Church Street, Monmouth facts for kids
Church Street, Monmouth
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| Location | Monmouth, Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°48′46″N 2°42′53″W / 51.8127°N 2.7148°W |
| East | Agincourt Square |
| West | Monk Street |
Church Street is a special street in the middle of Monmouth, Wales. It's a pedestrian street, which means only people can walk there, not cars! You'll find many unique shops, places to eat, art galleries, and the old Savoy Theatre here.
A long time ago, before the 1830s, Church Street was the main road into Monmouth from the north-east. It connected the market to the main church. It was once known as Butcher's Row because many butchers worked there.
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Church Street's Past: A Look Back in Time
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Let's go back to 1804! A local writer named Charles Heath described Church Street like this: "Church Street used to be a very narrow path, barely wide enough for a loaded wagon to pass. Every house had a small roofed shelter (called a 'pent-house') with a seat under it. People would sit there and watch their neighbors' lives instead of focusing on their own."
He added, "When Sir John Stepney became a Member of Parliament for Monmouth, he paid to make the street better. So, people often called it Stepney Street or Church Lane. But when I came to Monmouth, I thought it deserved a more modern name. Since it was the main entrance from London, I called it Church Street, and that's the name it still has."
Heath also mentioned, "In John Speed's map from 1610, this street was called 'Butcher's Row'. This was probably because many butchers worked there or animals were prepared there. Where the nicest part of the street is now, there used to be a dirty gutter (a 'kennel'). Posts and rails were placed on the bank to stop people from falling into it. In recent years, many shop owners have made great improvements to its look."
Sir John Stepney was a Member of Parliament for Monmouth between 1767 and 1783.
Why a New Road Was Needed
By the 1830s, Church Street became very crowded and not very clean. It was described as "narrow and dangerous." There's a famous local story about a gingerbread maker named Mrs. Syner. One evening, she was closing her shop shutters when the mail coach to Liverpool galloped by. Her apron strings got caught in the horse's harness! She was dragged along the ground for a bit. Luckily, she wasn't badly hurt. She grabbed the coachman's whip, knocked out some of his teeth, and then marched back to her shop. She immediately started a petition to build a new road to avoid Church Street.
The town council then held a competition to find the best plan for a new road. The winner would get £10. A local architect named George Vaughan Maddox won the prize. He suggested building a new road, now called Priory Street. This new road was built on a viaduct (a bridge-like structure) right above the bank of the River Monnow. Work on the new road started in 1834 and it opened in 1837.
What You'll Find on Church Street Today
Most of the buildings you see on Church Street today were built in the early 1800s. They are usually three stories tall and have a smooth, plastered finish on both sides. The front of the building at 24 Church Street was designed by G. V. Maddox around 1840. The buildings at 12-16 Church Street on the left, which lead to White Swan Court, were built at the same time as Priory Street and might also have been designed by Maddox.
The Savoy Theatre: A Historic Entertainment Spot
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The Savoy Theatre is a very important historic building. It was updated in 1928 to look like a traditional theatre. People say it's the oldest working theatre site in Wales! The building where the theatre stands was built on top of an older inn called the Bell Inn. It first got a license to host entertainment in 1832.
In 1910, it became Monmouth's first cinema, called the "Living Picture Palace and Rinkeries." Later, it was rebuilt by a theatre group called Albany Ward. The cinema closed in the 1980s. It then reopened as a bingo hall for a while, closing again in 1983. After that, it showed old magic lantern slides. Since the 1990s, it has been a cinema again and is now run by a charity.
Other Shops and Businesses
Today, Church Street is home to many different businesses. You can find art galleries, gift shops, and a bookshop. There are also traditional greengrocers, butchers, chemists, clothes shops, coffee shops, and restaurants. It's a great place to explore!
