Agincourt Square, Monmouth
General view of the square, looking towards the southwest
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| Former name(s) | Market Place |
|---|---|
| Location | Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales |
| Postal code | NP25 |
| Coordinates | 51°48′44″N 2°42′56″W / 51.812124°N 2.715489°WCoordinates: 51°48′44″N 2°42′56″W / 51.812124°N 2.715489°W |
| North | Priory Street |
| East | Castle Hill |
| South | Monnow Street |
| West | Agincourt Street |
Agincourt Square is an open space in the centre of Monmouth, Wales, in front of the Shire Hall. The area has been used for public functions and markets over the centuries.
The mediaeval market place in Monmouth developed from the bailey of the castle, and originally covered a much larger area than the present square. The square was the venue of the town's market, both before and after the Shire Hall was built in 1724. It was known as the Market Place in 1804, according to the local publisher Charles Heath.
In the early part of the 19th century, the marketplace was given the name of Agincourt Square, to commemorate the victory in 1415 of Henry V, who had been born in the town, over the French. It was also intended to help promote local tourism, which had prospered through the growth of the "Wye Tour". Sources differ as to whether the renaming took place in 1817 – that is, two years after the Battle of Waterloo and the defeat of Napoleon – or in 1830.
During the 19th century, farmers drove their flocks of animals through the square on their way to the slaughter houses in Priory Street. The square was used as the meeting venue for fox hunts for many years. It has also been used to host open air public meetings. Many of the buildings around the square were once public houses. There were 15 pubs in the square in 1835; this gave rise to a rhyme "A gin court here, a gin court there, no wonder they call it Agincourt Square". There are now just two pubs left: the Punch House and the Kings Head.
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Wikipedia