FOLLOWING THE RELAXATION OF COVID 19 RESTRICTIONS WE ARE NOW BACK TO FACE TO FACE EVENTS
FORTHCOMING EVENTS IN PREPARATION 2023
Saturday 20th May Annual lecture 2pm at Chepstow Methodist Church followed by short AGM.
Lecture: The Commonplace Book of John Gwin of Langwm (c1615 – 1680) by Tony Hopkins. The idea of transcribing and interpreting this valuable book arose at a joint GCHA & MAA day school. We will hear how the idea was put into practice and the discoveries that resulted from a study of the fascinating recording of John Gwin who seemed interested in everything around him. It gives an excellent insight into the time.
Saturday 1st July Joint Day School with Gwent County History Association, Monmouthshire Antiquarian Association and Caldicot and District Local History Society.
ENCLOSURES, ENGINES AND ECCLESIASTICS
Rogiet Community Church Hall, Green Close, Rogiet NP26 3SW
PROGRAMME
9.30: Arrival, registration, coffee.
10.00-10.10: Welcome
10.10.-10.30: The Devil’s Quoit (Tim Sandles)
10.30-11.05: “Stealing the Goose From Off the Common”? The Enclosure of
Common Land in and around Rogiet 1775-1853.(Pete Strong)
11.05-11.25: Coffee
10.25-11.55:“The Biggest Train Set in the World” -Severn Tunnel Junction.
(Rob Wilsher)
11.55-12.20: DVD: creation of Rogiet Country Park
12.20-12.50: “Rogiet’s Black Sheep Minister”: Rev. Stephen Williams
(Dina Kennedy)
12.50-1.30: Lunch (DVD: Rogiet Secondary School 1950-1958)
1.30-2.00: “The Archdeacon”: Archdeacon Bruce (Canon Arthur Edwards).
2.00 -3.15: Walk to St Mary’s Church; guided tour led by Fay Baxter.
3.15-3.30: Coffee
3.30-4.00: Rogiet since the Tunnel, 1886-Present. (Pete Strong and Bob Avery)
4.00-4.15: Closing remarks
TO BOOK A PLACE
Please send a cheque for £25.00 made out to Gwent County History Association to Peter Strong, 8
Deepweir, Caldicot, Monmouthshire NP26 JG. We would prefer payment by cheque, but if you prefer to pay by BACS contact the Secretary for details (strong@btinternet.com or 07894 822004). Booking fee includes lunch plus morning/afternoon tea/coffee/biscuits.
There is a small car park at the Community Hall. Please only use this if you have limited mobility.
Otherwise use the Roget Community Council Car Park at Severn Tunnel Junction. (This is free on
Saturdays).
PAST EVENTS
SATURDAY JULY 2nd: 2022: RISCA DAY SCHOOL IN CONJUNCTION WITH MONMOUTHSHIRE ANTIQUARIAN ASSOCIATION AND OXFORD HOUSE INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Pre-industrial Risca: Professor Ray Howell. Industrial Risca: Malcolm Johnson. Transport Developments in 19th Century Risca: Christabel Hutchings.
Lunch was provided and there was time to visit Risca Museum next door. 1-3 pm. Walk to Church of St Mary the Virgin where Canon Arthur Edwards spoke on the established church and nonconformity in Risca.
Vernon Hartshorn (Welsh trade unionist & politician): Will Simms. The Two Widows Illustration with a link to Van Goch: Christabel Hutchings. Dave Hale led an optional tour to the Canal and the mining disaster memorial.
SATURDAY MAY 21st 2022: AGM AND ANNUAL LECTURE. 2.30 TORFAEN MUSEUM PONTYPOOL NP4 6JH. The AGM followed the lecture. Members and visitors were welcome.
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST 2019 10.00-4.00: DAY SCHOOL (in conjunction with Monmouthshire Antiquarians and Redwick History Group). Redwick Village Hall. Theme: The Gwent Levels. Details to follow.
SATURDAY JUNE 8TH 2019 2.30: ANNUAL LECTURE AND AGM. St Michael’s Centre, Pen y Pound, Abergavenny, NP7 5UD. Lecture: The Llanerch Colliery Disaster 1890. Tony Hopkins (Gwent Archives). The lecture will be followed by the AGM.
Saturday July 1st 2017 10.30-4.00: Llangwm History Day. Day School organised by Monmouthshire Antiquarian Association in conjunction with GCHA. 10.30am registration and coffee at Llangwm Village Hall:
The event aims to showcase the history of Llangwm and takes place in conjunction with the Gwent County History Association and Llangwm Monmouthshire Local History Group. The day will consist of lectures in Llangwm village hall and a walk to St Jerome’s Church with Professor Maddy Gray who will also be one of the speakers. Gwent Archivist Tony Hopkins will talk about the Commonplace book of John Gwyn. There will also be a talk by Peter Strong entitled ‘An Inspector Calls’, evidence to the Royal Commission on ‘Women and Children In Agriculture‘, 1869. The Rev. Canon Dr. Arthur Edwards will talk about the Baptist Church and Christabel will discuss the role of the National School. A ploughman’s lunch will be served and tea and coffee provided on arrival and mid-afternoon.
Saturday 10th June 2017 at 2.30 p.m. (venue to be announced). AGM and Annual Lecture.
The AGM will be preceeded by a lecture by Dr An Benson on the Troy House estate. DrBenson uis a landscape historian who recently published a book on the Troy House estate.
14th August 2016 at 3pm. A visit to Andy Seaman’s excavation at Mount St Albans near Caerleon
Andy Seaman is a senior lecturer in early medieval archaeology at Canterbury Christ Church University. He is leading an excavation looking for evidence of the early medieval chapel of Julius and Aaron.Gwent County History and the MAA have donated some funding to the excavation. Saints Julius and Aaron were British Christians who were martyred during the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian, in about 304. Giraldus Cambrensis confirms that two churches at Caerleon were dedicated to Julius and Aaron.
DIRECTIONS The Mount St Albans is situated on the ridge road between Christchurch and Catsash which is called Catsash Road. From Caerleon come up Belmont Hill to the top and turn left into Catsash Road. The land on either side of the road has been taken over by the Celtic Manor Golf Course. Pass the two golf club entrances on the right and just past Catsash House on the left there are two roads/lanes. The second lane will take you down to the former farm buildings of what was the site of the Mount St Albans house which was built in approximately 1840 and no longer exists. Here Andy Seaman will be excavating. Andy will put a notice at the top of the second lane, which takes us directly to the farm buildings. All members are welcome but we would like you to register with us as if the group is too large we might need to organise two group visits. Please note if you are a member of both the Monmouthshire Antiquarian Association and the Gwent County History Association you only need to register once either with Peter Strong or Richard Hutchings. strong@btinternet.com rjh@hutchingspc.com
Saturday October 15th 10am-4pm GCHA/MAA Day School. Gwent History Through Early Documentary Films. Films made between 1919 and 1970 covering aspects of Gwent’s industrial, social and cultural history. Each film will be introduced by a local speaker. St Michaels Centre, Pen y Pound, Abergavenny NP7 5UD. £15 incluidng lunch and coffee.
Saturday June 11th 2016 2.30: GCHA AGM at St Michael’s Centre, Pen y Pound, Abergavenny, NP7 5UD. The businss will be followed by a lecture by Professor Ronald Hutton of Bristol University on ‘Elizabeth I and the British Isles’.
Saturday June 20th 2015: Day School -Roman Caerwent
Held in conjuction with Monmouthshire Antiquarian Association.
Saturday June 6th 2015: GCHA AGM
2.30 St Michael’s Centre, Penypound Road, Abergavenny, NP7 5UD.
The business will be followed by a talk: ‘Remembering the Monmouthshires: how the 1st Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment’s sacrfices in the Great War have been commemorated’.