Cultural Attractions - Heritage and the arts

As well as the numerous sporting and leisure activities available in the surrounding area, Abergavenny itself has a multitude of artisitic and cultural attractions to keep visitors and residents busy.

Markets

Situated in the middle of the town the Tuesday market is well known as one of the major markets in Wales.  Markets are also held on Friday and Saturdays. Other events held in the Market Hall include Craft Fairs, Antique Fairs, Flea Markets and events relating to the Abergavenny Food Festival.  For more details visit the Abergavenny Market website.

Theatres

Abergavenny Borough Theatre is part of the town hall building and dates back to 1870. Presenting a year round programme of events of professional and community productions, it has been the grateful host to many esteemed visitors in the field of contemporary music, opera, ballet and dance, comedy and general entertainment.  For more information visit the Borough Theatre website.

The Melville Theatre is the home of Gwent Theatre, a theatre company that employs professional actors, writers, musicians, designers and technicians to devise material of real educational value for teachers, pupils and the wider community. For more information visit the Gwent Theatre website.

Gardens and Parks

Bailey Park is located in the centre of the town, it has a children's play area and is home to Abergavenny Rugby Football club.   Linda Vista or "Beautiful View" Gardens is a much loved open space in the heart of the town, once the private garden of a grand and beautiful house, it was opened to the public in 1843 and is now owned and maintained by the County Council.  With a range of rare orchids and fine specimen shrubs, it provides a tranquil place to sit and think, and to enjoy the stunning views across the castle meadows to the Blorenge mountain.

The Castle Meadows meander along the River Usk to the bridge at Llanfoist and are regularly used as a safe landing place for handgliders and paragliders descending from the Blorenge.

Abergavenny Castle

Abergavenny Castle is one of the best examples of a motte and bailey castle in Britain. With a restored keep set on top of a man-made mound, there are also enough walls remaining to show that this must have been an impressive castle in its heyday.

Abergavenny Museum

The museum is set in the grounds of the ruined Norman castle, where you can enjoy a picnic during the summer and a brisk walk on colder days. The museum building was formerly a hunting lodge built by the Marquess of Abergavenny. For more information visit the Abergavenny Museum website.

There are a number of other remarkable castles in the area, all less than an hour's drive away, including Raglan, Grosmont, Skenfrith, Whitecastle, Crickhowell and Chepstow.

Architecture

The town dates back to Norman times and many historic periods are represented by some very lovely buildings, all of which work well together to form a beautiful, quirky, atmospheric centre for business and visitors.  In the high street alone, the styles of several centuries are evident side by side, and the result is a joy to behold.

The area is also blessed with some renowned churches, such as St Mary's Priory Church in the town centre, and many small but exquisite churches further afield, including those at Llangattock Lingoed, Cwmyoy and Kilpeck, to name but a few.  There is also an excellent cultural centre alongside St Mary's Priory Church known as the Tithe Barn, which contains the famed Abergavenny Tapestry.

Industrial History

Evidence of Abergavenny's rich industrial heritage can be seen at the ruins of Clydach Ironworks and further away at Blaenavon Ironworks, and all along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.  It is well worthwhile to visit the boatyards at Goytre, Llanfoist, Govilon and Gilwern, and to follow the cultural trail out towards the Clydach Gorge, an area rich in local history, heritage and natural attractions including stunning woodland walks, thrashing waterfalls and dramatic rocky outcrops.  This area is now a National Nature Reserve and is home to many unusual and even rare species of flora and fauna, as well as many thousands of bats.

Literature

For more information on Abergavenny's industrial past we recommend you read 'The Clydach Gorge' by John van Laun, recently updated by local historian and expert Chris Barber.  The book contains many fine illustrations and diagrams of the ironworks, canal system, limeworks and other local sites of historical interest.   More details from Blorenge Books 01873 856114.

The best-selling author Alexander Cordell also had a special affinity with Wales and wrote a series of books featuring aspects of the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the people of Wales.  His book ‘Rape of the Fair Country’ is set in Blaenavon and Monmouthshire. ‘Song of the Earth’ is similarly set in the Vale of Neath and Aberdare, while ‘This Sweet and Bitter Earth’ plays out in Rhondda and Caerphilly. The fourth of the series – ‘The Fire People’ – features Merthyr Tydfil, just 20 miles from Abergavenny.

A series of leaflets available from the Tourist Information Centres contain routes designed to show you some of the locations featured in the books. Round the country you can follow brown ‘CC’ signposts pointing out parts of the routes included in 'Cordell Country'.

Torfaen County Borough Council obtained many of Alexander Cordell’s personal writing effects following his death in 1997 and they are on display in the Community Heritage and Cordell Museum.

Newport Reference Library also has historical information relating to Cordell, including some of his manuscripts. For an appointment to view, call 01633 211376.