place

Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Monmouth

12th-century church buildings in WalesBuildings and structures in Monmouth, WalesChurch in Wales church buildingsGrade II* listed churches in MonmouthshireJohn Prichard buildings
Thomas Becket
Church of St Thomas a Becket Overmonnow Monmouth
Church of St Thomas a Becket Overmonnow Monmouth

The Church of St Thomas the Martyr at Overmonnow, Monmouth, south east Wales, is located beside the medieval Monnow Bridge across the River Monnow. At least part of the building dates from around 1180, and it has a fine 12th-century Norman chancel arch, though the exterior was largely rebuilt in the early 19th century. It is one of 24 buildings on the Monmouth Heritage Trail and is a Grade II* listed building.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Monmouth (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Monmouth
Cinderhill Street,

Geographical coordinates (GPS) Address External links Nearby Places
placeShow on map

Wikipedia: Church of St Thomas the Martyr, MonmouthContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 51.808483333333 ° E -2.7204083333333 °
placeShow on map

Address

Church of St Thomas the Martyr

Cinderhill Street
NP25 5EY , Overmonnow
Wales, United Kingdom
mapOpen on Google Maps

linkWikiData (Q267697)
linkOpenStreetMap (167180043)

Church of St Thomas a Becket Overmonnow Monmouth
Church of St Thomas a Becket Overmonnow Monmouth
Share experience

Nearby Places

Monnow Bridge
Monnow Bridge

Monnow Bridge (Welsh: Pont Trefynwy Welsh pronunciation: [pɔnt tre:vənʊɨ]), in Monmouth, Wales, is the only remaining fortified river bridge in Great Britain with its gate tower standing on the bridge. Such bridge towers were common across Europe from medieval times, but many were destroyed due to urban expansion, diminishing defensive requirements and the increasing demands of traffic and trade. The historical and architectural importance of the bridge and its rarity are reflected in its status as a scheduled monument and a Grade I listed building. The bridge crosses the River Monnow (Afon Mynwy) 500 metres (1,600 ft) above its confluence with the River Wye. Monmouth had been a significant border settlement since the Roman occupation of Britain, when it was the site of the fort of Blestium. The River Wye may have been bridged at this time but the Monnow, being easily fordable, appears not to have had a crossing until after the Norman Conquest. According to the local tradition, construction of Monnow Bridge began in 1272 to replace a 12th-century Norman timber bridge. Through the medieval era, the English Civil War, and the Chartist uprising, the bridge played a significant, if ineffectual, role in defending Monmouth. It also served as a gaol, a munitions store, a lodge, an advertising hoarding, a focus for celebrations and, most significantly, as a toll gate. Much of the medieval development of Monmouth was funded by the taxes and tolls the borough was entitled to raise through royal charter. The tolls were collected through control of the points of entry to the town, including the gatehouse on Monnow Bridge. Built predominantly of Old Red Sandstone, the bridge was the subject of significant reconstruction and rebuilding in the 18th and 19th centuries. In those centuries, it also became a popular subject for artists; Turner, Gastineau and Cotman produced sketches of the bridge and gate. In the 20th century, it suffered increasing damage as higher volumes of traffic and the use of ever-larger vehicles led to several serious accidents. In the 21st century, the construction of a new road crossing to the south enabled the pedestrianisation of the bridge.