Monmouthshire

Historic County of Wales

Welsh - Sir Fynwy

This is the Umbrella project for Monmouthshire

Please do not link profiles to this project - its purpose is to inform!

Go to People Connected to Monmouthshire

Related Projects

• People Connected to Monmouthshire
  
• Monmouthshire - Famous People
  
• Historic Buildings of Monmouthshire
  
• Monmouthshire Monumental Inscriptions, Cemeteries and Graveyards
  

Still to come

• Monmouthshire Genealogical Resources
  
• Monmouthshire Historical Page
  

HELP is always welcome!!

Monmouthshire

A maritime County bounded N. by Herefordshire and Brecknockshire, E. by Gloucestershire, S. by the Bristol channel and W. by Glamorgan.

It corresponds approximately to the present principal areas of Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, and Newport and those parts of Caerphilly and Cardiff east of the Rhymney River.

Monmouthshire's Welsh status was ambiguous between the 16th and 20th centuries, with it considered by some to be part of England during this time.

Area 341,688 acres.

Population 474,000.

Motto: 'Utrique Fidelis' - Faithful to both (faithful to both England and Wales)

County Flower Foxglove - Digitalis purpurea

The N. and NW. of the County is mountainous, the Black Mountains extend into the County. The highest point is Chwarel-y-Fan (2,226 ft). The former coal mining valleys of the NW of the County remain heavily populated, although there is no longer a working pit in the County. Towards the seaboard the land is flatter and lowland farming predominates. The chief rivers are the Wye (much of which forms the border with England), the Usk and the Rhymney (which forms the border with Glamorgan). The County has a diverse industrial base including agriculture, electronics, engineering, tourism and service industries.

History

• Origin Laws in Wales Act 1535
• Created 1535
• Succeeded by Gwent, Mid Glamorgan, South Glamorgan

Places of special interest:

• Abergavenny Castle (SO2913);
• Big Pit Mining Museum, Blaenavon (SO2308);
• Blaenavon Ironworks (SO2509);
• Bryn Bach Country Park, Tredegar (SO1209);
• Chepstow Castle (ST5294);
• Caerleon Roman Ampitheatre, Baths and Garrison (ST3390);
• Caerwent Roman Town (ST4690);
• Greenmeadow Community Farm, Cwmbran (ST2794);
• Raglan Castle (SO4108);
• Newport Museum and Art Gallery (ST3187);
• Sirhowy Valley Country Park (ST1891);
• Tintern Abbey (SO4900);
• White Castle (SO3716).

The main towns are

• Abergavenny,
• Abertillery,
• Blackwood,
• Blaenavon,
• Chepstow,
• Cwmbran,
• Ebbw Vale,
• Monmouth,
• Newport,
• Pontypool,
• Rhymney
• Tredegar.

Parish Map

from The Phillimore Atlas and Index of Parish Registers 1984.

For full size image see Monmouthshire - Phillimore - open the full view and use the magnify tool.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monmouthshire_(historic)