Llangybi, Monmouthshire
Encyclopedia
Llangybi is a village
in Monmouthshire
, in south east Wales
, United Kingdom
. It is located 3 miles south of the town
of Usk
and 5 miles north of Caerleon
, in the valley of the River Usk
.
Saint
Cybi. According to legend, he is supposed to have crossed the Bristol Channel
with ten followers. The life of St. Cybi, written much later and therefore including some questionable material, records that the local king, Edelig, threatened to evict them from his land, but as he approached them he fell from his horse, which died, and he and his men became blind. Edelig then prostrated himself and gave his body and soul to God, and he and his attendants were immediately cured and the horse restored to life. Edelig then, in thanks, gave Cybi land for two churches, including the one which became known as Llangybi, and another at an unspecified location (possibly Llandegveth, a neighbouring village) where he is reported to have left a handbell
.
, also named for St. Cybi.
family in 1245. A new large, ambitious and heavily fortified stone castle was started in the early 14th century possibly by Bogo de Clare, uncle of Gilbert de Clare
who was killed at Bannockburn
in 1314. For a while it was within the dispensation of the Despenser family and it may have been Hugh Despenser the Younger who began to build what remains of the late medieval construction. It was attacked during the revolt of Llywelyn Bren
in 1316. After coming into Crown ownership it was sold to the Williams family of Usk in 1554. During the English Civil War
the run-down castle was re-fortified and held by Sir Trevor Williams, 1st Baronet
, an influential local man whose loyalties to his locality, community and family remained firm even though his loyalties to his King, patrons and the establishment were severely tested by events during that turbulent time. The castle was slighted
as a result. Its ruins still remain, surrounded by dense woodland. They include a huge rectangular walled enclosure on the top of the hillside, surrounded by ditches, and including the remains of a large stone tower, known as the Lord's Tower, and a gatehouse. The Williams family built a new house nearby later in the 17th century; it was demolished in 1951.
In 2010, the old castle remains at Tregrug (or Tregruk) were investigated by the Channel 4
series Time Team
. The programme concluded that the ditches surrounding the walls were Civil War defences, and that the castle had been substantially remodelled in the 17th century to provide a new main entrance and to landscape the area inside the walls to form a "pleasance" containing gardens and fountains.
as part of Jane Seymour
's wedding dowry
. A century later Oliver Cromwell
is reputed to have used it as his headquarters in Monmouthshire
during the English Civil War
. The interior still retains no fewer than 11 fireplaces from the 17th century, a wealth of exposed beams, original Tudor period
plasterwork and even a priest hole
. The Catholic
martyr David Lewis
preached in the inn when the church was closed to him; he was executed in Usk in 1679. In 2003, The Guardian
reported that T. S. Eliot
made cryptic reference to this pub in his poem "Usk". Refurbishment of the inn ended in April 2007 and now provides a social and gastromonic centre for the surrounding area.
where all the residents can discuss things about the future of Llangybi, and where many social events are held. In the past it has doubled as a cinema; more frequently these days it is likely to host private functions or one of the many and varied musical groups. The church is still in constant and popular use and is now part of a parish grouping with Llanbadoc, Tredunnock and Coed-y-Paen. It also has a bell ringing club. The "The Devils Drop" is a steep hill which many people enjoy riding down on their bikes and which is popular with sledges in the snow. There are many public footpaths where one can walk and also a direct route to Usk
, the nearest town. There is an annual "Hog Roast" which is an evening of music and a hog roasted on the spit.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
, in south east Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is located 3 miles south of the town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Usk
Usk
Usk is a small town in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated 10 miles northeast of Newport.The River Usk flows through the town and is spanned by an ancient, arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. A castle above the town overlooks the ancient Anglo-Welsh border crossing - the river can...
and 5 miles north of Caerleon
Caerleon
Caerleon is a suburban village and community, situated on the River Usk in the northern outskirts of the city of Newport, South Wales. Caerleon is a site of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman legionary fortress, Isca Augusta, and an Iron Age hill fort...
, in the valley of the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
.
History and buildings
The village was traditionally founded by the 6th century CornishCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Cybi. According to legend, he is supposed to have crossed the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
with ten followers. The life of St. Cybi, written much later and therefore including some questionable material, records that the local king, Edelig, threatened to evict them from his land, but as he approached them he fell from his horse, which died, and he and his men became blind. Edelig then prostrated himself and gave his body and soul to God, and he and his attendants were immediately cured and the horse restored to life. Edelig then, in thanks, gave Cybi land for two churches, including the one which became known as Llangybi, and another at an unspecified location (possibly Llandegveth, a neighbouring village) where he is reported to have left a handbell
Handbell
A handbell is a bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring a handbell, a ringer grasps the bell by its slightly flexible handle — traditionally made of leather, but often now made of plastic — and moves the wrist to make the hinged clapper inside the bell strike...
.
Church of St. Cybi
The existing church, dedicated to St. Cybi (or Cuby), has been described as "one of the most interesting in the Usk valley" and "a delight". The tower, nave and chancel all date from the 13th or 14th century, and the church has 17th century internal fittings, including the pulpit, font, and monuments to the local Williams family. There are also wall paintings dating from the late medieval period and the 17th century. One of these is of particular interest: a "Christ of the trades" of which there are very few in the UK. Outside is the site of a traditional wellWater well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
, also named for St. Cybi.
Llangibby or Tregrug Castle
The site of Llangibby Castle, alternatively sometimes known as Tregrug Castle, is located almost a mile outside the village. The estate, including an existing motte and bailey castle, came into the ownership of the de ClareDe Clare
The de Clare family of Norman lords were associated with the Welsh Marches, Suffolk, Surrey, Kent and Ireland. They were descended from Richard fitz Gilbert, who accompanied William the Conqueror into England during the Norman conquest of England.-Origins:The Clare family descends from Gilbert...
family in 1245. A new large, ambitious and heavily fortified stone castle was started in the early 14th century possibly by Bogo de Clare, uncle of Gilbert de Clare
Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Hertford
Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford, 7th Earl of Gloucester was a powerful English noble. Also known as "Red" Gilbert de Clare, probably because of his hair colour.- Lineage :...
who was killed at Bannockburn
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
in 1314. For a while it was within the dispensation of the Despenser family and it may have been Hugh Despenser the Younger who began to build what remains of the late medieval construction. It was attacked during the revolt of Llywelyn Bren
Llywelyn Bren
Llywelyn Bren , or Llywelyn ap Gruffudd ap Rhys or Llywelyn of the Woods , was a nobleman who led a revolt in Wales during the reign of King Edward II of England in 1316. The revolt would be the last serious challenge to English rule in Wales until the attempts of Owain Lawgoch to invade Wales with...
in 1316. After coming into Crown ownership it was sold to the Williams family of Usk in 1554. During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
the run-down castle was re-fortified and held by Sir Trevor Williams, 1st Baronet
Sir Trevor Williams, 1st Baronet
Sir Trevor Williams, 1st Baronet of Llangibby , Monmouthshire, was a Welsh politician, gentry landowner, military commander and rebel...
, an influential local man whose loyalties to his locality, community and family remained firm even though his loyalties to his King, patrons and the establishment were severely tested by events during that turbulent time. The castle was slighted
Slighting
A slighting is the deliberate destruction, partial or complete, of a fortification without opposition. During the English Civil War this was to render it unusable as a fort.-Middle Ages:...
as a result. Its ruins still remain, surrounded by dense woodland. They include a huge rectangular walled enclosure on the top of the hillside, surrounded by ditches, and including the remains of a large stone tower, known as the Lord's Tower, and a gatehouse. The Williams family built a new house nearby later in the 17th century; it was demolished in 1951.
In 2010, the old castle remains at Tregrug (or Tregruk) were investigated by the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
series Time Team
Time Team (Series 17)
-Series 17:Episode # refers to the air date order. The Time Team Specials are aired in between regular episodes, but are omitted from this list-See also:* Time Team Live* Time Team History Hunters* Time Team Digs* Time Team Extra* Time Team America...
. The programme concluded that the ditches surrounding the walls were Civil War defences, and that the castle had been substantially remodelled in the 17th century to provide a new main entrance and to landscape the area inside the walls to form a "pleasance" containing gardens and fountains.
The White Hart
The White Hart inn, a grade II listed building, was first built in the early 16th century and was to become the property of Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
as part of Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII. She succeeded Anne Boleyn as queen consort following the latter's execution for trumped up charges of high treason, incest and adultery in May 1536. She died of postnatal complications less than two weeks after the birth of...
's wedding dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
. A century later Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
is reputed to have used it as his headquarters in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. The interior still retains no fewer than 11 fireplaces from the 17th century, a wealth of exposed beams, original Tudor period
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
plasterwork and even a priest hole
Priest hole
"Priest hole" is the term given to hiding places for priests built into many of the principal Catholic houses of England during the period when Catholics were persecuted by law in England, from the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in 1558....
. The Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
martyr David Lewis
David Lewis (martyr)
David Lewis was a Catholic priest and martyr. Lewis was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.- Early life :...
preached in the inn when the church was closed to him; he was executed in Usk in 1679. In 2003, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
reported that T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
made cryptic reference to this pub in his poem "Usk". Refurbishment of the inn ended in April 2007 and now provides a social and gastromonic centre for the surrounding area.
Amenities
Llangybi is home to approximately 600 residents. There is a village shop and a community or village hallVillage hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
where all the residents can discuss things about the future of Llangybi, and where many social events are held. In the past it has doubled as a cinema; more frequently these days it is likely to host private functions or one of the many and varied musical groups. The church is still in constant and popular use and is now part of a parish grouping with Llanbadoc, Tredunnock and Coed-y-Paen. It also has a bell ringing club. The "The Devils Drop" is a steep hill which many people enjoy riding down on their bikes and which is popular with sledges in the snow. There are many public footpaths where one can walk and also a direct route to Usk
Usk
Usk is a small town in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated 10 miles northeast of Newport.The River Usk flows through the town and is spanned by an ancient, arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. A castle above the town overlooks the ancient Anglo-Welsh border crossing - the river can...
, the nearest town. There is an annual "Hog Roast" which is an evening of music and a hog roasted on the spit.