The Old Nag's Head, Old Dixton Road,

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 ...

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 nineteenth-century

public house A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

, with medieval origins, which incorporates a "stone drum tower of the town defences constructed between 1297 and c.1315." The tower is the only "upstanding remains of the town walls of Monmouth." The pub was designated a Grade II* listed building on 26 April 1955, its rating being due to "its interest as an early C19 public house which retains its character as well as a significant portion of a medieval gate-tower."

The Dixton Gate

The medieval gate-tower itself was seized by Lord Charles Somerset a

Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governme ...

on 17 November 1644 at around 5am during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

and was the point through which the Royalists entered Monmouth to take the town from the Parliamentarians. Somerset and 40 horses reached Dixton Gate without opposition. The guard of six men fled. The Cavaliers then broke the chain of the Dixton Gate with a crowbar and entered the town. The action itself saw several members of the Parliamentary Committee for South Wales captured along with 200 officers and men. Arms and ammunition were also taken including some hammer guns.Jeremy Knight, ''Civil War & Restoration in Monmouthshire'', Logaston Press, 2005, , page 81 The other tower and rest of the Dixton Gate were removed in 1770 because they were hindering the passage of coaches.

Press

The Lonely Planet guide describes the Old Nag's Head as "an old-fashioned, no-frills, neighbourhood pub".

References

Sources

* Newman, J., The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, (2000) Penguin Books {{Buildings in Monmouth History of Monmouthshire Grade II* listed buildings in Monmouthshire Pubs in Monmouth Grade II* listed pubs in Wales