Abergavenny
|
Abergavenny Welsh Y Venni |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) |
|||
| Coordinates | 51 ° 49 ′ N , 3 ° 1 ′ W | ||
| OS National Grid | SO295145 | ||
|
|||
| Residents | 14,055 (as of 2001) | ||
| administration | |||
| Post town | ABERGAVENNY | ||
| ZIP code section | NP7 | ||
| prefix | 01873 | ||
| Part of the country | Wales | ||
Abergavenny ( Welsh Y Fenni ) meaning mouth of the river Gavenny is a minority in Monmouthshire , South Wales (English South Wales). The place is located 15 miles west of Monmouth and 10 miles from the English border. Originally a Roman military camp ( castrum ) called Gobannium , it became a fortified city within the Welsh Marches in the Middle Ages . In the town are the remains of Abergavenny Castle , which was built shortly after the Norman conquest of Wales .
Abergavenny is located at the confluence of the Gavenny and River Usk and is almost completely enclosed by two mountains, the Blorenge (559 meters) and the Sugar Loaf (596 meters), as well as five hills, Ysgyryd Fawr (The Skirrid), Ysgyryd Fach (Skirrid Fach) , Deri, Rholben and Mynydd Llanwenarth , also known as "Llanwenarth Breast". From here you have access to the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons National Park . Offa's Dyke Path is nearby , and the Marches Way, Beacons Way, and Usk Valley Walk trails run through town.
history
Gobannium was a Roman fortress that guarded the road through the Usk valley that connected the legionary camps Burrium Usk and Isca Augusta or Isca Silurum , now Caerleon , in the south with Cicucium (Y Gaer) near Brecon . It was also built to ensure peace with the Silurians who settled here . Remnants of the ramparts were discovered during construction to the west of the castle in the late 1960s.
In 1087 the Norman nobleman Hamelin de Ballon built a castle as the center of the new rule Abergavenny. Hamelin also founded the Benedictine Priory of St Mary (now the Priory Church of St Mary ) in the late 11th century . A settlement called 'Burgavenny' soon developed around the castle. Due to its location near the border, Abergavenny was often the scene of military clashes in the Welsh Marches at this time. In 1175 the massacre of Welsh chiefs, for which William de Braose was responsible, took place in the castle at a Christmas banquet . After 1241 the city was fortified with a wall and five gates.
Owain Glyndŵr conquered Abergavenny in 1404. In 1541 the monastery was dissolved and converted into a grammar school . In 1639 Abergavenny received a municipal charter , which was withdrawn in 1688. In the decades that followed, the city's economic situation deteriorated. In 1854 Abergavenny was connected to the railway network
Personalities
- George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny (1469–1535)
- David Lewis (Saint) (1617–1679)
- Arthur James Herbert (1855–1921), diplomat
- Ethel Lina White (1876-1944), writer
- Charles Martin (1913–1998), racing car driver
- Brian Savegar (1932-2007)
- Julian Winn (* 1972), racing cyclist
- Shane Clash (* 1979), biathlete
- Jethro Binns (* 1984), squash player
- Marina and the Diamonds (Marina Lambridi Diamandis, * 1985)
- Rebecca James (* 1991), racing cyclist
Town twinning
Abergavenny has partnerships with the following cities and municipalities:
- Sarno , Salerno Province , Italy
- Oestringen , Baden-Württemberg , Germany
- Beaupréau-en-Mauges , Maine-et-Loire department , France
