Agincourt Square sign
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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No1 is a rare early seventeenth century half-timbered building,
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It was restored in the late nineteenth century, when the shopfront was added. It is a Grade II listed building.
Joules in Agincourt Square
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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.
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