Marvellous Monmouth: June 2013

Thursday 27 June 2013

What makes Monmouth so marvellous?

Well, what does give Monmouth its marvellous feeling? Well, there are the marvellous shops.....hmm, I can't help but give a long sigh of relief as I come down to this entry, I've really been looking forward to it - some retail therapy!
Monmouth is like no other shoparama I have ever seen. On the norm, a shopping place has its own organization, which is quite predictable. Mostly quite modern, in a lot of modernish buildings, and if a shop is in an old building - the past occupants have usually been totally erradicated out of existence, well that's what i've been use to.
But here in Monmouth I see something else - a shopping paradise with a difference.
Yes, we've got many big chain names in Monmouth. And many independents too...but what hits me is the buildings the shops are now in...which kinda means my blog shoparama will come to you in two parts! Then on the next blog entry I can really get down to modern Monmouth's retail therapy!
Looking past these Monmouth shops, I set off on a trek through Monmouth looking for the echoes of these past shops.

Monmouth High Street

So I carry on, up to Agincourt Square, by the sunlight filtering through the clouds, I can see only an intoxicating mix of shops. But when I was researching the history of Agincourt Square before for this blog it seems all these shops use to be pubs!

The punch house

The Beaufort Arms

The King's Head Hotel

The King's Head comes complete with its own Civixc Society plaque, giving its history with even a reputed visit by Charles I!

Carrying on the hunt above Monmouth Nails looks remarkably like the name of a pub "The Agincourt".

The above Bees for Development, there looks remarkably like the figurehead from another pub!

Again, on the opposite side of the square there is a pub name on a building which is clearly not a pub!

Nearby is one of the many West Country ales signs, which you can find all over Monmouth!

Don't worry bloggers, Monmouth shopping history is not just alcohol based and in a five minute walk through town look at these echoes of the past I saw! (all photos below Copyright Roo2013)

I never did find out what the bits from the past came from or what they meant. Not that it matters now. Time has moved on, but still in Monmouth a shopper has echoes of the past. And a modern-day shopping paradise. That is the only thing that matters...till next time bloggers...Roo

Thursday 20 June 2013

The hit

Something a little different tonight...the marvellous streets of Monmouth kinda inspired me to write this story, so here it is...

The Hit
Andy glanced at his watch. "Less than 5 minutes. It's time." - his victim was waiting. He walked down the high street fast, despite the tourists. He glanced at his watch.
Two minutes gone, nearly three.
The street was packed, too many witnesses. He overtook grannies, sidestepping walking sticks, holding his breath each time. He'd gone through the route a million times back at base, but you were never sure about these things. Speed was paramount to mission success.
The street curved, and in a flash he saw an opening between the mum's double buggy and gang of gossips. He accelerated through it, his feet kicking up plumes of dust on both sides. And then he was through, still going. Still going.
Five minutes.
In his pocket his hand closed on the weapon. The metal hard, cold in his fingers. As he headed up the hill, he saw the light crossing direct ahead, little man turning red. Damn. There was an explosion in his head, and his feet ran out of pavement and stopped dead.
Six minutes.
He stood there, hearing the whirl of the double buggy behind, catching up, fast. The dull groan of the gossips, getting louder, louder.
Seven minutes. Andy looked up, red. Eight minutes.
At least. Eight-and-a-half-minutes.
Green.
Andy threw himself across the road, in his pocket his sweaty fingers caressed the metal.
Straight ahead he saw the victim, who seemed strangely relaxed. Of course she would be, she didn't know.
"Lucy," he shouted, her face lit. He put his hand into his pocket, pulled out the weapon.
Lucy wasn't smiling anymore...
Andy was on one knee now, staring up at her, holding up the cold, hard ring, packed with diamonds glistening in the sunlight.
"Will you marry me?"
Lucy turned her smiling face towards him.
It was up to her now...

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Remembering...

Another day ends in Monmouth, and I walk across St James Square and gaze up at the war memorial of the solitary soldier - just cold, hard stone.

And my mind wanders to another solitary soldier we lost not on the battlefield, but on the streets of London outside the Woolwich Barracks, Drummer Lee Rigby. In his last few minutes of life, despite being a good man, things went horribly wrong and he knew he was about to die terribly. But those terrorists did not win, they did not divide this country. In fact Drummer Rigby brought this country closer together and all religions united against this act of terrorism, standing shoulder to shoulder.
Around me, this Monmouth square is silent. It seems almost too quiet, I thought. But perhaps it was just the contrast with Woolwich. I stood for a while looking at the statue, remembering, knowing every time I now look at that statue till I am an old lady, I will always remember Drummer Lee Rigby...RIP

Thursday 13 June 2013

balloonistic

Back to the challenge to discover what makes Monmouth so marvellous...Well, the weather hasn't been so marvellous this week! Not like glorious sunday...and to end the day on my late afternoon doggie walk look what I spotted in the sky...a Virgin hot air balloon!

Roo Copyright 2013
Up it had gone like a jack-in-a-box...and it didn't come down...it stayed there...almost suspended in mid-air...goodness knows how many feet up...staring down at us suspiciously...till Cookie my doggie barked it away!
'Are you telling us you are actually writing about hot air balloons now?' my eldest shouted back at home.
'Yep.'
'I don't believe all the different things you're seeing in Monmouth,' she answered. 'But let's celebrate, i'll make you a cuppa mum...' Back to earth, how marvellous is Monmouth - and they even say the sun is coming back! Roo

Tuesday 11 June 2013

And what's this Agincourt Square?

Welcome back to Marvellous Monmouth...I last left you with the promise of a visit to Agincourt Square.

Agincourt Square sign

What is this wild and wacky place, I hear you say! Are Monmothians battling in the street? Afraid only umbrellas are at the ready here...not a sword in sight.

Agincourt Square, Monmouth

Agincourt Square really is a big open space in the centre of good ole Monmouth in front of the Shire Hall (above).

Agincourt Square in front of Shire Hall

There are a great selection of shops leading up to the Square and surrounding it (top and to the left of the Punch House in image).

For centuries the Square has been used for markets and public events. It all started as a mediaeval market developed from the bailey of Monmouth Castle, well before the Shire Hall was built in 1724.

Shire Hall

Under the Shire Hall arches in the photo above, there is still a market on fridays and saturdays, with a farmers market on the second wednesday of each month. For those who enjoy a little tipple, the Square use to be home to 15 pubs, but only two remain now - The Punch House and the Kings Head Hotel - sadly the rest are now shops.

Shire Hall

Guys standing here, looking up at the Shire Hall, only one word floods my mind - awesome. In some ways the Shire Hall doesn't fit into its surroundings. It just dominates the whole Square. Don't get me wrong the shops are totally fab, but this enormous building would look more at home next to one of those posh London museums. The stonework on it is just exquisite - and the statue of Henry V just blows my mind.

Henry V Statue

Standing here, just overwhelmed, it is so understandable why the Shire Hall was used in Doctor Who for the episode 'The Next Doctor'. Man, even the postbox in the Square is so cute and fancy outside the Shire Hall you wouldn't believe it.

Agincourt Square postbox

I just love this place - totally awesome! And what style. The Shire Hall is just seaped in history, so much so that I will devote a whole blog entry to it later - and even go on one of the Shire's guided tours to do it justice! (pun there as it used to hold the old court.)

One shop just totally grabbed my attention in the Square and that was Joules (on the left of the image below)

Joules

Just another fashion shop you may think ? Uh oh - not quite! No 1 Agincourt Square otherwise known as Agincourt House is real special and cute and even has its own plaque proudly mounted on its side by Monmouth Civic Society.

Photos of No1 Agincourt Square

No1 is a rare early seventeenth century half-timbered building,

It was restored in the late nineteenth century, when the shopfront was added. It is a Grade II listed building.

Joules in Agincourt Square

It suddenly hit me, I have walked past this building many times this year and never knew its totally awesome history - bloggers if I had never started this challenge I would not know how marvellous is Monmouth...until next time, Roo.

Thursday 6 June 2013

On the trail of Henry V...

Welcome back to Marvellous Monmouth! Today I am on the trail of Henry V, one of Monmouth's greatest sons and claims to fame! And his grand statue stands tall on the Shire Hall looking down on the everyday goings on in marvellous Monmouth today. Photos Roo Copyright 2013

Warning I can feel this blog is about to deteriorate into a bit of a history episode - you have been warned!

In the great year of 1386 or 1387, 9 August or 16 September (as Henry wasn't in close line of succession to the throne his birthdate wasn't exactly documented!), Henry was born in the tower above the gatehouse of Monmouth Castle.

Henry's father was Henry Bolingbroke later Henry IV, and his mother was sixteen-year-old Mary de Bohun. In fact Mary gave birth to a baby before, Edward in 1382 who only lived a few days, and then buried at Monmouth Castle.

yet Monmouth Castle was a wonderful place to be born at the time. Monmouth has long acted as a gateway from England into Wales. William Fitz Osbern, nephew of William the Conqueror, was granted the lordship of Hereford back in 1067 and soon used Monmouth as a strong base over the Monnow and Wye rivers. The first castle built in Monmouth wasn't a beautiful stone building, but probably a wooden keep tower inside an oval ditch, until the early twelth century when the curtain walls and Great Tower were built in stone. In 1230 a round keep was built here (similar to the one at Skenfrith Castle, but it was demolished in the seventeenth century to make way for the new improved castle house.

Skenfrith Catle

Only a fragment is left of this important castle - all that is left really is the Great Tower. Okay bloggers let's be honest, this isn't the biggest set of castle ruins I have ever seen, especially if you compare them with the likes of Raglan Castle.

But guys, this castle has a charm and beauty all of its very own, which just seeps out of the sleeping stones. And hey, for the boys Monmouth Castle's always got the regimental museum!

Below shows a photo of a plaque outside the castle, showing a plan of Monmouth town in 1610 by John Speed. The castle, with its prominent round tower, appears at the upper right.

Below some photos of Monmouth Castle

Due to his battle successes Henry V has been described by many historians as maybe Britain's greatest king. That definately says alot about a Monmouth upbringing!

As a child Henry, often known as Harry, loved the outdoors riding, swimming, hunting and the good ole bow. But his talents didn't stop there bloggers, he was an awesome musician, full of chivalry, who was also a great tactician - political and military. At 16, Prince Henry was appointed Royal Deputy of Wales - and began his fight to stop Owain Glyndwr (bloggers Glyndwr is well known as a Welsh hero who fought against the English for a free Wales.)

In 1405, 18 year old Henry overwhelmingly defeated the Welsh army at Grosmont.

Photos of Grosmont and Grosmont Catle

Glyndwr retaliated by attacking English forces at Monmouth, but he should never ever ever have tried that on Henry's home town! Anyways, Glyndwr had already lost 1500 men at Grosmont and many more were deserting his lost cause daily.

When Henry suceeded his Dad to the throne on 9 April 1413, he was a veteran soldier, well respected at home and abroad. Glyndwr had been ground into the dust and his feared Gwent longbows were now a crucial part in the famous Battle of Agincourt in France in 1415. Hey bloggers, the great battle has given its name to Agincourt Square in Monmouth! This battle was Henry's greatest victory and a sign to Henry that his outright claim to the French throne might become a reality! And the guy did good, through peace negotiations and battles, Henry and his army found themselves outside the walls of Paris...and by 10 September 1419 the French court threw themselves into Henry's arms - almost waving the white flag! There followed six months of hard negotiations - and finally the French and English agreed upon the Treaty of Troyes which saw Henry as the heir and regent of France to Charles VI. To cement this new relationship, Henry married the King of France's daughter, Catherine of Valois, on 2 June 1420. They had one baby, who would become Henry VI. Henry carried on the French campaign capturing Dreux and Meaux. It all came to a dramatic end, when Henry suddenly died from dysentry on 31 Aug 1422 at the Chateau de Vincennes. Sadly Henry never became King of France as Charles VI outlived him by two months. Poor Henry never was to see marvellous Monmouth again...but his birth in this fair town does make Monmouth marvellous...and the battle of Agincourt remains forever immortalised in Monmouth's Agincourt Square...which seems a good place to investigate next... until next time ... Roo