Monmouthshire:
Being the Ancient
HABITATION
OF THE
SILURES.
MONMOUTHSHIRE,
formerly a Welch County and by the Britains called Went-set
and Wents-land, from an ancient City so named.
It
is blest with a healthful and temperate air; and although very
hilly and woody, yet is exceeding fertile; (especially the Eastern
parts, which are not so hilly as the Western) the hills feeding
abundance of cattle and sheep; and the valleys bearing great
crops of corn and grass; which fertility is much furthered by
its being plentifully watered with so many Rivers, (which all
fall into the Severn Sea) the chief amongst which are the Uske,
Wye, Munow, Ebunith, Sroway, Rumney, and others.
It
hath for its bounds on the East the River Wye, which separateth
it from Glocestershire; for its Southern, the Severn; for its
Western, Brecknockshire, and the River Rumney, which parts it
from Glamorganshire; and for its Northern limits, the River
Munow, which disjoyns it from Herefordshire.
Its
extent from Rempney in the South, to Llantony in the North (which
maketh its length) is about 24 miles; and from Chepstow in the
East, to Blanagwent in the West, is not about 19, so that its
circumference is not 80 miles.
This
shire hath been well if strengthned with Castles; and had formerly
divers Religious Houses, as at Caerleon, Chepstow, Gold-cliff,
Monmouth, and Llantony.
It
is severed into six Hundreds, in which are numbred 127 Parish
Churches; and for the accommodation of its Inhabitants, is traded
unto by seven Market-towns, whose names are as followeth.
Monmouth,
no less pleasantly then commodiously seated on the Rivers Wye
and Munow, where they meet together, and do almost encompass
it, over each of which is a Bridge: It was once fortified with
a Wall and Ditch; and in the midst of the Town, near the Market-place,
standeth (a once stately but now ruinous) Castle said to be
built by John Baron of Monmouth, from whom it came to the house
of Lancaster, and was the birth-place of the renowned King Henry
the Fifth, the Conquerour of France. It is a fair, large, well-built,
inhabited and frequented Town; enjoyeth large immunities, and
sendeth a Burgess to Parliament; is beautified with a goodly
Church; and at the East-end is a most curious built Church,
called the Monks-Church, the Monastery whereof Jeffrey Ap Arthur,
or Arthurius Bishop of Asaph, (who was born in this Town) wrote
the History of Great Britain. For Civil Government, this Town
hath for its Magistrates a Maior, two Bailiffs, fifteen Common-counsellors;
a Town-clark, and other Sub-Officers. Its Market, which is on
Saturdays, is considerable for corn and provisions: and at present
this Town is much honoured in giving Title to the Right Noble
James Duke of Monmouth and Buckleugh &c.
Chepstow,
by the Britains called Castle-went, seated on the side of a
hill, and on the banks of the Wye, near its fall into the Severn;
a Town in former times very famous, and of great resort, being
said to be raised out of the ruins of Venta Silurum, four miles
distant, which was the ancient and chief City of the Silures,
which flourished in the dayes of Antonine the Emperour: and
as Mr. Gambden further noteth, this Town was fortified about
with a Wall of a large circuit, and had a very spacious Castle,
which was once fronted by a Priory, the better part of which
being pulled down, the rest was converted to a Parish Church;
and as to its present state, it is a large, well-built, inhabited
and frequented Town, hath a fair and high bridge over the Wye;
and its Market, which is on Saturdays, is very good for corn
and provisions, and very considerable for Swine.
Not
far from Chepstow on the Severn is seated Portskeweth, where
according to report, in ann. 1065, Harald erected a Fort against
the Welch-men, which was in a short time by them overthrown
under the conduct of Caradock.
Near
adjoyning to Portskeweth is Sudbrook, whose Church, called Trinity
Chappel, is seated so near the Severn Sea, that great part of
its Church-yard is washed quite away; as is long since an old
Fortification of the Romans, which was compassed with a triple
Ditch, and three Rampiers, as high as an ordinary house, cast
up in form of a bow, the Sea-cliff serving for the string.
Farther
Southwards lyeth a low and moorish tract of ground, called the
Moor, which oft-times suffereth much by the overflowings of
the Severn Sea at high Spring-tides. And in the very point of
this Mersh coast, where it shooteth it self forth into the Sea,
is Gold-clyff, so called from the golden colour of the stones
which lye thereabouts. And opposite to this Clyff, about the
midst of the Severn, lyeth a small Isle, called Denny Island.
Carlion,
or Caer Leon, once called Isca; and according to Girald in his
Book called Itinerarium Cambria, it was an ancient and flourishing
City of the Romans, where lay (by order of Julius Frontinus,
for the over-awing of the Silures) the second Roman Legion called
Augusta, hither brought out of Germany, under the conduct of
Vespatian. And the ruins of its stately buildings, as Palaces,
Temples, and Theaters, enclosed within fair Walls, the foundation
of houses within and without its spacious Walls, the Water-pipes
Vaults, Hot-houses, Altars, and Roman coyns there oft-times
digged up, do sufficiently evidence its Antiquity, and once
stateliness. Here the Noble Arthur kept his Court, whether the
Roman Embassadors repaired; also here it was that Dubritius
resigned the Archiepiscopal honour unto David of Menevia, when
the Metropolitan See was from hence thither translated. And
according to Alexander Elsebiensis, in this City was a famous
School or Colledge for two hundred Philosophers, which were
skilfull in Astronomy, and other Arts; which the rather seemeth
to be true; for that Amphibalus, instructor to Saint Albon,
was here born; and Julius and Aaron, two noble Protomartyrs
of Great Britain, received here the crown of martyrdom, and
each of their bodies were here interr'd in a goodly church dedicated
unto them. But enough of its pristine glory: A word or two of
its present state. It is commodiously seated on the Usk, over
which it hath a large Wooden-bridge; the town is pretty large,
the houses for the generality well-built of stone; hath the
ruins of a Castle yet standing; and its market, which is on
Thursdays, is but indifferent.
Newport,
also seated on the Usk, over which is a fair Bridge; which River
soon after dischargeth it self into the Severn, where it hath
a good Haven, bearing the name of the Town. The place is said
to take its rise from the ruins of Carlion near adjoining; It
is an indifferent good Town, hath a good Market on Saturdays
for cattle and provisions; and was of note for its once strong
(but now demolished) Castle.
Uske,
scituate on the River so called, over which it hath a Bridge,
at which place the River Birthin looseth it self; it is a large
Town, beautified with well-built Stone-houses; and hath weekly
on Mondays and Fridays two very good Markets. Here was formerly
a large and strong Castle, now ruinated; and according to Antonine,
here stood the little City Burrium.
Nigh
unto this Town is Ragland-Castle, a fair house of the Marquess
of Worcesters.
Ponte-pool,
seated betwixt the hills, a small Town, of chief note for its
Iron-mills, which is the only trade of the Town; and hath a
new erected Market on Saturdays, for which the present is but
indifferent.
Abergavenny,
by Antonine called Gobanium, is seated at the meeting of the
Rivers Uske and Keveny; a place of good strength, being fortified
with Walls and a Castle of great note in former times. The Town
is large, the houses well-built, is well inhabited, enjoyeth
a good trade for flannels, and straw-hats here made in great
plenty; and its Market, which is on Tuesdays, is very considerable
for cattle, provisions, &c.
At
a nook or angle of the County North-westwards, is Lantony, seated
on the River Hothny, and encompassed with Hatterell-hills, which
proudly elevate themselves to a great eminence; and here stood
a little ancient but well-built Abbey, dedicated to St. John
Baptist, and founded by Walter Lacy, which was richly endowed
with Lands by William Earl of Hereford: And in (or near) this
place, formerly stood a poor Chappel of St. David the Arch-bishop,
whose chief ornament was only wild Moss, and Ivy wreathed about
it; which place, for its solitary scituation and remoteness
from all noise of people, was esteemed the most fit place for
Religious worship of any in the Kingdom.
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