Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy) is a county in south-east Wales, on the English border. It covers 330 square miles (850 km2), had 92,957 residents at the 2021 census, and is run from County Hall at Rhadyr, just outside Usk.
Abergavenny is the largest town, followed by Chepstow, Monmouth and Caldicot. Outside those four the county is farmland and small villages, which is why it has the lowest population density of any authority in south Wales.
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Welsh name | Sir Fynwy |
| Area | 330 sq mi (850 km2) |
| Population (2021) | 92,957 |
| Density | 109 people per km2 |
| Welsh speakers | 8.7% (2021 census) |
| Largest town | Abergavenny (Y Fenni) |
| Administrative centre | County Hall, Rhadyr, Usk |
| Council | Monmouthshire County Council |
| Postcodes | NP7, NP15, NP16, NP25, NP26 |
Towns and Villages in Monmouthshire
The county has 180 named towns, villages and hamlets, from Abergavenny to Wyesham. Welsh and English forms both appear on signs: Y Fenni for Abergavenny, Cas-gwent for Chepstow, Trefynwy for Monmouth and Brynbuga for Usk.
- Abergavenny
- Bettws
- Bettws Newydd
- Black Rock
- Blackrock
- Bont
- Botany Bay
- Broadstone
- Brockwells
- Bryngwyn
- Brynygwenin
- Caerwent
- Caggle Street
- Caldicot
- Carrow Hill
- Catbrook
- Chepstow
- Cleddon
- Clydach
- Cobbler’s Plain
- Coed Morgan
- Coed-y-fedw
- Coed-y-paen
- Creigau
- Crick
- Croes y pant
- Croes-Hywel
- Cross Ash
- Crossways
- Cwm Nant-gam
- Cwm Siôn Mathew
- Cwmcarvan
- Cwmyoy
- Daren-felen
- Dingestow
- Earlswood
- Five Lanes
- Gaer-fawr
- Gellifelen
- Gilwern
- Glascoed
- Goetre
- Govilon
- Great Oak
- Grosmont
- Gwehelog Common
- Hayes Gate
- Highmoor Hill
- Itton
- Itton Common
- Jingle Street
- Kemeys Commander
- Kemeys Inferior
- Kilgwrrwg
- Kingcoed
- Knollbury
- Kymin
- Leechpool
- Little Mill
- Llam-march
- Llanarth
- Llanbadoc
- Llancayo
- Llanddewi Fach
- Llanddewi Rhydderch
- Llanddewi Skirrid
- Llandegveth
- Llandenny
- Llandevenny
- Llandogo
- Llanellen
- Llanelly
- Llanfaenor
- Llanfair Kilgeddin
- Llanfihangel
- Llanfihangel Rogiet
- Llanfoist
- Llangattock Lingoed
- Llangattock nigh Usk
- Llangovan
- Llangua
- Llangwm
- Llangybi
- Llanishen
- Llanllowell
- Llanover
- Llansoy
- Llanteems
- Llanthony
- Llantilio Crossenny
- Llantilio Pertholey
- Llantrisant
- Llanvair Discoed
- Llanvapley
- Llanvetherine
- Llanvihangel Crucorney
- Llanvihangel Gobion
- Llanwenarth
- Llwyn-du
- Llwyncelyn
- Lydart
- Maesygwartha
- Magor
- Mamhilad
- Manson
- Maryland
- Mathern
- Maypole
- Merthyr Tewdrig
- Mitchel Troy
- Mitcheltroy Common
- Monkswood
- Monmouth
- Monmouth Cap
- Mounton
- Mynydd-bach
- Nant-y-derry
- New Inn
- Newbridge on Usk
- Newcastle
- Newmills
- Norton
- Oldcastle
- Onen
- Pandy
- Pantygelli
- Part-y-Seal
- Pen y Clawdd
- Pen-pergwm
- Pen-twyn
- Pen-y-cae-mawr
- Pen-y-fan
- Pen-yr-Heol
- Penallt
- Pencroesoped
- Penpedairheol
- Penperlleni
- Penrhôs
- Pentre-waun
- Pont Newydd
- Portskewett
- Pwllmeyric
- Raglan
- Rhadyr
- Rhiw-lâs
- Rockfield
- Rogiet
- Shirenewton
- Skenfrith
- St Arvans
- St Brides Netherwent
- St Maughans
- St Maughans Green
- Sudbrook
- Summerleaze
- The Hendre
- The Narth
- Tintern
- Ton
- Tre-gagle
- Tredunnock
- Trellech
- Trellech Grange
- Trostrey
- Twyn Wenallt
- Undy
- Upper Fedw
- Upper Redbrook
- Usk
- Walson
- Waunllapria
- Wern-y-cwrt
- Werngifford
- Wernrheolydd
- Whitebrook
- Whitelye
- Whitewall Common
- Wolvesnewton
- Wonastow
- Wyesham
Geography
Monmouthshire runs from the Black Mountains in the north-west down to the Severn Estuary. Powys lies to the north, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire across the English border to the north-east and east, and Newport, Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent to the west. See also Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.
Three rivers shape the county. The Wye forms the border with England for most of its lower course, cutting the wooded gorge between Monmouth and Chepstow that is now the Wye Valley National Landscape. The Usk runs through Abergavenny and Usk town to Newport. The Monnow marks the northern border near Skenfrith and Grosmont.
The far north-west corner, above Llanthony and Cwmyoy, sits inside Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The south is the Caldicot Level, drained marshland behind sea walls, farmed since Roman times.
Demographics
The 2021 census counted 92,957 usual residents, up about 1,000 on 2011. The county has an older age profile than Wales as a whole, with roughly a quarter of residents aged 65 or over, and house prices among the highest in Wales.
8.7% of residents aged three and over said they could speak Welsh in 2021, one of the lowest shares in the country. Monmouthshire lost its Welsh-speaking heartland centuries earlier than the west, though Welsh-medium primary and secondary provision has grown since the 1990s.
Economy and Local Life
Farming, tourism and commuting drive the local economy. Beef and sheep dominate the uplands, arable and dairy the Usk and Wye valleys. Abergavenny’s market has traded for more than 900 years, and its September food festival is one of the largest in Britain.
Chepstow and Caldicot function largely as commuter towns for Bristol and Newport, both within half an hour by road. Monmouth serves the Wye valley and holds one of the oldest schools in Wales, founded in 1614. Raglan, Magor and Usk carry the county’s business parks and distribution sheds.
History
The Romans built Venta Silurum at Caerwent as the civil capital of the Silures; its town walls still stand to 17 ft in places. After 1067 the Normans held the border through a chain of castles at Chepstow, Monmouth, Skenfrith, Grosmont, White Castle and Raglan. Chepstow Castle is the oldest surviving stone fortification in Britain.
Tintern Abbey, founded in 1131, was the first Cistercian house in Wales; its ruins drew the Romantic tourists who invented the Wye Tour. Henry V was born at Monmouth Castle in 1386.
From the Laws in Wales Acts of the 1500s until 1974 the county’s status was ambiguous, often listed with the English counties, which is where the phrase “Wales and Monmouthshire” came from. The Local Government Act 1972 settled it as part of Wales. Between 1974 and 1996 most of the area formed districts of the county of Gwent.
Getting There
The M4 crosses the south at junctions 23A to 24, and the M48 carries the older Severn Bridge into England at Chepstow. The A40 runs dual carriageway from Abergavenny through Monmouth to Ross-on-Wye, the A449 links Usk and Raglan to Newport, and the A466 follows the Wye between Chepstow and Monmouth.
Abergavenny station sits on the Welsh Marches line to Newport, Hereford and Manchester. Chepstow, Caldicot and Severn Tunnel Junction are on the Gloucester to Newport route, with Severn Tunnel Junction the interchange for London services. Monmouth has had no railway since 1964. Bristol Airport is about 35 miles away, Cardiff Airport about 40.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Monmouthshire?
92,957 at the 2021 census, spread over 330 square miles.
What is the largest town in Monmouthshire?
Abergavenny. Chepstow, Monmouth and Caldicot follow, each between about 9,000 and 12,000 people.
How many villages are there in Monmouthshire?
180 named settlements are listed above, the great majority of them villages and hamlets of a few hundred people.
Is Monmouthshire in England or Wales?
Wales. Its status was disputed for centuries and it was often administered with England, but the Local Government Act 1972 confirmed it as Welsh.
What are the postcodes for Monmouthshire?
NP7 for Abergavenny, NP15 for Usk and Raglan, NP16 for Chepstow, NP25 for Monmouth and NP26 for Caldicot and the Levels.
Where is Monmouthshire?
In the south-east corner of Wales, between the Black Mountains and the Severn Estuary, bordering Herefordshire and Gloucestershire in England.