Genealogy Chat

I've just discovered that the LDS (Family search) site lists Monmouthshire as being in England.

Lucky I've no Monmouthshire rellies, but some of you might have.

Monmouthshire WAS in England. The border was the Breconshire side of Abergavenny where my father came from. Though there are some sites that class it as Wales eg Rootschat as most of it is now Gwent

for anyone reading this who has Mon relatives a useful site can be

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~monfamilies/monprts.htm

Historic county
Main article: Monmouthshire (historic)
The historic county of Monmouthshire was formed from the Welsh Marches by the Laws in Wales Act 1535. It bordered Gloucestershire to the east, Herefordshire to the northeast, Brecknockshire to the north, and Glamorgan to the west. Between the 16th and 20th centuries there was some ambiguity as to whether the county was part of Wales or England, but since 1974 the area has been placed definitively in Wales. The eastern and southern boundaries of the historic county and the current principal area are the same, along the River Wye and Severn estuary; however, the western two-fifths of the historic county are now administered by the other unitary authorities of Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Caerphilly and Newport. The administrative county of Monmouthshire, and associated lieutenancy were abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The area largely became part of the new local government and ceremonial

still confused I must say - if it's classed as West Midlands how can it possibly be in Wales!!!!

By it's position on the border between England & Wales!

I've Monmouthshire rellies, ie born before 1974, and they still argue over whether they're English or Welsh.

Ozi

What is classed as West Midlands exactly?? Nowhere near.
Jan

I've gone quite potty - mixed up Hereford and Monmouth!!!

thanks for the detailed definition AoGG. I will bookmark this in case any of mine argue, though the last of them born in the area was definitely before 1974 - unless you count Raglan? My grandfather, born in Abergavenny, always insisted he was English, his reason was not exactly flattering to the Welsh!

was in Abergavenny last Saturday - just love the place and it is definitely Welsh - the name is Welsh - Aber - "mouth of" - "Venny" the River Venny

I used to love going down to Abergavenny to visit my grandparents. It was like another world from Blackpool, as they lived opposite the park by the cattle market. All that countryside and the hunt outside the Angel at Christmas. Magic to a small child. My family were mainly innkeepers and carpenters. I was also fascinated by the cottages by the bridge at Llanfoist where my great aunts had a sweet shop. Don't actually remember seeing the R Venny - just the Usk where dad taught us to play 'ducks & drakes'!

my friend and I go there at least once a month - we much prefer it to the glitzy shopping centre here in Cardiff - all the shops there are so individual, only a few of the major high street stores - we know all the shop assistants and vice versa and we always get great bargains there