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Overmonnow is a suburb of the town of
Monmouth Monmouth ( or ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated on where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. The population in the 2011 census was 10,508, rising from 8 ...
, in
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
, which is located to the west of the
River Monnow The River Monnow () marks the England–Wales border for much of its length. After flowing through southwest Herefordshire, England, and eastern Monmouthshire, Wales, its confluence with the River Wye is approximately south of Monmouth. The ...
and the
Monnow Bridge Monnow Bridge ( ), in Monmouth, Wales, is the only remaining medieval fortification, fortified river bridge in Great Britain with its gate tower standing on the bridge. Such bridge towers were common across Europe from Middle Ages, medieval t ...
. It developed in the Middle Ages, when it was protected by a defensive ditch, the '' Clawdd-du'' or "Black Dyke", the remains of which are now protected as an
ancient monument An ancient monument can refer to any early or historical manmade structure or architecture. Certain ancient monuments are of cultural importance for nations and become symbols of international recognition, including the Baalbek, ruins of Baalbek ...
. In later centuries the area became known as "Little Monmouth" or "Cappers' Town".


History

At the time of the Norman conquest, the area to the east of the River Monnow, and north of the
River Wye The River Wye (; ) is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, fourth-longest river in the UK, stretching some from its source on Plynlimon in mid Wales to the Severn Estuary. The lower reaches of the river forms part of Wales-England bor ...
, was in the area known as
Archenfield Archenfield (Old English: ''Ircingafeld'', Middle English: "Irchenfield") is the historic English name for an area of southern and western Herefordshire in England. Since the Anglo-Saxons took over the region in the 8th century, it has stretched ...
, which lay within the
Earldom of Hereford Earl of Hereford is a title in the ancient feudal nobility of England, encompassing the region of Herefordshire, England. It was created six times. The title is an ancient one. In 1042, Godwin, Earl of Wessex severed the territory of Herefordshire ...
and was considered to be part of
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
; areas to the west of the Monnow, including the Overmonnow area, were regarded as Welsh. After the Normans built
Monmouth Castle Monmouth Castle () is a castle close to the centre of the town of Monmouth, the county town of Monmouthshire, on a hill above the River Monnow in south-east Wales. Once an important border castle, and birthplace of Henry V of England, it stood ...
, the town of Monmouth gradually developed as a market town, a river port, and as a centre for the manufacture of
iron Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...
goods and
woollen Woolen (American English) or woollen (Commonwealth English) is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn. Woolen yarn is in contrast t ...
fabric. By the twelfth century, development had taken place beyond the Monnow Bridge at Overmonnow, forming a suburb or ''
faubourg "Faubourg" () is an ancient French term historically equivalent to "fore-town" (now often termed suburb or ). The earliest form is , derived from Latin , 'out of', and Vulgar Latin (originally Germanic) , 'town' or 'fortress'. Traditionally, t ...
''. The mediaeval iron industry at Overmonnow resulted in the wastage of large piles of cinders; these "cinder hills", which gave their name to Cinderhill Street, were removed in the eighteenth century. The area was also known for the manufacture of woollen fabric, particularly Monmouth caps which were popular between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, and as a result the Overmonnow area supposedly became known as "Cappers' Town", although this has been questioned. The area was also known as "Little Monmouth".Kissack, ''Mediaeval Monmouth'', p.33 In the nineteenth century, there was a belief that "Little Monmouth" had at one time been a separate borough from the rest of the town, or "Great Monmouth". This seems to be a legend deriving from a
pageant Pageant(s) or The Pageant(s) may refer to: Events * Procession or ceremony in elaborate costume * Beauty pageant, or beauty contest * List of pageants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints * Medieval pageant, a narrative medieval pro ...
arranged to celebrate the
coronation A coronation ceremony marks the formal investiture of a monarch with regal power using a crown. In addition to the crowning, this ceremony may include the presentation of other items of regalia, and other rituals such as the taking of special v ...
of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
in 1838, in which the so-called "mayor of Overmonnow" demanded admittance to the town across Monnow Bridge, and then rode around the town with the (real) mayor of Monmouth.Kissack, ''Mediaeval Monmouth'', p.57 However, the bridge was the scene of annual battles, or "muntlings", between rival gangs from "Up-Town" and "Cappers' Town". These took place on 1 May and 29 May, the youths arming themselves with
besom A besom () is a broom, a household implement used for sweeping. The term is mostly reserved for a traditional broom constructed from a bundle of twigs tied to a stout pole. The twigs used could be broom (i.e. '' Genista'', from which comes the ...
s or "muntles" reinforced with stones. The altercations were banned in 1858. Substantial development, for both housing and light industry, has taken place in the Overmonnow area since the mid twentieth century. In the 2001 census, the Overmonnow
ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
had a total resident population of 2,300, within 1,104 separate households. The ward is currently represented on Monmouthshire County Council by Cllr. Susan White, of the Conservative Party. The area is also the site of the
Monnow Vale Integrated Health and Social Care Facility Monnow Vale Integrated Health and Social Care Facility () is a hospital at Drybridge Park in Monmouth, Wales. It is managed by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. History The facility was commissioned to replace services previously provi ...
at Drybridge Park.


''Clawdd-du''

The ''Clawdd-du'', or "Black Dyke", was a linear defensive earthwork or
moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around a castle, fortification, building, or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. Moats can be dry or filled with water. In some places, moats evolved into more extensive water d ...
constructed as protection for the mediaeval suburb of Overmonnow. It originally extended, roughly in a semi-circle, for some from the River Monnow opposite Chippenham Fields, westwards and then northwards to the vicinity of the later Drybridge House. The defence comprised a water-filled ditch some 35 to 40 feet (10-12m) wide.M.L.J. Richards, ''Monnow Bridge and Gate'', Alan Sutton Publishing, 1994, , p.3 It is now partly infilled, but still exists for most of its length as a broad ditch used for drainage. It is a
Scheduled Ancient Monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage, visu ...
, and the remains of the mediaeval bridge across it are a
Grade II* listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
.


Notable buildings

The Church of St Thomas the Martyr, on the Overmonnow side of the Monnow Bridge, dates at least from the twelfth century. In 1830, it was given its own parish, separate from that of the Priory Church of St Mary in Monmouth town centre.
The cross The Christian cross, seen as representing the crucifixion of Jesus, is a religious symbol, symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix, a cross that includes a ''corpus'' (a representation of Jesus' body, usually three-dimensional) a ...
, in the middle of the roundabout beside the church, is of mediaeval origin but was heavily restored in 1888. Overmonnow House, opposite the church, is a former
vicarage A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or Minister (Christianity), ministers of a given religion, serving as both a home and a base for the occupant's ministry. Residences of this type can have a variety of n ...
with a five-bayed Georgian frontage.John Newman, ''The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire'', Penguin Books, 2000, , p.410 Drybridge House was built in 1671 by William Roberts, on the site of an earlier farmhouse. The house was owned for 400 years by the Crompton-Roberts family. It now houses a community and day care centre. Buildings along the road between Drybridge House and the bridge incorporate in their walls large wooden wallpaper blocks formerly used for hand printing, which were provided in the nineteenth century by the Crompton-Roberts family, who owned a printing business.


Governance

Overmonnow is a community
electoral ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected t ...
for Monmouth Town Council, electing four town councillors. At the May 2017 elections one of the long-standing
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
councillors lost her seat to Labour candidate Su McConnel. However, the Conservatives regained the seat at a by-election in April 2018. Overmonnow is also a county ward which elects a county councillor to sit on
Monmouthshire County Council Monmouthshire County Council (or simply Monmouthshire Council) () is the governing body for the Monmouthshire principal area – one of the unitary authorities of Wales. The current unitary authority was created in 1996 and covers the eastern ...
. At the May 2022 elections the seat was won by Steven Garratt for Welsh Labour.


References

{{Reflist History of Monmouthshire Monmouth, Wales Monmouthshire electoral wards