Llangybi, Monmouthshire

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For the community in Ceredigion, see Llangybi, Ceredigion.

Llangybi
Llangybi church.jpg
St. Cybi's Church
Llangybi is located in Monmouthshire
Llangybi
Llangybi
Location within Monmouthshire
Population890 (444 living in town)[1] (2011)[2]
OS grid referenceST372967
Principal area
Ceremonial county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townUSK
Postcode districtNP15
Dialling code01633
PoliceGwent
FireSouth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Monmouthshire
51°39′57″N 2°54′28″W / 51.6658°N 2.9079°W / 51.6658; -2.9079Coordinates: 51°39′57″N 2°54′28″W / 51.6658°N 2.9079°W / 51.6658; -2.9079

Llangybi (also spelled Llangibby) is a village and community in Monmouthshire, in southeast Wales, in the United Kingdom. It is located 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the town of Usk and 5 miles (8 km) north of Caerleon, in the valley of the River Usk.

The village itself had a population of 444,[1] with a nearly equal number living in its outlying areas, among them the settlement of Tregrug, near the ruins of a medieval castle.

History and buildings[]

The village was traditionally founded by the 6th century Cornish Saint Cybi. According to legend, he is supposed to have crossed the Bristol Channel with ten followers. The Life of St. Cybi[3][a] records that the local duke, Edelig[b] threatened to evict them from his land, but as he approached them he fell from his horse, which died, and he and his men became blind. Edelig then prostrated himself and gave his body and soul to God, and he and his attendants were immediately cured and the horse restored to life.[3][a]

In thanks (or terror), Edelig then gave Cybi land for two churches, including the one which became known as Llangybi, and another at an unspecified location (possibly Llandegfedd, a neighbouring village) where he[who?] is reported to have left a handbell.[3]

Church of St. Cybi[]

Main article: St Cybi's Church, Llangybi, Monmouthshire

The existing church, dedicated to St. Cybi (or Cuby), has been described as "one of the most interesting in the Usk valley" and "a delight".[4] The church is a grade II* listed building.[5] The church is in regular use and is now part of a benefice with Llanbadoc, Tredunnock, and Coed-y-paen. There is a bell ringing club.

The tower, nave and chancel all date from the 13th~14th century, and the church has 17th century internal fittings, including the pulpit, font, and monuments to the local Williams family. There are also wall paintings dating from the late medieval period and the 17th century.[4] One wall painting of particular interest is a "Christ of the trades" (or a "Sunday Christ") of which there are very few in the U.K.

A traditional well outside the church is also named for St. Cybi.[6]

Although regular services continued to be held in St. Cybi's chancel, the church was temporarily closed in 2015, after major problems were discovered with water penetrating its walls.[citation needed] Professional inspections revealed that the ceiling was at risk and several rare 15th and 17th century paintings were in danger of falling off the walls from hidden damp.

With the estimated cost of renovation work put at possibly £100,000, a local fund-raising campaign was established to save the church. With the help of various funds, such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, work began. In October 2015 Monmouth M.P. Davies donated two open-return first-class train tickets to Rev. Love[c] as fundraising prizes.[7]

Tregrug Castle[]

Main article: Tregrug Castle

The site of Tregrug Castle, (also known as Llangybi Castle, Llangibby Castle, or Tregruk Castle),[8] is located almost a mile outside the village (

 WikiMiniAtlas
51°40′18.13728″N 2°55′13.70676″W / 51.6717048000°N 2.9204741000°W / 51.6717048000; -2.9204741000 (Tregruk Castle)) adjacent to the even smaller settlement of Tregrug or Tregruk.

Surrounded by dense woodland, the remaining ruins of the castle include a huge, nearly rectangular walled enclosure on the top of the hill, surrounded by banks and ditches; the remains of a large stone tower, known as the “Lord's Tower”; and a gatehouse.[4]

The White Hart[]

Main article: White Hart Inn, Llangybi
The White Hart

The White Hart inn, a grade II* listed building,[9] was first built in the early 16th century and became the property of Henry VIII as part of Jane Seymour's wedding dowry.[10] A century later Oliver Cromwell is reputed to have used it as his headquarters in Monmouthshire during the English Civil War.[10] The Catholic martyr David Lewis preached in the inn when the church was closed to him; he was executed in Usk in 1679.

The interior retains no fewer than 11 fireplaces from the 17th century, a wealth of exposed beams, original Tudor period plasterwork, and a priest hole. A refurbishment of the inn was completed in April 2007.

In 2003 Philip Edwards[d] proposed that T. S. Eliot made cryptic reference to the pub, and to the village well, in his 1935 poem "Usk".[11]

Multiple family murder[]

In 1878 a Spanish sailor named Josef Garcia was convicted, at the Sessions House, Usk, of the murder of a family of five villagers[e] in Llangybi.[12]

Governance[]

Llangybi is included in the Llangybi Fawr electoral ward, which stretches northeast–southwest from Llantrisant to Llanhennock. The total population of this ward at the 2011 census was 1,861.[13]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b The Life of St. Cybi was written in the c. 12th century,[3] 6 centuries after the c. 6th century events it describes. Scholars believe the compiler used fragmentary records or based it on community memory. It includes some material that has been suggested to be unreliable.[according to whom?]
  2. ^ Edelig was one of the 21 sons of King Glywys of Glywysing.
  3. ^ In October 2015, the reverend Pamela Love was the assistant curate for the four churches in the Llangybi group.
  4. ^ Philip Edwards was formerly the “King Alfred professor of English literature” at Liverpool University.
  5. ^ The murdered (c. 1877?) Llangybi villagers were William and Elizabeth Watkins, and their three youngest children: Charlotte aged 8 years, Alice age 5 years, and Frederick age 4 years.[12]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Llangybi built-up area. Local Area Report. nomisweb.co.uk (Report). Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census. Durham, UK: Durham University. 2011. GSS code W37000309; KS402EW. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Llangybi Parish population". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Vita Sancti Kebii (version one)" [Life of Saint Cybi (v. 1)]. Celtic literature collection. ancienttexts.org. 1944 [c. 12th century]. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
    which cites as its source
    Wade-Evans, A.W., ed. (1944). Vitae Sanctorum Britanniae et Genealogiae [Lives of British Saints and Geneological [material]  ]. Cardiff, UK: University of Wales Press.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Newman, John (2000). The Buildings of Wales: Gwent / Monmouthshire. ISBN 0-14-071053-1.
  5. ^ Church of St Cybi – Llangybi village, town of Pontypool, Monmouth shire. Full Report for Listed Buildings. Cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net (Report). Heritage Bill Cadw assets. Cadw. 21 February 2002. ref.nr. 2669. Retrieved 13 August 2017 – via azurewebsites.net.
  6. ^ "A gazetteer of Monmouthshire well sites". people.bath.ac.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  7. ^ "M.P. boosts fundraising appeal for Llangybi's historic church". Monmouthshire Beacon. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  8. ^ Wiles, J. (13 February 2003). "Llangybi Castle". Coflein.gov.uk. Comisiwn Brenhinol Henebion Cymru [Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales]. NPRN 94896. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  9. ^ The White Hart public house – Llangybi village, town of Pontypool, Monmouth shire. Full Report for Listed Buildings (Report). Heritage Bill Cadw assets. Cadw. 21 February 2002. ref.nr. 2688. Retrieved 13 August 2017 – via azurewebsites.net.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Skellon, Katharine (28 October 2015). "Historic Monmouthshire pub formerly owned by Henry VIII up for sale". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 27 August 2017 – via southwalesargus.co.uk.
  11. ^ Ezard, John (6 August 2003). "T.S. Eliot scholar finds answer to pub-poet's riddle". Higher education / Books. The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Williams, Roger (2004). Their Deadly Trade: Murders in Monmouthshire. Gomer Press. ISBN 1-84323-389-4.
  13. ^ "Llangybi fawr". Ward population 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2015.

External links[]

  • "Llangibby". Kelly's 1901 Directory of Monmouthshire – via freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com.
  • Llangybi. geograph.org.uk (pictures). landscape photography.
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