Abergavenny

The name of the city comes from the ancient name of the river Gobannia (Celtic. Gobannia ), which in the British language means "river of the blacksmiths", and indicates that here has long been an important center for metal processing . In the language of the Welsh, the river began to be called Gavenni ( Wall. Gafenni ), and the city was named Abergavenny ( Wall. Abergavenny ), which means the mouth ( Wall. Aber ) and Gavenni ( Wall. Gafenni ), that is, the city ​​at the mouth of the Gavenni river , or more precisely "A city at the mouth of the smiths river." Another indication of the name is the Welsh word gov ( Wall. Gof ), which means a blacksmith , therefore it is also associated with the character of Welsh folklore, the blacksmith Govannon ( Wall. Gofannon ). Since the 15th century, an abbreviated form of the name Y Venny ( Wall. Y Fenni ) began to be used in the Welsh language . ^[one]

The earliest settlement on the territory of Abergavenny dates back to 4000 BC. e. The first large settlement was built by the ancient Romans . The Gobannium fortress, founded by them in 57, was of strategic importance, as it controlled the main passage between the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons in southern Wales. Legionnaires guarded the road in the valley of the Ask river, connecting the fortresses of Burrium (Latin Burrium , now Ask ) and Isca Augusta (Latin Isca Augusta ), or Isca Silurum (Latin Isca Silurum , now Curleon ) in the south with I Ger, Brecon and Mead Wales. Gobannium was built in order to maintain peace among the local tribe of Silurians and lasted until 400 years. The remains of the walls of this fortress were discovered west of the castle of Abergavenny when creating the foundation for the construction of a new post office and telephone exchange in the late 1960s.

After the Normans conquered this territory, in 1087 the castle of the Barons of Bergavenny was built. The first baron, Amelen de Balan, also founded a monastery courtyard with a church in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary . The monastery courtyard belonged to the Abbey of Saint Vincent in Le Mans, in France.

Around the castle, over time, a city appeared, originally called Bergavenny. In 1175, Abergavenny became the site of the treacherous murder of the local Welsh nobility by the owner of the castle, William de Braoz . In 1182, the Welsh won the castle and the city from the Normans.

In 1241, a fortress wall with four large gates was erected around Abergavenny. The population of the city was constantly growing before the plague epidemic that erupted here in the late 1340s.

In 1404, Abergavenny was captured by Owen Glindur . According to legend, the local resident was led into the city by a small group at midnight through the gates of Market Street. They opened the gates, let the invaders waiting for them behind the fortress wall, and then plundered and burned the city, leaving only the castle untouched. Since then, Market Street has been called Traitors Street. Owen Glindur declared Abergavenny the possession of his illegitimate son, but two weeks later the rebels had to leave the city.

The population of the city began to grow again in the XVI and XVII centuries, when there was an active trade in weaving and leather goods, which became the main source of income for citizens.

During the Reformation in 1541, the monastery courtyard with the church in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary was abolished and King Henry VIII Gymnasium was founded in its place, the very place passed into the possession of the Gunther family.

During the Civil War in 1645, King Charles I visited Abergavenny and presided over the trial of Sir Trevor Williams, 1st Baronet Llanibby and other parliamentarians .

In 1639, Abergavenny received a charter providing for some self-government in the city. The charter was supplemented by privileges in 1657, but it seems that they never entered into force. Due to the refusal of the heads of local corporations to swear allegiance to King William III in 1688, the charter was canceled.

For the first time, the market in Abergavenny was mentioned in 1211 in the charter of William de Braoz, in which he granted the monastery compound the right to collect tithes from merchants. The right to hold two weekly markets and three annual fairs in Abergavenny was confirmed in 1657. The city produced and traded Welsh flannel and goat hair wigs, fashionable at that time.

The title of the Barons of Bergavenny was assigned to the Neville family under Edward Neville, 3rd Baron Bergavenny (d. 1476), the youngest son of Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmoreland and his second wife Joan Beaufort, daughter of John Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster. He married the heiress of Richard de Beauchan, 1st Earl of Worcester, from whom he received a castle and estate in Abergavenny as a dowry. In 1392, his father-in-law was called to parliament as Lord Bergavenny, and Edward Neville himself was called to parliament under that title in 1450. His direct male descendants were cut short in 1387 on Henry Neville, 6th Baron of Bergavenny. The title passed in 1604 to his cousin, Edward Neville, the 8th Baron of Bergavenny (d. 1622). This line continues today. In 1784, the Neville won the title of Earls of Abergavenny, and in 1876, William Neville, 5th Earl of Abergavenny (d.1915), an active supporter of the Tories, became the 1st Marquis of Abergavenny .

In the city, after his flight to the UK, Rudolf Hess was under guard at a military hospital. ^[2]

Abergavenny is located in a mountain valley in southern Wales between the Sugar Loaf Mountains (596 m) and Blorenge (559 m) at the confluence of the Gavenny River and the Ask River. The city is also surrounded by five forested hills: Skirrid Fawr ( eng. Skirrid Fawr , 486 m), Little Skirrid ( eng. Little Skirrid , 270 m), Deri ( eng. Deri , 343 m), Rolben ( eng. Rholben ) and Minidd Llanvenart ( English Mynydd Llanwenarth ). ^[3] Abergavenny is located on the Black Mountains , next to the Brecon Beacons mountain range, on the territory of which there is a national park .

Abergavenny belongs to the temperate climate ( Cfb ). The weather often changes. Summer is warm, soft. Winter without severe frosts. There is little snow but enough to cover the nearby hills.

The warmest month of the year is August ; the coldest is February . Humidity is average. Most precipitation falls in January ; least in June .

The coat of arms of Abergavenny was granted on March 27, 1901, and on April 19, 1976 approved by order of the city council.

The red field of the Norman shield is divided by two white lines with the letter X into four parts. In the lower part there are golden barred gates, on the right and left are gold heraldic lilies . At the top is a golden rose . The coat of arms is crowned with a baron's helmet with a silver bull in a chain. On the body of the bull are two golden heraldic lilies.

Under the coat of arms there is a line with the motto Abergavenny in Latin: “Hostes nunc amici”, which means Foes have become friends . ^[four]

There is no large industry in Abergavenny. The city has developed food and light industry, fairs from the 18th-19th centuries have been actively trading cattle and horses. The tourism sector also supports the local economy.

In the city market building ( Market Hall ) on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, retail trade takes place, a flea market runs on Wednesdays, every 4th Thursday of the month - a farmers market; 3rd Sunday of the month - antique, 2nd Saturday of the month - craftsmen fair.

The Abergavenny railway station opened on January 2, 1854, and is located on the Welsh mark line.

Since 1899, Abergavenny has been ruled by a mayor, 4 elders and 12 advisers. ^[five]

Mayor of the city since 2012 Samantha Dodd. ^[6]

In Abergavenny, the National Welsh Festival was held in 1838 and 1913. Every year in September, the city hosts a food festival, which presents the cuisines of the world.

Abergavenny Museum is located in the castle. Founded in 1884, a brass band operates in the city. ^[7]

The city has the Abergavenny Tewsdays football club ( born Abergavenny Thursdays FC ), founded in 1927, and is currently a member of the 3rd division of the Guente Regional League; a cricket club founded in 1834, a hockey club founded in 1897, and a tennis club. The city also has a local Abergavenny RFC rugby team playing in the 2nd division of the Eastern League.

In 2007 and 2009, the British National Cycling Championship was held in Abergavenny.

Abergavenny is mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare ( Henry VIII ), Arthur Conan Doyle ( Adventures in the Priory School from a series of stories about Sherlock Holmes) and Joan Rowling ( Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ).

Released in 1996, the movie Intimate Relationships with Julie Walters and Rupert Graves in the lead roles was mostly shot in the vicinity of Abergavenny.

Welsh

In the last decade, the number of Welsh-speaking citizens has risen sharply. According to the 2001 census, 10% of the local population spoke Welsh, which is five times more than the 1991 census, when only 2% of the inhabitants owned Welsh.

The city has one of the two Welsh comprehensive schools of Monmouthshire, Isgol Gimraeg and Venny ( Wall. Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni ), ^[8] founded in the early 1990s. There is also the office of the Welsh societies Kimreigiddion and Wenni ( Wall. Cymreigyddion y Fenni ), ^[9] and Abergavenny Eysteddfod ( Wall. Abergavenny Eisteddfod ). ^[ten]