Skenfrith

Skenfrith or Skenfreth

including Cross Ash & Llanfair Gilgoed

(A description written in 1891)

A Parish and Village on the river Monnow, over which there is a stone bridge of 3 arches, on the road from Ross to Abergavenny; it is 7 miles north-north-west from Monmouth, the nearest railway station; in the Northern division of the county, Hundred and Petty Sessional division of Skenfrith, Union and County Court district on Monmouth, Monmouth & Skenfrith highway district; eastern division of Abergavenny rural deanery, Monmouth archdeaconry, and Llandaff diocese.

The church of St. Bridget is a building of stone in the Early English and Decorated styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and a low western tower with an open wood lantern containing 6 bells: there is one stained window and an ancient tomb with Elizabethan figures dated 1557: an old pre-reformation cope is here preserved: there are 200 sittings, nearly all free; the aisles are not seated. The register dates from the year 1662, but is very imperfect. The living is a vicarage, value £166, yearly (vicarial) tithe rent-charge, net income about £150 with house, in the gift of Robert Newton Jackson Esq. and held since 1880 by the Rev. Christopher Leonard Garde M.A. of Trinity College, Dublin. Parish Clerk: George Lewis.

Here is a Wesleyan chapel, erected in 1883, and a Baptist chapel, erected in 1830.

At Coedangared is a Catholic chapel dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, and erected in 1847, with a cemetery attached.

A Public Reading Room was established in 1888.

Schools:

A School Board of 7 members was formed in 1874 for the United District of Skenfrith, Grosmont & Llangua & also Garway, (in Herefordshire):

Clerk to the Board: J.H. Farquhar, Abergavenny

Attendance officer: James Jones, Grosmont.

Board School, erected in 1877, at a cost of £1.200, for 120 children; Average attendance, 80; Richard Lewis Parry, master; Mrs. Lydia Jane Parry, mistress. The old National School has been converted into a Sunday School.

Post Offices:

Skenfrith - George Lewis, receiver. Letters arrive from Monmouth at 9 a.m; dispatched at 3.40 p.m. The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Grosmont.

Cross Ash - John Nettleton, receiver. Letters from Monmouth arrive at 9,30 a.m; dispatched at 3.10 p.m. Pontrilas is the nearest money order & telegraph office. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid.

From the top of Graig Hill, about 1,600 feet, ten counties may be seen.

Skenfrith Castle, built anterior to the Norman invasion, stood on the west side of the Monnow river, but of this fortress nothing now remains except a part of the keep and outer wall; (Leland describes it as being nearly perfect in his time 1506-52); this is probably one of the oldest of the border castles, and, with Grosmont and Whitecastle, was given by King John to William de Broase, for three steeds and ten greyhounds; the tower was massive and the walls of great thickness and strength: it was probably in the first instance of British origin, and intended for the defence of the river, or to render more secure the passes of the adjacent mountains: the castle was seized by King Henry III who visited it several times during the years 1220 and 1222.

There are quarries of good paving stone.

The principal seat is Blackbrooke, the residence of Peter Rothwell Jackson Esq.

The Duke of Beaufort K.G. is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are James Graham Esq. J.P., Peter Rothwell Jackson Esq. who is Lord of Blackbrooke manor, Edward Kendal E. Mardon Esq., and Robert Newton Jackson Esq. The soil is stiff and light loam; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats with some beans and roots. The area is 4,923 acres; rateable value, £3,467.

The population in 1881 was 621.

(extracts from Kelly's 1891 Directory of Monmouthshire, transcribed by J. Doe)

Searchable

Aberbargoed • Aberbeeg • Abercarn • Abergavenny • Abersychan • Abertillery (also see Aberystruth) • Aberystruth • Bettws (near Llantillio Pertholey) • Bettws (near Newport) • Bettws Newydd • Bishton • Blackwood • Blaenavon • Blaina • Briery Hill • Bryngwyn • Bwlch Trewyn • Caerleon or Llangattock-Juxta-Caerleon (see Christchurch for Caerleon Village) • Caerwent • Caldicot • Castleton • Cefnycrib • Chapel Hill • Chepstow • Christchurch (also see Newport) • Clawrplwyf • Coedkernew • Coed y Paen • Crick • Croesyceiliog • Cross Ash • Cross Keys • Crosshands • Crumlin (also see Llanhilleth & Mynyddislwyn) • Cwm (also see Ebbw Vale) • Cwmavon (also see Trevethin) • Cwmbran (also see Llanvihangel Llantarnam & Llanfrechfa) • Cwmcarn • Cwmcarvan • Cwmffrwdoer • Cwmnantddu • Cwmtillery (also see Aberystruth) • Cwmynyscoy • Cwmyoy • Devauden • Dewstow • Dingestow • Dinham • Dixton Newton • Duffryn • Earlswood • Ebbw Vale • Fleur-de-Lys • Freehold • Garndiffaith (also see Trevethin) • Garndyrris • Garnfach • Gellygroes • Glascoed • Goldcliff • Golynos • Govilon • Goytre • Graig • Griffithstown (also see Llanfrechfa & Panteg) • Grosmont • Gwehelog • Gwernesney • Hardwick • Henllys • High Cross • Highmoor Hill • Howick • Ifton • Itton • Kemeys Commander • Kemeys Inferior • Kilgwrrwg • Langstone • Little Mill • Llanarth • Llanbadoc • Llanbedr • Llandavenny • Llandewi Fach • Llanddewi Rhydderch • Llanddewi Skirrid • Llandegveth • Llandenny • Llandevaud • Llandogo • Llanellen • Llanfaeneor • Llanfair Discoed • Llanfair Gilgoed • Llanfair Kilgeddin • Llanfihangel Crucorney • Llanfihangel Gobion • Llanfihangel juxta Roggiett • Llanfihangel Llantarnam • Llanfihangel nigh Usk • Llanfihangel Pont y Moile • Llanfihangel Tafernbach • Llanfihangel Tor y Mynydd • Llanfihangel Ystern Llewern • Llanfihangel y Vedw • Llanfoist • Llanfrechfa • Llangattock • Lingoed • Llangattock nigh Usk • Llangattock Vibon Avel • Llangeview • Llangibby • Llangoven • Llangua • Llangwm Ishaf & Llangwm Uchaf • Llanhennock • Llanhilleth • Llanishen • Llanllowell • Llanmartin • Llanover • Llanrumney • Llansantffraed • Llansoy • Llanthewy Rytherch • Llanthewy Skirrid • Llanthewy Vach • Llanthomas • Llanthony • Llantillio Crossenny • Llantillio Pertholey • Llantrissent • Llanvaches • Llanvair Discoed • Llanvair Kilgeddin • Llanvapley • Llanvetherine • Llanwenarth Citra • Llanwenarth Ultra • Llanwern • Lliswerry • Llwyndu • Machen (Upper & Lower) • Maes-y-cwmmer • Magor • Maindee (also see Christchurch & Newport) • Malpas • Mamhilad • Marshfield • Mathern (also see St Pierre) • May Hill • Michaelston y Fedw • Mitchel Troy • Monkswood • Monmouth • Mounton • Mynyddbach • Mynyddislwyn • Mynyddmaen • Nantyderry • Nantyglo • Nash • New Town • New Tredegar • Newbridge • Newcastle • Newchurch East & West • Newport • Nightingale Village • Oldcastle • Overmonnow • Panteg • Par Grace Dieu • Pen y Clawdd • Penalt • Penbiddle • Pengam • Penhow • Penmaen • Penpergwm • Penrhos • Penrose • Penterry • Pentrepeod • Penygarn • Penyrheol • Peterstone Wentloog • Pillgwenlly • Ponthir • Pontllanfraith • Pontnewydd (also see Llanfrechfa) • Pontnewynydd • Pontrhydyryn • Pontygof • Pontymister • Pontymoile • Pontypool • Pontywain • Porthcasseg • Portskewett • Pwll Du • Pwllmeyric • Raglan • Redbrook • Redwick • Rhydgwern • Rhymney • Risca • Rock • Rockfield • Rogerstone • Roggiett • Rumney • Runston (also see Mathern) • St Arvans • St Brides Netherwent • St Brides Wentloog • St Kingsmark • St Lawrence • St Maughans • St Mellons • St Pierre (also see Mathern) • St Woolos • Sebastopol (also see Panteg) • Shirenewton • Sirhowy • Six Bells • Skenfrith • Snatchwood • Somerton Common • Sudbrook • Talywain (also see Trevethin) • The Race and Upper Race • Tintern Abbey • Tintern Parva • Tranch • Tredegar • Tredunnock • Tregare • Trellech • Trellech Grange • Trevethin • Treworgan • Trostrey • Undy • Upper Machen • Usk • Varteg • Victoria • Waunlwyd • Whitebrook • Whitson • Wilcrick • Wolvesnewton • Wonastow • Wyesham • Ynysddu