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| Location | Monmouth, Wales |
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| Coordinates | 51°48′46″N2°42′45″W / 51.8127°N 2.7125°W |
Wye Bridge Ward was one of four wards in the town of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. Streets in the ward included St Mary's Street, Almshouse Street, St James Street, St James Square, Whitecross Street and Monk Street. The ward existed as a division of the town by the early seventeenth century, and continued into the twentieth century.
In 1804, local author and printer Charles Heath (1761–1830) [1] [2] published his Historical and descriptive accounts of the ancient and present state of the town of Monmouth. In it, he indicated that the borough of Monmouth was divided into four wards: Wye Bridge Ward, Castle Bailey Ward, Monnow Street Ward, and Over Monnow Ward. [3] The same four wards were present in the mid-nineteenth century. [4] The first of those wards, Wye Bridge Ward, was included in the 1610 map of Monmouth by cartographer and historian John Speed (c. 1552 – 1629). [5] [6] In the map legend, Speed referred to the ward as "Wy Brid word" (pictured). [3] [7] Wye Bridge Ward continued to be a division of the town of Monmouth into the twentieth century. [8]
Keith Edward Kissack (1913–2010), [9] author and former curator of the Nelson Museum and History Centre, [10] indicated that, previously, if a building in Monmouth was valued at less than £10, its residents did not have to pay the poor rate. The majority of those excused from those property taxes resided in Wye Bridge Ward. This was particularly true in the area of the wharves which, by the mid nineteenth century, had evolved into a slum. The number of people who had their poor rate taxes waived peaked in 1848. [11]
Heath indicated that Wye Bridge Ward at the turn of the nineteenth century started at the residence of the widow Myles, at the north end of St Mary's Street near the church, and extended southeast toward Wye Bridge, including St Mary's Street in its entirety. [3] [12] [13] There were also some homes in proximity to the turnpike, and land in possession of the Duke of Beaufort. Tenements and lumber yards north of Wye Bridge were part of the ward. [3]
The mention of a street with no name where "respectable families" lived, including the Bourne and Williams families, was a reference to the future St James Street (and St James Square). [12] [13] Heath specified not only the Dixton Gate (East Gate) (pictured in map above), adjacent to the modern St James Square, [13] but also land belonging to Captain Charles Philipps. [3] Philipps built The Grange on St James Street in the nineteenth century; it was converted to a sixth form boarding house for Monmouth School in 2011. [14] [15] While Heath claimed that the future St James Street had no name in the early nineteenth century, William Meyler Warlow asserted in 1899 that St James Street had been part of Whitecross Street, as Whitecross extended from the east end of Church Street all the way to Weirhead Street. [16] The Duke of Beaufort owned some land in that area of the ward as well. [3]
The future Almshouse Street, containing the William Jones Alms Houses, as well as "parish row" and warehouses, was also in Wye Bridge Ward. [3] [12] [16] Almshouse Street was another street that had originally been part of Whitecross Street. [16] The property of the Endall and Hughes families was included in Wye Bridge Ward. [3] The ward comprised the street which extended from the East Gate [13] to "the sign of The Griffin," [17] which represented both the east and west segments of the modern Whitecross Street (and St James Square). [3] [7] [12] [13] The Griffin public house, at 1 Whitecross Street (pictured), continues to be located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Church Street (pedestrianised), St Mary's Street, and Whitecross Street. [17] Church Street was referred to as Butchers' Row in the seventeenth century. [7] [18] Whitecross Street took its name from the stone cross that once stood in the area now referred to as St James Square (pictured). It was later replaced by a weighing machine which was present at the turn of the nineteenth century. [16] [19] [20] Later, it was the location of a pump donated in 1873 by Major Alexander Rolls, Mayor of Monmouth. [20] The site of the original cross is marked on Speed's map of the town (pictured in map above). [7] Monk Street was included in its entirety, beginning at the Platt residence and blacksmith shop at the intersection with Whitecross Street and extending north. [3] [12]
The ward contained a number of other miscellaneous properties, many of which were located north of Monk Street. Public houses included were The Royal Oak and Manson's Cross, [21] both on Hereford Road. [3] [22] Among the farms was the Priory Farm, later the first site of the Monmouth Golf Club, east of Hereford Road. [22] [23] At the turn of the nineteenth century, the Priory Farm had been the residence of the Powles family, where a Miss Powles died in 1802. [24] Great Manson Farm, including the Great Manson farmhouse, [25] [26] large barn, [27] [28] and old cider house, [29] [30] all grade II listed buildings, was in Wye Bridge Ward. In 1804, it belonged to the Miss Clarkes. The ward also included the Osbaston farms, the residences of the Evans and Wanklyn families. Tump House, owned by James Styants and the residence of the Reverend Willis, was among a number of other properties included in Wye Bridge Ward. [3]
St Mary's Priory Church, in Whitecross Street, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales, is an Anglican church founded as a Benedictine priory in 1075. The current church dates mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries. It was designated a Grade II* listed building in 1952. It is one of 24 buildings on the Monmouth Heritage Trail.
The Beaufort Arms Hotel, in Agincourt Square in the town of Monmouth, south-east Wales is a former coaching inn dating from the early eighteenth century. The frontage was modified in the 1830s, possibly by the prolific early Victorian architect George Vaughan Maddox. A stone cornice on the central block carries the inscription "The Beaufort Arms". A Grade II* listed building, it features in the Monmouth Heritage Trail. In the 20th century, the building was converted to residential apartments.
Charles Heath was a printer and writer who became a leading radical in Monmouth. He was twice elected Mayor of Monmouth.
The Griffin is a former public house in Whitecross Street, Monmouth, Wales. The building dates from the 18th century and has been grade II listed since 2005. Its name and sign refer to the legendary creature, the griffin.
The Monmouth War Memorial commemorates the inhabitants of the town of Monmouth, Wales who died in the First and Second World Wars.
The Monmouth Alms Houses of Monmouth, Wales are funded by the charity established by the haberdasher William Jones before his death in 1615. That charity also established schools in Monmouth and a lectureship in London. The Haberdashers' Company served as trustee of the charity from 1613 until 2011, when the trusteeship was transferred to Bristol Charities. A second charity established through a separate bequest by Jones enabled the building of the Newland Alms Houses in the Forest of Dean. The original Monmouth Alms Houses were constructed in 1614; they were rebuilt in 1842 and 1961. The fourth version of the Monmouth Alms Houses was completed in 2013 and is named 'Cwrt William Jones Almshouses' and is owned and managed by Bristol Charities under the name of 'William Jones Almshouse Charity'. The original alms houses were located on what is now known as Almshouse Street. The most recent houses are located off St James' Square.
The Monmouth town walls and defences comprise the defensive system of town walls and gates built in Monmouth, Wales between 1297 and the early part of the following century. Wye Bridge Gate, East Gate, Monk's Gate, and Monnow Bridge Gate were access points to the town. West Gate, across Monnow Street, also provided access. Only the Monnow Bridge Gatehouse survives intact, albeit in a substantially modified version from the original.
Whitecross Street is a historic street in the town centre of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. It was in existence by the 15th century, and appears as Whit crose on the 1610 map of the town by cartographer John Speed. It runs in an east-west direction, between Church Street and St James Square. It has been suggested that the street takes its name from a plague cross. Whitecross Street is lined with numerous listed buildings.
33 Whitecross Street is a grade II listed building in Monmouth, Wales in the area of St James Square. The property was the site of an archaeological excavation in 2009, which found evidence of Neolithic (prehistoric), Roman, and Medieval activity. The following year, archaeological excavation in the square discovered the first evidence of Mesolithic human settlement in Monmouth.
Monk Street is an historic street in the town of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. A portion of it was in existence by the 14th century, and appears on the 1610 map of the town by cartographer John Speed. It runs in a north-south direction, extending northward from its intersection with Whitecross Street. The name of the street relates to the nearby Priory, as well as the gate which was originally on this road and provided part of the town's defences, Monk's Gate. Monk Street is lined with numerous listed buildings.
St James Square is a historic square in the town centre of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located at the eastern end of Whitecross Street, within the medieval town walls. The area features the Monmouth War Memorial and the controversial, historic Indian Bean Tree. In addition, in 2010, the square was the site of discovery of the first Mesolithic artefacts in Monmouth. St James Square is lined with numerous listed buildings. It is also home to the Monmouth Catalpa Tree.
St James Street is a historic street in the town centre of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. It appears as a segment of Whitecross Street on the 1610 map of the town by cartographer John Speed and is within the medieval town walls. On more recent maps, it extends from St James Square southwest to Almshouse Street. In 2010, the street was the site of discovery of Mesolithic era artefacts. St James Street is lined with numerous listed buildings.
The Grange consists of three attached, grade II listed buildings in Monmouth, Wales. It is in the St James Street neighbourhood, within the medieval town walls. The Grange was originally built by Captain Charles Philipps at the site of a former farm house. The buildings later served as a preparatory school, one of the schools of the Haberdashers' Company, until 2009. In 2011, the buildings were converted into a boarding house for students of Monmouth School, another Haberdashers' Company school.
St James House is a grade II listed building in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. It is in the historic St James Square neighbourhood, within the Medieval town walls. While the house currently has an attractive, 18th-century facade, it originated as a burgage tenement. In addition, behind the house, evidence of a kiln has been unearthed, with both Medieval and Post-medieval pottery. In 2010, archaeological excavation in the square revealed the first evidence of Mesolithic human settlement in Monmouth. Recent residents of St James House have included boarding students from Monmouth School.
Glendower Street is a historic street in the town centre of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. It extends to the southeast from the intersection of Agincourt Street and St John's Street, within the medieval town walls. Glendower Street is lined with numerous listed buildings, including one of the 24 blue plaque buildings on the Monmouth Heritage Trail.
The Crown and Thistle Inn was a public house in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. It was in the historic Agincourt Square neighbourhood. Prior to its conversion to a public house, the building served as the premises of an apothecary. During the early nineteenth century, the Crown and Thistle Inn briefly housed one of the earliest Masonic Lodges in Monmouthshire.
The Monmouth Police Station is a Grade II listed building in the town centre of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located in Glendower Street, within the medieval town walls. In March 2012, it was announced that the Monmouth Police Station was one of seventeen police stations in South East Wales that would no longer be open to the public.
The Druid's Head Inn is a grade II listed building in the town centre of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located in the historic Glendower Street and Chippenhamgate Street neighbourhood, within the medieval town walls. The building served as a public house during most of its history, but for the last several decades has been the headquarters of the Monmouth Rugby Football Club.
St John's is a grade II listed building in the town centre of Monmouth, Wales. It is located in Glendower Street within the medieval town walls. The house is most remarkable for the rear of the property which features a Coalbrookdale verandah and formal walled garden that have been separately grade II listed with the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales. The villa's garden is also registered with the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust.
Great Manson Farm is a property on the northern outskirts of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales, in the Buckholt area. It is in the Manson Lane neighbourhood, within the electoral division of Dixton with Osbaston. During the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, members of the Clarke, Goode, Clark, Dampier, and Morgan families resided at Great Manson Farm, at which time the reported size of the farm varied from 170 to 200 acres. The property is remarkable for the presence of three grade II listed buildings, including a barn with medieval origins.
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