Visit Monmouth – Things to See & What to Do

Monmouth is a small, pretty town in Wales near to the border with England. It is where the River Monnow meets the River Wye and is surrounded by some beautiful countryside. Monmouth is a historic county town and plenty of things to see and do. The town has become an end point too many of my hikes in the Wye Valley AONB, due to transport links back to my start points. When visiting with Henry, we found the pubs of Monmouth to be dog friendly.

Visit Monmouth

Monmouth A Brief History

The town’s history dates back to Roman times when there was a fort on the site called Blestium. Blestium as a small Roman fort plus an iron working centre in the then Roman province of Britannia Superior. They established this fort before 55 AD, making it the earliest Roman fort in Wales.

After this, the Normans built a castle here in 1067, which eventually comes into the hands of the Lancaster Family. Subsequently, Henry V was born at the castle in 1386. 150 years later, in 1536, it became the county town of Monmouthshire.

Monmouth was an active market town, great for the surrounding farming community. Then, in more recent times, has become a tourism centre in the popular Wye Valley.

What to See and Things to Do in Monmouth

There are many things to see or do in Monmouth. Sadly, the popular Nelson Museum in the town has closed its doors for good.

Hike in the Monmouthshire countryside

Walking Monmouth

There are many routes for hiking through the Wye Valley AONB, which is absolutely stunning. Particular highlights are the area between Monmouth and Symonds Yat. On the England side is the beautiful Forest of Dean, which has countless options for hiking.

Take a canoe or kayak trip on the River Wye

Monmouth is the end point of many River Wye canoe and kayaking adventures. These can be short half-day trips or longer multi-day adventures. Start point can include Kerne Bridge, Ross on Wye, Hereford or even further upstream. There are many companies locally that run adventures on the river, including Inspire2Adventure.

Find the Monnow Bridge

The Monnow Bridge in Monmouth
The historical Monnow Bridge.

The Monnow Bridge or Pont Trefynwy in Welsh is the last remaining fortified river bridge in Great Britain, that has a gate tower standing on the bridge. Bridge towers like these were common in Medieval Europe, however many no longer exist.

The Monnow Bridge is a Grade I listed building because of its rarity and significance. It is pretty easy to find as it’s in the town centre at the end of the principal shopping street. The bridge is very easy on the eye and popular with photographers and artists; it has an interesting history too.

Follow The Monmouth Heritage Trail

There re 24 buildings listed on the Monmouth Heritage Trail. This is a great way to see the history of the town and includes many sites detailed on this post. The trail is a walking route that takes in all the key attractions of the town.

Visit Shire Hall

Shire Hall Monmouth

In Agincourt Scare is the splendid Shire Hall, a Grade I listed building. They built Shire Hall in 1724 and used to be the centre for the Assize Courts and Quarter Sessions for the county of Monmouthshire. 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. They used the building as the town’s marketplace.

Visit The Town’s Churches

St Thomas the Martyr

When visiting historic towns, churches are a nice place to pop in. Monmouth has a few notable churches. Parish Church of Saint Thomas the Martyr, Over Monnow and St Marys Priory Church are the two most significant and centrally located. St Mary’s Priory Church was founded as a Benedictine priory back in 1075, however, much of the current church dates from the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Church of St Thomas the Martyr next to the medieval Monnow Bridge has parts that date from around 1180. It has a 12th-century Norman chancel arch, however they rebuilt the exterior in the early 19th century. St Thomas’ is one of 24 buildings on the Monmouth Heritage Trail and is a Grade II listed building.

Visit Castle & Regimental Museum

William FitzOsbern established Monmouth Castle between 1066 and 1069 to complement his other major castle in Chepstow. They positioned it on high ground, overlooking where the town’s two rivers meet. Originally, it was an earth and timber ring-work fortress. They listed this castle in the Domesday Book.

Nowadays it is a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument. It was once an important border castle, and also the birthplace of Henry V of England. The castle stood until they damaged it during the English Civil War. After changing hands, being sabotaged and partially collapsing, the site was repurposed. They built the Great Castle House in its place. Nowadays, this is the headquarters and regimental museum of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers.

Walk to the Viaduct & Duke Of Beaufort Iron Bridge

Duke Of Beaufort Iron Bridge

The walk downstream along the Wye banks you to two significant places, a viaduct and a derelict bridge. This walk is delightful and part of the longer walk to Redbrook.

Monmouth Viaduct

The Duke Of Beaufort Iron Bridge is crossable and has some fantastic river views from the middle. Crossing the bridge can be part of a circular walk, starting at the town centre. The viaduct is uncrossable, as a big part is missing. However, on the Monmouth side, you can have a nice mooch.

Walk to Where the Two Rivers Converge

Two Rivers Meet

From the town centre, if you follow the River Monnow downstream, you get to the Chippenham Playing Fields. These have a variety of routes to walk around, including under the A40 and into a nature reserve. During the summer months, this has many wildflowers and butterflies that call it home. From here it’s simple to find the mud beach where the Monnow meets the Wye. This is a great place to sit and relax on a warmer day. It’s also a popular spot for dogs to have a paddle.

Cross and Photograph Wye Bridge

Wye Bridge Monmouth

The Wye Bridge is the primary way into the town from over the border in England and is quite photogenic. It is a popular spot with artists too. There has been a bridge here since the middle ages which was wooden, however they rebuilt it with stone, between 1615 and 1617. Since then they also widened it in the late 18th century. The bridge can be quite a sight when the river levels are high and when low, where you can appreciate the arches.

Attend Monmouth Music Festival

Monmouth Festival & River Monnow

The Monmouth Festival takes place at the end of July and beginning of August annually each year. This is a free festival with many performers performing in differing locations. They have the main-stage alongside the river, however many of the local pubs have performances through the festivities.

Visit Nearby Monmouthshire Towns or Attractions

There are lots of interesting towns and tourist attractions within a 30-minute drive from Monmouth. Some of these are also on bus routes from the town centre too.

  • Chepstow is a nearby town where the river Wye Meets the mighty River Severn. The biggest attraction there is Chepstow Castle, which is stunning. Upstream is the picturesque market town of Ross on Wye, another nice place for a day trip.
  • The Forest of Dean has many attractions, including the Dean Forest Railway and The Sculpture Trail. These are great start points to explore the forest.

Dog Friendly Pubs and Restaurants in Monmouth

There are many places to go out for a drink or dine out in the town, many of which are dog friendly. Some notable options are The Punch House in Agincourt Square and The Gate House near the iconic bridge.

The Punchhouse

The Punch House serves delicious food in a pleasant environment. They are also dog friendly and have rooms for visitors. For those that like music and beer, The Old Nags Head might be the ideal choice for you.

Getting to Monmouth

Driving is by far the easiest method to get to Monmouth unless on a hiking trip. There are busses from nearby towns with railway stations. Towns with railways include Gloucester, Chepstow and Hereford, so all hope is not lost for non-drivers.

Review of a Visit to Monmouth With A Dog

Monmouth is a lovely little town, a great place to break up a longer hiking or river adventure. There are many things to see and do, including historical sites. The town has some pleasant dog friendly pubs and is good for dining out, some of which are dog-friendly.

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