Whitebrook
Encyclopedia
Whitebrook is a small village
in Monmouthshire
, south-east Wales
, United Kingdom
. It is located four miles south east of Monmouth
in the Wye Valley
.
a few miles to the south - was a centre of intensive water-powered industry. A branch of Tintern wireworks was established here in 1606, and wire working continued to be the main industry of the valley until about 1720. By about 1760, paper mills had taken over, and much of the housing in the valley was built for millworkers around that time. Some of the paper was made from imported esparto grass, brought in via the quay at nearby Llandogo
. Although the industry had ceased by 1880, the valley retains the remains of several old mills, warehouses, dams and leat
s. Many of these have now been transformed into desirable residential properties. The village is designated as a Conservation Area
.
Whitebrook today is known for its Michelin-starred restaurant, The Crown at Whitebrook, with Head Chef James Sommerin
. The River Wye
AONB surrounds the village. Across the river are the hills of west Gloucestershire
and the Forest of Dean
through which Offa's Dyke Path
passes.
live in the village, which was also the home for some years of Gwydion Thomas, son of poet R.S. Thomas. The poet Paul Groves
(1947- ) spent his childhood a mile to the south at The Narth.
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...
, 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 four miles south east of 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....
in the Wye Valley
Wye Valley
The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscape areas in southern Britain....
.
History and amenities
Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the Whitebrook valley - like the Angiddy valley at 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 few miles to the south - was a centre of intensive water-powered industry. A branch of Tintern wireworks was established here in 1606, and wire working continued to be the main industry of the valley until about 1720. By about 1760, paper mills had taken over, and much of the housing in the valley was built for millworkers around that time. Some of the paper was made from imported esparto grass, brought in via the quay at nearby 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...
. Although the industry had ceased by 1880, the valley retains the remains of several old mills, warehouses, dams and leat
Leat
A leat is the name, common in the south and west of England and in Wales, for an artificial watercourse or aqueduct dug into the ground, especially one supplying water to a watermill or its mill pond...
s. Many of these have now been transformed into desirable residential properties. 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...
.
Whitebrook today is known for its Michelin-starred restaurant, The Crown at Whitebrook, with Head Chef James Sommerin
James Sommerin
James Sommerin is a Welsh-born Michelin-starred chef.Born in Caerleon, Sommerin baked with his grandmother on Saturdays as a child...
. The River Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
AONB surrounds the village. Across the river are the hills of west Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
and the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
through which Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path is a long distance footpath along the Welsh-English border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's premier National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world...
passes.
Notable residents
Novelists Julia Gregson and M.R. HallMatthew Hall (writer)
Matthew Hall is a screenwriter and novelist. He is sometimes credited as M.R. Hall.-Education:Hall was educated at Hereford Cathedral School and Worcester College, Oxford where he graduated in law...
live in the village, which was also the home for some years of Gwydion Thomas, son of poet R.S. Thomas. The poet Paul Groves
Paul Groves
Paul Groves is an English former footballer who notably captained and managed Grimsby Town. He was naturally a central midfield player, but later in his career was used as a central defender...
(1947- ) spent his childhood a mile to the south at The Narth.