Monnow Bridge - Later Activities and Works

Later Activities and Works

Neither Monmouth town nor its castle were attacked during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, although nearby Abergavenny and Grosmont were burned down during the uprising, and the town suffered from the devastation in surrounding areas. Over two centuries later, during the Civil War, the town changed hands several times, and in 1645 the bridge was the scene of a skirmish between Royalist soldiers from Raglan and Parliamentarians under Colonel Kirle. By 1705, the Gate was in need of maintenance. The original battlements were replaced with solid walls, and the building was refitted to form a two-storey dwelling house, with timber and lath extensions projecting over the river. The house was then leased to a resident gatekeeper, responsible for repairing and maintaining the building. Part of it remained in use as a lock-up, and both the bridge and the gatehouse were comprehensively repaired between 1771–75. The gatehouse was abandoned as a dwelling before 1804.

The lean-to extensions were in turn demolished in 1815, and in 1819 a pedestrian passageway was driven through the building on the upstream side, to help relieve the flows of traffic across the bridge. Before 1830, the gatehouse was owned by Monmouth Corporation, but was then formally transferred to the Duke of Beaufort as part of a property exchange. The gatehouse roof was reconstructed in 1832, with deeper eaves and four decorative corbels on each side. A second passageway was added on the downstream side of the arch in 1845. Since then, the structure has remained essentially unchanged, through regular maintenance and repair. Its ownership was transferred to the County Council in 1900, as noted on a brass plaque attached to the gatehouse.

Until the mid 19th century, the gatehouse was the scene of annual battles, or "muntlings", between rival gangs from "Up-Town" – the main town of Monmouth – and Overmonnow or "Cappers' Town", so called because it was the traditional home of those who made Monmouth caps. These took place on 1 and 29 May, the youths arming themselves with besoms or "muntles" reinforced with stones. The altercations were banned in 1858.