only dukedom was created in 1663 for James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth , but became forfeit following Scott’s execution after the failed Monmouth Rebellion in 1685. In the 18th and much of

8262-594: The monk's care, and he was sent away to be educated at Tathyw's monastery in Caerwent. Cadoc picked up a basic knowledge of Latin and received a rudimentary education that prepared him for further studies in Ireland and Wales. Most important, Cadoc learned to appreciate the life of a monk and a priest. One day while in the Cardiff district of Glamorgan, Cadoc was being chased by an armed swineherd from an enemy tribe. As he ran through

8364-713: The most blessed Cadoc of whom we are speaking. In the 2004 edition of the Roman Martyrology , Cadoc is listed among saints thought to have died on 21 September, with the Latin name Cadóci . He is mentioned as follows: 'In the monastery at Llancarfan in South Wales, Saint Cadoc the Abbot, under whose name many monasteries in Cornwall and Brittany were established.' He does not appear in the current Roman Catholic liturgical calendar of saints celebrated annually in Wales. 21 September is, however,

8466-429: The most famous and attractive religious homes in South Wales. The plan of the building included a monastery, a college, and a hospital. Having got the community established, he went off to Ireland to study and teach. When he returned three years later, he found the monastery in ruins. Furious, he forced the monks back to manual labour, dragging timber from the woods to begin the work of reconstruction. Two stags came out of

8568-516: The narrative. In Lives of the Cambro British saints (1853), Rev W. J Rees wrote: The genealogy of the blessed Cadoc arises from the most noble emperors of Rome, from the time of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, Augustus Cesar, in whose time Christ was born, begat Octavianus, Octavianus begat Tiberius, Tiberius begat Caius, Caius begat Claudius, Claudius begat Vespasian, Vespasian begat Titus, Titus begat Domitian, Domitian begat Nero, under whom

8670-426: The new county were Newport , Cwmbran , Pontypool , Ebbw Vale and Abergavenny . The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 created the present local government structure in Wales of 22 unitary authority areas , the principal areas , and abolished the previous two-tier structure of counties and districts . It came into effect on 1 April 1996. It brought to an end the 22-year existence of Gwent, and re-created

8772-451: The re-established unity of the country was to come from Norman dominance. The Norman invasion of South Wales from the late 1060s saw the destruction of the Kingdom of Gwent, and its replacement by five Marcher lordships based at Striguil (Chepstow), Monmouth, Abergavenny, Usk and Caerleon. The Marcher Lord of Abergavenny, Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester , described the rule of

8874-435: The remainder reporting themselves as Buddhist (0.4 percent); Hindu (0.2 per cent); Jewish (0.1 per cent); Muslim (0.5 per cent); Sikh (0.1 per cent) or Other (0.6 per cent). Monmouthshire is now primarily a service economy , with professional, scientific and technical businesses, financial services, IT and business administration, retail, hospitality and arts and entertainment businesses accounting for just over 50 per cent of

8976-564: The second largest single sector after professional, scientific and technical enterprises. The Monmouthshire Show , an annual agricultural show , is one of the largest such events in Wales and has operated since 1790. The third largest individual employment sector is construction. The only motorways are in the south of the county: the M4 which connects Wales with England via the Second Severn Crossing with its Welsh end near Sudbrook ; and

9078-425: The site of the great church college and monastery at Llancarvan. Maches (Latin: Machuta ), the sister of Cadoc according to tradition, was killed by robbers who were stealing her finest ram. Tathan, to whom the murderers confessed their crime, built a church on the spot. In adulthood Cadoc refused to take charge of his father's army, "preferring to fight for Christ". He founded his first monastery at Llancarfan in

9180-490: The soldiers, which he brought with him from Britain to return to their country on account of their bravery, but gave them many provinces and countries, that is from the pool which is on the top of the mountain of Jupiter to the city named Cantguic, and until the western mound that is Cruc Ochideint; and from those soldiers arose a nation which is called Lettau. Maximianus therefore begat Owain, Owain begat Nor, Nor begat Solor, Solor begat Glywys, Glywys begat Gwynlliw, Gwynlliw begat

9282-416: The south of the county. The town was established in AD 75, laid out in the traditional rectangular Roman pattern of twenty insulae with a basilica and a temple flanking a forum . Other Roman settlements in the area included Blestium (Monmouth). The Romanisation of Monmouthshire was not without continuing civil unrest; the defences at Caerwent, and at Caerleon, underwent considerable strengthening in

9384-403: The strongly Catholic Marquesses of Worcester (later Dukes of Beaufort) at its apex, from their powerbase at Raglan Castle . The outbreak of war saw the county predominantly Royalist in its sympathies; Henry Somerset, 1st Marquess of Worcester expended a fortune in support of Charles I and twice entertained him at Raglan. His generosity was unavailing; the castle fell after a siege in 1646;

9486-400: The total number of enterprises in the county. Employers are generally small, with 91 per cent of businesses employing fewer than 10 people. It is a relatively prosperous county in comparison with the average in Wales; 80.0 per cent of people of working age are in employment compared with the Welsh average of 72.8 per cent; just under 3,000 people were in receipt of the main unemployment benefit,

9588-458: The twentieth century was so transformed as that of Monmouthshire". The title of Gwent continues as a preserved county , one of eight such counties in Wales, which have mainly ceremonial functions such as the Lords Lieutenant and High Sheriffs . The current Lord Lieutenant of Gwent from 2016 is Brigadier Robert Aitken. The current High Sheriff for 2023–2024 is Professor Simon J. Gibson. It

9690-424: The urbanised South Wales Valleys ; it has an area of 330 square miles (850 km ) and a population of 93,000. After Abergavenny (12,515), the largest towns are Chepstow (12,350), Monmouth (10,508), and Caldicot (9,813). The county has one of the lowest percentages of Welsh speakers in Wales, at 8.2% of the population in 2021. The lowlands in the centre of Monmouthshire are gently undulating, and shaped by

9792-436: The whole of Wales. 41.9 per cent of the population identified as "Welsh", down from 44.0% in 2011. The percentage of residents in Monmouthshire that identified as "British only" increased from 23.5% to 27.0%. In the 2021 census 43.4 per cent of Monmouthshire residents reported having "No religion", an increase of nearly 15 per cent from the 28.5 per cent in the 2011 census. 48.7 per cent described themselves as "Christian" with

9894-441: The woods looking for a place to hide, he came upon a wild boar, white with age. Disturbed by his presence, the boar made three fierce bounds in his direction, but Cadoc's life was spared when the boar miraculously disappeared. Cadoc took this as a heavenly sign, and marked the spot with three tree branches. The valley was owned by his uncle, King Pawl of Penychen , who made a present of the land to his nephew. The location later became

9996-634: Was also an aviation pioneer, and died in a plane crash in 1910. He is commemorated by a statue in Agincourt Square in Monmouth. The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers was founded in 1539, making it the second oldest regiment in the British Army . Originally a county militia, it was amalgamated into the Royal Engineers in 1877. It is based at Monmouth Castle . Fitzroy Somerset , a younger son of

10098-603: Was born at his father's castle at Monmouth in 1386, and his birth, and his most famous military victory , are commemorated in Agincourt Square in the town, and by a statue on the frontage of the Shire Hall which forms the square's centrepiece. In Henry V's wars in France, he received strong military support from the archers of Gwent, who were famed for their skill with the Welsh bow . Gerald recorded, "the men of Gwent are more skilled with

10200-496: Was firmly embedded in Wales, and in 1840 the Chartist leaders John Frost , Zephaniah Williams and William Jones were tried for sedition and treason at the Shire Hall, Monmouth , after a failed insurrection at Newport . Their death sentences were subsequently commuted to transportation to Australia. Industrialisation also drove improvements in transportation; in the 18th century, the poor state of Monmouthshire's roads approached

10302-517: Was formed from the Welsh Marches by the Laws in Wales Act 1535 . The Laws in Wales Act 1542 enumerated the counties of Wales and omitted Monmouthshire, implying that the county was no longer to be treated as part of Wales. Though for all purposes Wales had become part of the Kingdom of England , and the difference had little practical effect, it did begin a centuries-long dispute as to Monmouthshire's status as

10404-545: Was named for the saint, north-west of Stirling, where the Annant Burn enters the River Teith about 2 miles upstream from Doune. Near the ruins of the old Kilmadock church and graveyard is Hermit's Croft, thought to be where he lived for seven years. Seven local churches that were built in his name came under the authority of Inchmahome Priory. It is also said that Cadoc's monastery was "below Mount Bannauc" (generally taken to be

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