Since the growth of the earliest suburbs, the town’s streets have witnessed countless changes. Helen Morgan from Abergavenny Local History Society reports
A watercolour of Monk Street in 1784 by Joshua Gosselin
The castle and church may have heralded the importance of Burgavenny as the Gateway to Wales, but it was its street markets that were its heart from Norman times. In the 13th century animals and produce were sold in Flannel Street and the area around St John’s church. This area was later encroached on by buildings and, by the 17th century, the market had moved to the top of Cross Street. For the first time the streets were paved, reflecting the town’s wealth from agriculture and its spin-offs — the tannery and flannel trades.
In 1796 a new courtyard market designed by John Nash was opened only to be demolished and replaced by the current roofed hall in 1870.
Demolition and regeneration appear intrinsic to the town’s history. Two pubs (The Dog & Bull and the Plume of Feathers) plus four shops were pulled down to make way for the new market. More recently, the breweries have gone as have two of the three railway stations. The two cinemas have been reincarnated — one as a pub, one as a family church, while films are now shown at the old drill hall.
The TV commercial featuring a woman who cannot find a bank that has not been turned into a wine bar does not chime completely. But changes continue to be rung: The Principality Building Society branch used to be Cardiff Clothiers; the Temperance Hotel is now an optician’s and The Farmers Arms stands on the site of a Bethany Baptist chapel to name but a few. Cockle and salt vendors no longer ply their wares. Bread is no longer delivered by van, let alone by horse and cart. Seed merchants, such as Saunders on the corner of Monk Street and Cross Street, vanished from the high street decades ago.
For many, however, the demolition programme in the 1950s and 1960s will not be forgotten. Prior to the “slum clearance” of 1957, Tudor Street contained some of the oldest buildings in Abergavenny, says Frank Olding. “In 1656 it is referred to as Potider Streete, an English corruption of the Welsh name Porth Tudur (Tudor’s Gate). At this time it was the wealthiest suburb of town.”
Frank Olding’s talk at the Borough Theatre on May 16th, based on his latest book Discovering Abergavenny follows the AGM at 7.30pm.
Copies of the book will be on sale in the foyer.
www.abergavennylocalhistory.org.uk
