Trellech
Encyclopedia
Trellech (Modern ) is a village
in Monmouthshire
, south-east Wales
, near Monmouth
and the location of an archaeological
site. The village is designated as a Conservation Area
.
The name of the village derives from the Welsh language
and means either "the town (tre) of slates (llech)" or "three (tri) slates (llech)". There are three standing stone
s in the village, known as Harold's Stones. There are 26 known spellings for the village, including those mentioned above which can be found on road signs at three of the six entrances into the village.
family specifically for the exploitation of local supplies of iron ore and charcoal
, to provide weapons, armour and iron work for their military advances in Wales, including the building of Caerphilly Castle
. By 1288 there were 378 burgage plots recorded in Trellech, which would have made it bigger than Cardiff
or Chepstow
at the time. Trellech was largely destroyed in 1291, however, as a result of a raid following a dispute over alleged deer poaching. The Black Death
struck in 1340 and again in 1350. Subsequently the ravages of Owain Glyndwr
and his men in the early 15th century further reduced the prosperity and in consequence the importance of Trellech.
. There is currently some dispute over the layout and development of the medieval town and its environs. In 2005, young archaeology graduate Stuart Wilson
privately bought a field in which, he was convinced, were remains of the lost medieval town. His interest in this field and the possibility that his hunch might be correct was the subject of a 30-minute BBC Radio 4
documentary, presented by the archaeologist Francis Pryor
, and entitled The Boy Who Bought a Field, broadcast on 6 March 2006. The programme revealed that Wilson had apparently discovered medieval walls and yard-paving. According to the Monmouth Archaeological Society, "there is now no room for debate" that the excavations by Wilson and others have now identified the main site of the medieval town to be around the minor road towards Catbrook
, to the south of the current village on what is now farmland. This site was first identified by (the unrelated) Julia Wilson in an article in the journal Current Archaeology
, "A New Location for an Old Town".
stone, commonly referred to as pudding stone, are situated in a field to the south of the village. They date back to the Bronze Age
- much earlier than King Harold
. It is supposed that they were dragged to the site on logs and levered into position, probably either for seasonal information or for use at religious ceremonies. Some believe that they were aligned on the winter solstice
with the Skirrid mountain, also known as the "Holy Mountain of Gwent". A fourth stone, on nearby common land, was destroyed in the 18th century.
The Standing Stones are the property of the Davies family of Crosshands Farm in Trellech. The family have always been happy to keep the field open to the public, but ask that their property is respected.
, a little way out of the village to the east. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/477787 Water from the well is alleged to be rich in iron
and has been thought to possess curative properties.
, a font
and ancient sundial
. A church on this site, probably a wooden structure, was endowed by Kings Ffernwael ap Ithel and Meurig ap Tewdrig
who were rulers of Gwent in the 7th and 8th centuries. The Preaching Cross in the churchyard http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/504406 may date back to this time as may the font. The present building dates from the 13th and 14th centuries. The early English Gothic
stonework has been dated to between 1225 and 1272, and that of the Decorated Gothic up to 1350.
When the weathercock was removed from the spire in 1972 it was found to have been made in Ross-on-Wye
in 1792. The original spire fell, damaging the roof of the nave
, and a contemporary reference attributes this to "lightning and storms". In the belfry
the cage housing the three bells is of a type similar to that found in others constructed about the year 1700.
At the end of the last century the church was in a neglected state and was extensively renovated and re-roofed. The Belgian
slates then in place were replaced with Welsh slates
in 1961. The chancel
was replastered in 1972 and painted white. During 1974 considerable further repairs were undertaken to the north and south aisle
s, and in 2001 the majority of the churchyard dry-stone wall was removed and rebuilt. There remains a fair amount yet to be done to the building, however, if it is to be kept at a reasonable standard.
Records are held by the church dating from 1692. A complete list of vicars and churchwardens, dating from 1359, can be found hanging by the entrance to the south aisle.
, a cider
and perry
festival, the entering of a team in the Monmouth
raft race, charity events and a Burns Night celebration. Alternate Mondays feature 'Open Mic' evenings with musicians travelling from as far afield as Cardiff
and Bristol
to participate in live music ranging from rock
through to folk
.
(1872–1970) was born at "Ravenscroft", the country home of his parents Lord and Lady Amberley
, situated between Trellech and Llandogo
. The property is now called "Cleddon Hall". Famous ex international drug smuggler and author Howard Marks
lived in Trellech during the 1970s at the height of his drug trafficking career.
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:...
, 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...
, near Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
and the location of an archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
site. The village is designated as a Conservation Area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
.
The name of the village derives from the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
and means either "the town (tre) of slates (llech)" or "three (tri) slates (llech)". There are three standing stone
Standing stone
Standing stones, orthostats, liths, or more commonly megaliths are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties....
s in the village, known as Harold's Stones. There are 26 known spellings for the village, including those mentioned above which can be found on road signs at three of the six entrances into the village.
History
Trellech was one of the major towns of medieval Wales, the remains of which have been subject to excavations which have been sustained over many years and which continue today. It is most likely that the town was established by 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 specifically for the exploitation of local supplies of iron ore and charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
, to provide weapons, armour and iron work for their military advances in Wales, including the building of Caerphilly Castle
Caerphilly Castle
Caerphilly Castle is a medieval castle that dominates the centre of the town of Caerphilly in south Wales. It is the largest castle in Wales and the second largest in Britain after Windsor Castle...
. By 1288 there were 378 burgage plots recorded in Trellech, which would have made it bigger than Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
or Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
at the time. Trellech was largely destroyed in 1291, however, as a result of a raid following a dispute over alleged deer poaching. The Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
struck in 1340 and again in 1350. Subsequently the ravages of Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
and his men in the early 15th century further reduced the prosperity and in consequence the importance of Trellech.
Archaeological investigations
Archaeological investigations at Trellech have been led since the early 1990s by the South Wales Centre for Historical and Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Wales, NewportUniversity of Wales, Newport
The University of Wales, Newport is a university based in Newport, South Wales. The university has two campuses; Caerleon on the northern outskirts of the city and a £35 million campus on the banks of the River Usk in Newport city centre opened in 2011...
. There is currently some dispute over the layout and development of the medieval town and its environs. In 2005, young archaeology graduate Stuart Wilson
Stuart Wilson (Archaeologist)
Stuart Wilson is an archaeologist.His main work has been related to Trellech, a village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. He believes he has discovered the ruins of the lost medieval town of Trellech, at one time one of the largest settlements in Wales, although his views are contested...
privately bought a field in which, he was convinced, were remains of the lost medieval town. His interest in this field and the possibility that his hunch might be correct was the subject of a 30-minute BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
documentary, presented by the archaeologist Francis Pryor
Francis Pryor
thumb|180px|Francis Pryor discusses the excavation during the filming of a 2007 dig for [[Time Team]] with series editor Michael Douglas ....
, and entitled The Boy Who Bought a Field, broadcast on 6 March 2006. The programme revealed that Wilson had apparently discovered medieval walls and yard-paving. According to the Monmouth Archaeological Society, "there is now no room for debate" that the excavations by Wilson and others have now identified the main site of the medieval town to be around the minor road towards Catbrook
Catbrook
Catbrook is a village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, United Kingdom.- Location :Catbrook is located six miles south of Monmouth and one mile north west of Tintern.- History & Amenities :...
, to the south of the current village on what is now farmland. This site was first identified by (the unrelated) Julia Wilson in an article in the journal Current Archaeology
Current Archaeology
- Summary :Current Archaeology describes itself as the "United Kingdom's best selling archaeology magazine", a claim substantiated by British Archaeological Jobs and Resources online, which labels the title 'Britain's favourite archaeology magazine'. It was founded in 1967 by Andrew Selkirk, a...
, "A New Location for an Old Town".
Places of historical interest
Harold's Stones
These large monoliths of conglomerateConglomerate (geology)
A conglomerate is a rock consisting of individual clasts within a finer-grained matrix that have become cemented together. Conglomerates are sedimentary rocks consisting of rounded fragments and are thus differentiated from breccias, which consist of angular clasts...
stone, commonly referred to as pudding stone, are situated in a field to the south of the village. They date back to the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
- much earlier than King Harold
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
. It is supposed that they were dragged to the site on logs and levered into position, probably either for seasonal information or for use at religious ceremonies. Some believe that they were aligned on the winter solstice
Winter solstice
Winter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...
with the Skirrid mountain, also known as the "Holy Mountain of Gwent". A fourth stone, on nearby common land, was destroyed in the 18th century.
The Standing Stones are the property of the Davies family of Crosshands Farm in Trellech. The family have always been happy to keep the field open to the public, but ask that their property is respected.
The Virtuous Well
Sometimes known as St Anne's Well, this can be found in a field on the left of the road to TinternTintern
Tintern is a village on the west bank of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, Wales, close to the border with England, about 5 miles north of Chepstow...
, a little way out of the village to the east. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/477787 Water from the well is alleged to be rich in iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and has been thought to possess curative properties.
Tump Turret
Tump Turret, http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/473817 some 40 feet highhttp://www.wyenot.com/trellech.htm, is situated within the grounds of Court Farm to the south-west of the church. It dates back to Norman times, as the site of a small motte and bailey castle. There is a superstition that calamity will overtake anyone who attempts to excavate it.St Nicholas' Church
The church is a central focal point of the village and has an elegant pointed and prominent spireSpire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
, a font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
and ancient sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
. A church on this site, probably a wooden structure, was endowed by Kings Ffernwael ap Ithel and Meurig ap Tewdrig
Meurig ap Tewdrig
Meurig ap Tewdrig was the son of Tewdrig , and a king of the early Welsh kingdoms of Gwent and Glywysing. He is thought to have lived sometime between 400 and 600 AD....
who were rulers of Gwent in the 7th and 8th centuries. The Preaching Cross in the churchyard http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/504406 may date back to this time as may the font. The present building dates from the 13th and 14th centuries. The early English Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
stonework has been dated to between 1225 and 1272, and that of the Decorated Gothic up to 1350.
When the weathercock was removed from the spire in 1972 it was found to have been made in Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye is a small market town with a population of 10,089 in southeastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean.-History:...
in 1792. The original spire fell, damaging the roof of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, and a contemporary reference attributes this to "lightning and storms". In the belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
the cage housing the three bells is of a type similar to that found in others constructed about the year 1700.
At the end of the last century the church was in a neglected state and was extensively renovated and re-roofed. The Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
slates then in place were replaced with Welsh slates
Slate industry in Wales
The slate industry in Wales began during the Roman period when slate was used to roof the fort at Segontium, now Caernarfon. The slate industry grew slowly until the early 18th century, then expanded rapidly until the late 19th century, at which time the most important slate producing areas were in...
in 1961. The chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was replastered in 1972 and painted white. During 1974 considerable further repairs were undertaken to the north and south aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s, and in 2001 the majority of the churchyard dry-stone wall was removed and rebuilt. There remains a fair amount yet to be done to the building, however, if it is to be kept at a reasonable standard.
Records are held by the church dating from 1692. A complete list of vicars and churchwardens, dating from 1359, can be found hanging by the entrance to the south aisle.
The Lion Inn
The Lion Inn holds many accolades for its good food and authentic pub atmosphere. Winner of various CAMRA awards for its variety of real ales, the inn has regular activities including an annual beer festivalBeer festival
A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of beers are available for tasting and purchase. Beer festivals are held in a number of countries...
, a cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
and perry
Perry
Perry is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears. Perry has been common for centuries in Britain, particularly in the Three Counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and in parts of south Wales; and France, especially Normandy and Anjou.In more recent years, commercial...
festival, the entering of a team in the Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
raft race, charity events and a Burns Night celebration. Alternate Mondays feature 'Open Mic' evenings with musicians travelling from as far afield as Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
and Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
to participate in live music ranging from rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
through to folk
Folk
The English word Folk is derived from a Germanic noun, *fulka meaning "people" or "army"...
.
The Babington Centre
The Babington Centre is the main asset owned by the Babington Educational Foundation. The Centre is a focus for many aspects of village life including film nights, concerts, educational classes, private parties and other social events. It is the home of the Busy Bodies playgroup.Notable people
Philosopher, logician and mathematician Bertrand RussellBertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had never been any of these things...
(1872–1970) was born at "Ravenscroft", the country home of his parents Lord and Lady Amberley
John Russell, Viscount Amberley
John Russell, Viscount Amberley was the eldest son of John Russell, 1st Earl Russell. As such, from 1861 he took his father's junior title of Viscount Amberley, but he did not live to inherit the earldom; this passed, after his death, to his eldest son John Francis Stanley Russell, 2nd Earl Russell...
, situated between Trellech and Llandogo
Llandogo
Llandogo is a small village in Monmouthshire, south Wales, located between Monmouth and Chepstow in the lower reaches of the Wye Valley AONB, two miles north of Tintern. It is set on a steep hillside overlooking the River Wye and across into the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England.- History...
. The property is now called "Cleddon Hall". Famous ex international drug smuggler and author Howard Marks
Howard Marks
Dennis Howard Marks is a Welsh author and former drug smuggler who achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases, supposed connections with groups such as the CIA, the IRA, MI6, and the Mafia, and his eventual conviction at the hands of the American Drug...
lived in Trellech during the 1970s at the height of his drug trafficking career.