Agincourt House, No. 1 Agincourt Square,

Monmouth Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. I ...

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

is a notable early seventeenth century half-timbered building.

History

The building has been much restored, but the

bargeboard Bargeboard (probably from Medieval Latin ''bargus'', or ''barcus'', a scaffold, and not from the now obsolete synonym "vergeboard") or rake fascia is a board fastened to each projecting gable of a roof to give it strength and protection, and to ...

over the gable onto Agincourt Square gives a date of 1624. The initials on either side of the date are those of William Roberts, whose grandson rebuilt

Drybridge House Drybridge House is a large 17th-century Grade II* listed building in Monmouth, south east Wales. It is located to the southwest of the town at one end of Drybridge Street, close to the “dry bridge” over a small stream, which is now buried b ...

in Monmouth. Agincourt House is

Grade II* In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

listed as at 27 June 1952. It is one of 24 buildings on the

Monmouth Heritage Trail The Monmouth Heritage Trail is a walking route which connects various sights in the town of Monmouth, Wales. History In 2009 Monmouth Civic Society identified 24 historic and interesting buildings in the town, and organised the production and fix ...

. A house on the site is shown on

John Speed John Speed (1551 or 1552 – 28 July 1629) was an English cartographer, chronologer and historian of Cheshire origins.S. Bendall, 'Speed, John (1551/2–1629), historian and cartographer', ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (OUP 2004/ ...

's map of Monmouth Town dated 1610, the street plan on which was to remain unaltered until the 19th century. The present shop frontage is late nineteenth century. From around 1830 to the end of the 19th century it was an Ironmongers. In 1830 the proprietor was Josiah Coates, who was also a Blacksmith, Brazier, and Tinplate Worker. From the early 1860s to 1883 the proprietor was Joseph Coates, with the words 'Furnishing' and 'Ironmonger' on the shop fascia to either side of the name 'Coates'. He also undertook the duties of Blacksmith, but he was also a Nailmaker, Locksmith, and Bellhanger. Joseph Coates (d. 1883) was a Chorister and Church Warden at

St Mary's Priory Church The Parish and Priory Church of St. Mary is located in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, south east Wales. Parts of the building, including its ornate west doorway, date from the late 11th century and are contemporary with the nearby Norman castle. The ch ...

. It is said that

John Major Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997, and as Member of Parliament ...

, the UK Prime Minister 1990–7, is a descendant of the Coates family. From 1884 the premises were occupied by another Ironmonger, namely William Honeyfield, who was a very prominent citizen in Monmouth and was

Mayor of Monmouth The Mayor of Monmouth is an elected position given to a town councillor in Monmouth in Wales. The position dates back about 750 years. History The position of Mayor in Monmouth was established in the thirteenth century by the people who were ...

1891–95. He was also a

Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...

and a member of the Bellringers at St Mary's Priory Church, and took part in a 10-part Peal of Bells recorded on a Plaque in the Bell Tower (Thursday July 1, 1896). In 1919 the premises were occupied by the

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

, and in the early 1920s by Cash & Co. (Boot and Shoe Makers). The name Cash & Co. may still be seen in the mosaic floor to the front entrance doorway. By 1934 the premises had been taken over by W. & E. Turner Ltd., Shoe Retailer. 'Le Gourmet', the butchers currently in Church Street, occupied the shop in the 1980s when it closed as a Shoe Retailer. After the butchers moved out the premises were extensively restored and were given an award by Monmouth Civic Society on 16 October 1991. From 1992 up to March 2010 the premises were an Antiques Shop, and it is now (2012) a clothes shop, with offices on the upper floors.

Notes

References

* {{Buildings in Monmouth History of Monmouth, Wales Grade II* listed buildings in Monmouthshire Grade II* listed houses in Wales Houses completed in 1624 Tourist attractions in Monmouthshire Houses in Monmouth, Wales 1624 establishments in Wales