Historic houses · South Wales
Shire Hall, Monmouth
Also known as: Neuadd y Sir, Trefynwy
In or near Wyesham.
The Shire Hall, Monmouth, Wales, is a prominent building on Agincourt Square in the town centre. It was built in 1724, and was formerly the centre for the assize courts and quarter sessions for Monmou
Philip Halling — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Nearest railway station
- Rookwood · 7.7 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Shire Hall in Monmouth, the nearest railway station is Rookwood, located 7.7 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is NP25 3DY, and please note that entry is not free. Accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
The Shire Hall, Monmouth, Wales, is a prominent building on Agincourt Square in the town centre. It was built in 1724, and was formerly the centre for the assize courts and quarter sessions for Monmouthshire. The building was also used as a market place. In 1839–40, the court was the location of the trial of the Chartist leader John Frost and others for high treason for their part in the Newport Rising. The building is attributed to Philip Fisher (1702-1776). Fisher is not a well-documented architect, and Cadw notes that the Shire Hall is his only recorded building. The hall was extended by Thomas Hopper and Edward Haycock Sr. in the middle of the 19th century. Cadw describes the building as a “exceptionally fine example of provincial Baroque”. It is a Grade I listed building. The Shire Hall is owned by Monmouthshire County Council. It is currently used as a tourist information centre and as the offices for Monmouth Town Council, and parts are open to the public. Following the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the council announced that the Shire Hall would be the new location for the Monmouth Museum. At the time, the museum was located in the Market Hall on Priory Street. The five-year project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will see a new museum open at the hall by 2027.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2024
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the official site
Shire Hall Museum in Monmouth is a historic site that showcases the history and heritage of Monmouth and the Wye Valley. The building, a Grade I listed structure, was once the center for Assize Courts and features a fully restored courtroom from the 1840s, allowing visitors to engage with its historical significance.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Wye SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Wye Valley
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The Shire Hall, Monmouth, Wales, is a prominent building on Agincourt Square in the town centre. It was built in 1724, and was formerly the centre for the assize courts and quarter sessions for Monmouthshire. The building was also used as a market place. In 1839–40, the court was the location of the trial of the Chartist leader John Frost and others for high treason for their part in the Newport Rising. The building is attributed to Philip Fisher (1702-1776). Fisher is not a well-documented architect, and Cadw notes that the Shire Hall is his only recorded building. The hall was extended by Thomas Hopper and Edward Haycock Sr. in the middle of the 19th century. Cadw describes the building as a “exceptionally fine example of provincial Baroque”. It is a Grade I listed building. The Shire Hall is owned by Monmouthshire County Council. It is currently used as a tourist information centre and as the offices for Monmouth Town Council, and parts are open to the public. Following the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the council announced that the Shire Hall would be the new location for the Monmouth Museum. At the time, the museum was located in the Market Hall on Priory Street. The five-year project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will see a new museum open at the hall by 2027.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The current building was erected in 1724, and is at least the fourth building on the site. It had earlier been the site of an Elizabethan court built in 1536, which in turn was replaced in 1571 by a timber-framed construction. The timbers from the original building were used in the construction of the Shire Hall, which provided an open trading area on the ground floor with rooms above. The building, described in Buildings of Wales as "a mighty affair", was designed by a little-known architect, Philip Fisher (d. 1776) of Bristol at a cost of £1,700. The Courts of Assize were transferred to the building in 1725, with the court room itself located on the first floor above the open arches which…
Architecture
The new Shire Hall was built in 1724. The design is attributed to Philip Fisher, of whom little is known. Cadw suggests that the Shire Hall is his only recorded building, and notes that he would have designed it aged only 22. The interior of the building was remodelled in 1828, and a new exterior stair tower with a glazed lantern was added, enclosing a grandiose new staircase. The work was undertaken by Thomas Hopper and Edward Haycock Sr. who extended the Shire Hall building along Agincourt Street, creating room for a new staircase and larger courts. Hopper took up residence in Monnow Street in Monmouth while this was happening. The Shire Hall is a Grade I listed building. Its Cadw listing…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.8120, -2.7154
- District
- Monmouthshire
- Parish
- Monmouth
- Postcode
- NP25 3DY
- Parliamentary constituency
- Monmouthshire
- Phone
- Tel01600 775257
- Established
- 1724
- Nearest railway station
- Rookwood — 7.7 km
- Opening
- Tuesday - Saturday 11am–4pm; closed Wednesday and Sunday
- Official site
- www.visitmonmouthshire.com
Sources
- wikipedia: Shire Hall, Monmouth (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Shire Hall Museum
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Shire Hall, Monmouth?
- Shire Hall, Monmouth is in South Wales, United Kingdom (postcode NP25 3DY), in the parish of Monmouth.
- What is Shire Hall, Monmouth?
- The Shire Hall, Monmouth, Wales, is a prominent building on Agincourt Square in the town centre. It was built in 1724, and was formerly the centre for the assize courts and quarter sessions for Monmou
- How do I get to Shire Hall, Monmouth?
- The nearest railway station is Rookwood, about 7.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode NP25 3DY.
- When was Shire Hall, Monmouth built?
- Built or established in 1724.
- Is Shire Hall, Monmouth a protected site?
- Yes — Shire Hall, Monmouth is part of the River Wye SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Wye Valley National Landscape (AONB).
- How do I get to Shire Hall, Monmouth?
- The nearest railway station is Rookwood, about 7.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode NP25 3DY.