Welcome to Monmouth

(Welsh: Trefynwy = Monnow town or town on the Monnow)

Settlements usually form at transportation hubs (for example, river junctions or where rivers meet the sea) and trade takes place. Monmouth is no exception and the confluence of the Rivers Wye and Monnow has resulted in many settlements over the centuries. The discovery (in 2013) of a Bronze Age boat-building yard on the north western edge of the town indicates the importance of river trade and travel to early settlers. Local resources of iron ore and charcoal ensured the development of Monmouth as a busy port.

This has resulted in a rich and varied history of settlers in the town, including Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Normans, the latter building a castle in the town in the 11th Century. A defensive wall surrounded the town in the Middle Ages and the fortified Gatehouse Bridge over the River Monnow is one of only three surviving in Western Europe.

The town has links to many famous historical figures, including Geoffrey of Monmouth, Henry V, Admiral Horatio Nelson and Charles Rolls (of Rolls Royce fame). The ‘picturesque’ movement in the 18th Century made the Wye Valley (from Ross on Wye, through Monmouth and on to Chepstow) a popular destination for artists and poets and is considered to be the birthplace of tourism in Britain.

Monmouth continues to prosper as a tourist destination and busy market town, with many independent businesses thriving in and around the town centre. Excellent road links make it an obvious choice for commuters with dual carriageway and motorway links to the M4 and M5, both accessible within 30 minutes.