The Beaufort Arms Hotel, Monmouth
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The Beaufort Arms Hotel, in Agincourt Square in the town of
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 ...
, south-east Wales is a former
coaching inn The coaching inn (also coaching house or staging inn) was a vital part of Europe's inland transport infrastructure until the development of the railway, providing a resting point ( layover) for people and horses. The inn served the needs of tra ...
dating from the early eighteenth century. The frontage was modified in the 1830s, possibly by the prolific early Victorian architect
George Vaughan Maddox George Vaughan Maddox (1802–27 February 1864) was a nineteenth-century British architect and builder, whose work was undertaken principally in the town of Monmouth, Wales, and in the wider county. Working mainly in a Neo-Classical style, hi ...
. A stone cornice on the central block carries the inscription "The Beaufort Arms". A Grade II* listed building, it features in 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 ...
. In the 20th century, the building was converted to residential apartments.


Description

The hotel, the "handsomest" in the square, lies to the side of the Shire Hall. It is three and one half storeys high, and five bays across. The rear has an extensive courtyard, with stabling for coach horses. The building was converted into flats and shops in 1989. The interior was subject to major alteration during the conversion and the only historically significant remaining features are the entrance lobby, with Ionic
pilasters In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wall ...
and the top-lit staircase.


History

The Beaufort Arms was named after the Dukes of Beaufort, the preeminent landowners in the area. According to
Charles Heath Charles Theodosius Heath (1 March 1785 – 18 November 1848) was a British engraver, currency and stamp printer, book publisher and illustrator. Life and career He was the illegitimate son of James Heath, a successful engraver who enjoyed ...
in 1804, the inn consisted originally of two small tenements, one a butcher's and the other a corn dealer's, and the inn yard was a fives court managed by a Mr Pye. In the early 18th century after Pye's death Mr John Tibbs became the owner and developed the inn with the
Beaufort portcullis A portcullis (from Old French ''porte coleice'', "sliding gate") is a heavy vertically-closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, which slides down gr ...
as the sign. The Beaufort Arms became important after the building of the Shire Hall in 1724. Through the influence of the Duke of Beaufort it acquired, in 1760, a part of that new building which encroached on the inn's fives court. The balcony below, facing Agincourt Square, is reputed to have been used by the Dukes of Beaufort for making speeches during elections. As an added attraction, Mr Tibbs built a bridge across the River Monnow and laid out pleasure gardens on Vauxhall Fields. The modern bridge accessed from Castle Hill is still known as Tibbs' Bridge.
John Wesley John Wesley (; 2 March 1791) was an English people, English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The soci ...
visited the gardens in 1784, and wrote of "a gently rising ground on the top of which the gentry of the town frequently spend the evening in dancing. From hence spread various walks, bordered with flowers, one of which leads down to the river".
Admiral Lord Nelson Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought abo ...
stayed here in July 1802 with Sir William and Lady Emma Hamilton, arriving by boat on the
River Wye The River Wye (; cy, Afon Gwy ) is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, fourth-longest river in the UK, stretching some from its source on Plynlimon in mid Wales to the Severn estuary. For much of its length the river forms part of Wal ...
. Following his reception in the town, Lord Nelson promised to attend a dinner in his honour on his return journey from Pembrokeshire. On 19th August, at 4pm, at the Beaufort Arms Inn, the company sat down to "a sumptuous entertainment ......for which a fine buck was presented by His Grace the Duke of Beaufort". The inn reached its peak of popularity during the early 19th century when the Wye Tour became fashionable and Nelson’s visit had enhanced its status. It became the town's principal coaching inn with direct transport to London by coaches such as 'The Mazeppa' which, in 1830, left the yard at 5am and reached Regent Street at 8pm. The fare was 15 shillings outside and 30 shillings inside. In more recent times the hotel was one of three hotels in the town owned by the Trust House Organisation. The Rolling Stones stayed here in September 1964 while touring the UK and a letter sent to a fan on headed Beaufort Arms Hotel notepaper written by bassist Bill Wyman, with another sheet of the whole band's signatures, was put up for auction in March 2020. It became privately owned and was then sold to a developer who converted the buildings into apartments and shops in 1989 and renamed the site 'Beaufort Arms Court'. Through the coaching archway on Agincourt Square the inn yard is surrounded by shops and cafes. Scenes for a 2005 episode of the television series ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'', "
The Unquiet Dead "The Unquiet Dead" is the third episode of the first series of the British science-fiction television programme '' Doctor Who'', first broadcast on 9 April 2005 on BBC One. It was written by Mark Gatiss and directed by Euros Lyn. In the episo ...
", were filmed in the courtyard.


Notes


References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beaufort Arms Hotel, The Coaching inns History of Monmouthshire Grade II* listed buildings in Monmouthshire Grade II* listed hotels Hotels in Monmouth Grade II* listed pubs in Wales