Abergavenny (Y Fenni) Sights

Sights in Abergavenny (Y Fenni)

  1. A

    St Mary's Priory Church

    The modest-looking St Mary's Priory Church has been described as 'the Westminster Abbey of South Wales', because of the remarkable treasury of aristocratic tombs that lies within. The church was founded as part of a Benedictine priory around the time the castle was built (1100), but the present building dates mainly from the 14th century, with many 19th-century additions and alterations. There's always a volunteer warden around to answer questions.

    The oldest memorial, dating from around 1325, is a graceful, worn, carved-oak effigy of Sir John de Hastings II, who was probably responsible for the church's 14th-century restoration. In the northern transept is one of the mos…

    reviewed

  2. B

    Abergavenny Museum

    The keep of Abergavenny Castle, converted into a hunting lodge by the Victorians, now houses the small but perfectly formed Abergavenny Museum. It tells the history of the castle and the town, and includes re-creations of a Victorian Welsh farmhouse kitchen, a saddlery workshop, and Basil Jones' grocery shop. The latter was transferred intact when it closed in the 1980s and makes a fascinating display, with many items dating back to the 1930s and '40s.

    reviewed

  3. Sugar Loaf Vineyards

    On the western edge of town are the Sugar Loaf Vineyards, established in 1992 and producing around 12,000 bottles a year of award-winning Welsh wine. You can take a self-guided tour before sampling the goods at the café and gift shop.

    reviewed