Usk
Encyclopedia
Usk is a small town in Monmouthshire
, Wales
, situated 10 miles northeast of Newport
.
The River Usk
flows through the town and is spanned by an ancient, arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. A castle
above the town overlooks the ancient Anglo-Welsh border crossing - the river can usually be crossed on foot (in places) in summer even today. Usk won the Large Village award in the 2005 Britain in Bloom
awards.
The town's mayor in 2011 is Councillor Martyn Evans.
), has a collection of old houses, restaurants, pubs, shops and businesses, with some premises dating back to the 15th century. The road passes Twyn Square, a large town square.
"Usk Island" is a park at the edge of the river ('island' is a literal translation of the Welsh 'ynys' meaning a river meadow). The park is mostly laid to grass, with surrounding woodland. It also has a substantial adventure playground.
The South Wales Gliding
Club is located near Gwernesney
, about three miles east of the town. Usk Tennis
Club was Tennis Wales "Club of the Year" for 2006.
legionary
fortress
of Burrium
, the earliest legionary fortress in Wales
. Although the site was constricted by hills, subject to flooding, and not on a navigable river, it offered good communications inland up the River Usk
. However, by around AD 75 its disadvantages had become apparent and the Romans relocated their military base south to Caerleon
. The Roman remains at Usk are buried on the southern side of the town, but the extent of the Roman forts at Usk may be traced on the ground by means of plaques set into the pavement.
also realised Usk's geographical and military importance within the region, and the powerful de Clare
family built Usk Castle
as part of their plans for controlling the area's resources and people. In 1154 Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
established a planned town. The castle, whilst hidden from view by surrounding trees planted in the early 20th century, is one of the few castles still privately owned and occupied.
The de Clare lords and their successors established a hospital for lepers
on the north side of the town bridge. Its charitable function probably died out in the 14th century, along with the disease. A plaque marks the site.
priory
was founded around 1170, and part of the building is retained in the church of St. Mary. It was reduced in size after Dissolution of the Monasteries
in 1536. The tomb of the last Prioress may be seen beside the path through the churchyard. The town was incorporated by charters granted by Edmund de Mortimer, King Edward II
, Edward IV
, and succeeding monarchs. Its location meant that it was inevitably frequently caught up in the border disputes between the English and the Welsh in this section of the Welsh Marches
.
. His chronicle records the 'Welsh Revolt', in 1403, when Owain Glyndŵr
burned Usk to the ground while gaining control of South Wales from the English under King Henry IV
and his son, later to become King Henry V
. The important Battle of Pwll Melyn
(Usk) in 1405 occurred when English forces routed their Welsh opponents causing much loss of life, including the execution of three hundred Welshmen in front of Usk Castle when taken prisoner. Owain's brother Tudur was killed in this battle. In 2005, the 600th anniversary of the battle of Pwll Melyn was commemorated by a son-et-lumiere show.
In 1679 Usk was the site of the martyrdom of St David Lewis
, who was hanged for his alleged part in the fictitious Popish Plot
conspiracy of Titus Oates
.
In 1823 Llanbadoc
, just across the river from Usk, was the birthplace of Alfred Russel Wallace
, co-discoverer of evolution
.
, a process of decorating metals by applying a lacquer to tinplate. The process, known as Pontypool japan
, was first developed in the west by Thomas Allgood of nearby Pontypool
and was taken on in Usk by his grandsons Thomas and Edward Allgood.
About 3 miles (5 km) west of Usk is the 1000 acres (4 km²) site of the munitions production facility of BAE Systems
at Glascoed
.
The Sessions House, containing two separate courts, was designed by Thomas Wyatt
and built in 1877. High-profile cases heard there included the prosecution of Viscountess Rhondda
, a prominent suffragette
, and the trial of Josef Garcia, who was convicted of the murder of a family of five in Llangibby
.
Court one was gutted by fire in 1944 and was never rebuilt. But the remaining court two has been described as ".. unique, the only truly authentic Victorian court room left in Britain." When court one burnt down the remaining court was not large enough to act as a Crown Court
. Newport Crown Court
took over as Gwent's Crown Court when it opened in 1974.
The restoration fund included over £100,000 raised by local people, with a £90,000 National Lottery
grant and £5,000 from Monmouthshire County Council which paid for repairs to the roof and stone walls. The dock, the Judge's chair and the benches for witnesses, jury, clerks and reporters have also been restored, varnished and re-upholstered with horse hair. Paintings of session judges on the walls have also been restored and framed, while the walls have been repainted in their original red colour.
The docks of both court rooms were originally linked by a tunnel to Usk Prison
next door. After the opening of Newport Crown Court the Sessions House was a Magistrates' Court
until 1995. In 1998, Usk Town Council bought it from Monmouthshire council for £90,000 and restoration began. The Sessions House now is also licenced for weddings.
through Victorian
times. It takes its English name from the River Usk
- a name derived from an ancient Brythonic word for river which may also mean "abounding in fish". The name resembles many others in Britain
(e.g. Exe, Esk), and is related to Scottish uisge ("water"), and therefore to "whisky
". The Welsh name Brynbuga, (Buga's Hill), was first recorded in the 15th century. The town's most famous son is Alfred Russel Wallace
, co-founder of the Theory of Evolution. He wrote about the Welsh people of Breconshire and even learnt some Welsh himself, when he lived at Neath in the 1840s before his travels to the Tropics.
is situated close to the centre of the town, being of Victorian 'rotunda' design. The sister establishment of HM Prison Usk is HM Prison Prescoed
, which is located 3 miles to the south-west of the town towards Pontypool. HM Prison Usk is a 250-bed establishment that accommodates vulnerable prisoners, but mainly sex offenders.
in Baden-Württemberg
in 1980 and over the past few years there have been numerous visits between the two towns, with the Usk Youth Brass Band
making its most recent visit in autumn 2006. In 2006 the colour scheme of Usk in Bloom was based on those within the crests of both Usk and Graben-Neudorf.
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, situated 10 miles northeast of Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
.
The River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
flows through the town and is spanned by an ancient, arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. A castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
above the town overlooks the ancient Anglo-Welsh border crossing - the river can usually be crossed on foot (in places) in summer even today. Usk won the Large Village award in the 2005 Britain in Bloom
Britain in Bloom
RHS Britain in Bloom, supported by Anglian Home Improvements, is the largest horticultural campaign in the United Kingdom. It was first held in 1963, initiated by the British Tourist Board based on the example set by Fleurissement de France. It has been organised by the Royal Horticultural Society ...
awards.
The town's mayor in 2011 is Councillor Martyn Evans.
Amenities
The current population is less than 2,500 and the town is known for its pubs, restaurants and antique shops. The narrow main street, Bridge Street (the A472A472 road
The A472 is a cross valley link road in South Wales that runs west to east across the old South Wales coalfield from Treharris through Nelson, Ystrad Mynach, Maesycwmmer, Pontllanfraith, Newbridge, Crumlin, Hafodyrynys, Pontypool and thence into the Usk valley, through Little Mill and Usk to a...
), has a collection of old houses, restaurants, pubs, shops and businesses, with some premises dating back to the 15th century. The road passes Twyn Square, a large town square.
"Usk Island" is a park at the edge of the river ('island' is a literal translation of the Welsh 'ynys' meaning a river meadow). The park is mostly laid to grass, with surrounding woodland. It also has a substantial adventure playground.
The South Wales Gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
Club is located near Gwernesney
Gwernesney
- History and amenities :Gwernesney is set in a rural location close to Usk town. The village church is dedicated to St. Michael & All Angels . The village also has a pub . The South Wales Gliding Club operate towed gliders from nearby - often to be seen over the village .-External links:* *...
, about three miles east of the town. Usk Tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
Club was Tennis Wales "Club of the Year" for 2006.
Roman times
Usk was founded about AD 55 as the RomanRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
legionary
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
fortress
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
of Burrium
Burrium
Burrium was a legionary fortress in the Roman province of Britannia Superior or Roman Britain.Its remains today lie beneath the town of Usk in Monmouthshire....
, the earliest legionary fortress in Wales
Roman Wales
The history of Wales in the Roman era began in AD 48 with a military invasion by the imperial governor of Roman Britain. The conquest would be completed by 78, and Roman rule would endure until the region was abandoned in 383 AD...
. Although the site was constricted by hills, subject to flooding, and not on a navigable river, it offered good communications inland up the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
. However, by around AD 75 its disadvantages had become apparent and the Romans relocated their military base south to Caerleon
Caerleon
Caerleon is a suburban village and community, situated on the River Usk in the northern outskirts of the city of Newport, South Wales. Caerleon is a site of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman legionary fortress, Isca Augusta, and an Iron Age hill fort...
. The Roman remains at Usk are buried on the southern side of the town, but the extent of the Roman forts at Usk may be traced on the ground by means of plaques set into the pavement.
Norman times
After the fortress was abandoned, it continued to be occupied as a civilian settlement, with evidence of iron working. The NormansNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
also realised Usk's geographical and military importance within the region, and the powerful de Clare
De Clare
The de Clare family of Norman lords were associated with the Welsh Marches, Suffolk, Surrey, Kent and Ireland. They were descended from Richard fitz Gilbert, who accompanied William the Conqueror into England during the Norman conquest of England.-Origins:The Clare family descends from Gilbert...
family built Usk Castle
Usk Castle
Usk Castle is a castle site in the town of Usk in central Monmouthshire, south east Wales, United Kingdom.- Location :Usk Castle is located immediately to the north of the present day town on a hill overlooking the streets and main Tywn square....
as part of their plans for controlling the area's resources and people. In 1154 Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke , Lord of Leinster, Justiciar of Ireland . Like his father, he was also commonly known as Strongbow...
established a planned town. The castle, whilst hidden from view by surrounding trees planted in the early 20th century, is one of the few castles still privately owned and occupied.
The de Clare lords and their successors established a hospital for lepers
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
on the north side of the town bridge. Its charitable function probably died out in the 14th century, along with the disease. A plaque marks the site.
Charters
A BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
was founded around 1170, and part of the building is retained in the church of St. Mary. It was reduced in size after Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in 1536. The tomb of the last Prioress may be seen beside the path through the churchyard. The town was incorporated by charters granted by Edmund de Mortimer, King Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
, Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
, and succeeding monarchs. Its location meant that it was inevitably frequently caught up in the border disputes between the English and the Welsh in this section of the Welsh Marches
Welsh Marches
The Welsh Marches is a term which, in modern usage, denotes an imprecisely defined area along and around the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods...
.
The Welsh Revolt
Usk was the birthplace of Adam of UskAdam of Usk
Adam of Usk was a Welsh priest, canonist, and late medieval historian and chronicler.- Patronage :Born at Usk in what is now Monmouthshire, southeast Wales, Adam received the patronage of Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March, who inherited the Lordship of Usk through his wife Philippa...
. His chronicle records the 'Welsh Revolt', in 1403, when Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
burned Usk to the ground while gaining control of South Wales from the English under King Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
and his son, later to become King Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
. The important Battle of Pwll Melyn
Battle of Pwll Melyn
The Battle of Pwll Melyn, also known as the Battle of Usk, was part of the Welsh War of Independence against English rule that lasted from 1400 to 1415. This key battle in the Glyndŵr Rising occurred in the spring of 1405. The defeat of the Welsh rebels here was devastating and included the loss of...
(Usk) in 1405 occurred when English forces routed their Welsh opponents causing much loss of life, including the execution of three hundred Welshmen in front of Usk Castle when taken prisoner. Owain's brother Tudur was killed in this battle. In 2005, the 600th anniversary of the battle of Pwll Melyn was commemorated by a son-et-lumiere show.
Notable people
- See also :Category:People from Usk
In 1679 Usk was the site of the martyrdom of St David Lewis
David Lewis (martyr)
David Lewis was a Catholic priest and martyr. Lewis was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.- Early life :...
, who was hanged for his alleged part in the fictitious Popish Plot
Popish Plot
The Popish Plot was a fictitious conspiracy concocted by Titus Oates that gripped England, Wales and Scotland in Anti-Catholic hysteria between 1678 and 1681. Oates alleged that there existed an extensive Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Charles II, accusations that led to the execution of at...
conspiracy of Titus Oates
Titus Oates
Titus Oates was an English perjurer who fabricated the "Popish Plot", a supposed Catholic conspiracy to kill King Charles II.-Early life:...
.
In 1823 Llanbadoc
Llanbadoc
Llanbadoc is a village and former civil parish in the ceremonial county of Monmouthshire in Wales.The village is in the Newport postal district of NP15, just across the River Usk from the town of Usk , off the A472...
, just across the river from Usk, was the birthplace of Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace, OM, FRS was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist...
, co-discoverer of evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
.
Industry
From the late 18th century, Usk became well known for the quality of its JapanwareJapanning
Japanning describes the European imitation of Asian lacquerwork, originally used on furniture. The word originated in the 17th century.- Japanned :Japanned is most often a heavy black lacquer, almost like enamel paint...
, a process of decorating metals by applying a lacquer to tinplate. The process, known as Pontypool japan
Pontypool japan
Pontypool japan is a name given to the process of japanning with the use of an oil varnish and heat which is credited to Thomas Allgood of Pontypool. In the late 17th century, during his search for a corrosion-resistant coating for iron, he developed a recipe that included asphaltum, linseed oil...
, was first developed in the west by Thomas Allgood of nearby Pontypool
Pontypool
Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales....
and was taken on in Usk by his grandsons Thomas and Edward Allgood.
About 3 miles (5 km) west of Usk is the 1000 acres (4 km²) site of the munitions production facility of BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
at Glascoed
ROF Glascoed
ROF Glascoed was a UK government-owned, Royal Ordnance Factory. It was designed as one of 20 munitions filling factories. It was planned as a Permanent Royal Ordnance Factory with the intention that, unlike some other similar facilities, it would remain open for production after the end of World...
.
The Sessions House
In April 2011, following a 12 year restoration costing £200,000, the court room at the Sessions House was re-opened. Usk Town Council will now use it as its base, with the first meeting planned for 9 May 2011. As well as the court room, the council has also reopened its library, which contains thousands of books, some dating back to the 1600s.The Sessions House, containing two separate courts, was designed by Thomas Wyatt
Thomas Henry Wyatt
Thomas Henry Wyatt was an Irish British architect. He had a prolific and distinguished career, being elected President of the Royal Institute of British Architects 1870-73 and awarded their Royal Gold Medal for Architecture in 1873...
and built in 1877. High-profile cases heard there included the prosecution of Viscountess Rhondda
Viscountess Rhondda
Viscountess Rhondda may refer to:*Sybil Thomas, Viscountess Rhondda , Welsh suffragette, feminist and philanthropist*Margaret Mackworth, 2nd Viscountess Rhondda , Welsh suffragette and feminist, daughter of the above...
, a prominent suffragette
Suffragette
"Suffragette" is a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...
, and the trial of Josef Garcia, who was convicted of the murder of a family of five in Llangibby
Llangybi, Monmouthshire
Llangybi is a village in Monmouthshire, in south east Wales, United Kingdom. It is located 3 miles south of the town of Usk and 5 miles north of Caerleon, in the valley of the River Usk.- History and buildings :...
.
Court one was gutted by fire in 1944 and was never rebuilt. But the remaining court two has been described as ".. unique, the only truly authentic Victorian court room left in Britain." When court one burnt down the remaining court was not large enough to act as a Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
. Newport Crown Court
Newport Crown Court
Newport Crown Court is a Crown Court venue in the city of Newport, South Wales. It is located to the front of the Civic Centre complex. The Crown Court is part of the Wales Circuit of Her Majesty's Courts Service....
took over as Gwent's Crown Court when it opened in 1974.
The restoration fund included over £100,000 raised by local people, with a £90,000 National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
grant and £5,000 from Monmouthshire County Council which paid for repairs to the roof and stone walls. The dock, the Judge's chair and the benches for witnesses, jury, clerks and reporters have also been restored, varnished and re-upholstered with horse hair. Paintings of session judges on the walls have also been restored and framed, while the walls have been repainted in their original red colour.
The docks of both court rooms were originally linked by a tunnel to Usk Prison
Usk (HM Prison)
HM Prison Usk is a Category C men's prison, located in Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and jointly managed with the nearby HMP Prescoed.-History:...
next door. After the opening of Newport Crown Court the Sessions House was a Magistrates' Court
Magistrates' Court
A magistrates' court or court of petty sessions, formerly known as a police court, is the lowest level of court in England and Wales and many other common law jurisdictions...
until 1995. In 1998, Usk Town Council bought it from Monmouthshire council for £90,000 and restoration began. The Sessions House now is also licenced for weddings.
English and Welsh names
Usk was a thriving market townMarket town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
through Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
times. It takes its English name from the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
- a name derived from an ancient Brythonic word for river which may also mean "abounding in fish". The name resembles many others in Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
(e.g. Exe, Esk), and is related to Scottish uisge ("water"), and therefore to "whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
". The Welsh name Brynbuga, (Buga's Hill), was first recorded in the 15th century. The town's most famous son is Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace, OM, FRS was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist...
, co-founder of the Theory of Evolution. He wrote about the Welsh people of Breconshire and even learnt some Welsh himself, when he lived at Neath in the 1840s before his travels to the Tropics.
Prison
HM Prison UskUsk (HM Prison)
HM Prison Usk is a Category C men's prison, located in Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and jointly managed with the nearby HMP Prescoed.-History:...
is situated close to the centre of the town, being of Victorian 'rotunda' design. The sister establishment of HM Prison Usk is HM Prison Prescoed
Prescoed (HM Prison)
HM Prison Prescoed is a Category D men's open prison, located on the outskirts of Usk in Monmouthshire, South Wales. Prescoed is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and acts as a satellite prison of the nearby HMP Usk.-History:...
, which is located 3 miles to the south-west of the town towards Pontypool. HM Prison Usk is a 250-bed establishment that accommodates vulnerable prisoners, but mainly sex offenders.
Twin town
Usk was twinned with the German town Graben-NeudorfGraben-Neudorf
Graben-Neudorf is a town in Northern Karlsruhe County in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-Early history:The village of Graben was probably created between the 5th and 7th Century, though this isn't entirely certain. An ancient Roman road connecting Kehl, Mühlburg, Heidelberg, and Neuenheim runs...
in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
in 1980 and over the past few years there have been numerous visits between the two towns, with the Usk Youth Brass Band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
making its most recent visit in autumn 2006. In 2006 the colour scheme of Usk in Bloom was based on those within the crests of both Usk and Graben-Neudorf.
See also
- Usk (hundred)Usk (hundred)Usk was an ancient hundred of Monmouthshire.It was situated in the centre of the county, bounded to the north by the hundreds of Abergavenny and Raglan; to the east and south by the hundred of Caldicot; and to the west by the hundred of Wentloog....
- Usk (GWR) railway stationUsk (GWR) railway stationUsk railway station is a disused railway station in the town of Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales. The station is now barely recognisable with the remains of the platforms beneath undergrowth, but the trackbed, the adjacent Usk Tunnel and road and river bridges remain extant and can be walked.-The...
, including a description of Usk Tunnel