Monmouth Borough MSS

Records of the Borough of Monmouth, 1744-1929, including records of Monmouth Borough Quarter Sessions, 1770-1836, including writs, 1770-1836, and presentments of juries, 1770-1826; records enrolled or registered, 1771-1835; administrative records, 1819-1912, including council and committee minutes, 1823-1906, 1918-1929, correspondence with government departments, 1829-1874, other correspondence, 1826-1877, byelaws, 1844-1912, cases for counsels' opinions, 1831-1862; records of Corporation property, 1744-1878, including rentals, 1773-1830, deeds, 1744, 1802-1855, conditions of sale, 1829-1878, and specifications and tenders, 1836-1869; records of elections, 1780-1891; Court of Record minutes, 1771-1833; Coroners' inquisitions, 1822-1835.

The Castle of Monmouth was built by William FitzOsbern, Earl of Hereford, before 1071. Its earliest known charter of incorporation was received in 1447. This confirmed existing rights and created some new ones. The Borough was to be administered by a mayor, two bailiffs and a coroner, elected annually by the burgesses. The mayor and bailiffs became Justices of the Peace. Two ministers were also chosen by the mayor. Collectively the mayor, officers and burgesses formed a Corporation. Monmouth became the county town of the newly created county of Monmouthshire in 1536. The passing of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 resulted in the reconstitution of the Corporation as an elected Borough Council, comprising a mayor, aldermen and councillors. In 1974 the Borough of Monmouth was abolished, the town becoming part of a much larger Monmouth District Council (later renamed Monmouth Borough Council).

Arranged into the following: judicial records; records enrolled or registered; administrative records; Corporation property; elections; Coroner.

No restrictions

Deposited by the office of [Williams and Tweedy], a successor in practice to a past Town Clerk.

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Gwent Record Office, Monmouth Borough MSS, catalogue; Monmouthshire Record Office, Guide to the Monmouthshire Record Office (Monmouthshire Record Office, 1959); National Register of Archives website (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra), viewed 4 January 2006; Gwent Record Office, Monmouth Borough Council, 1906-1974, catalogue; Richards, Melville, Welsh Administrative and Territorial Units (Cardiff, 1969); Kissack, Keith, The Lordship, Parish and Borough of Monmouth (Hereford, 1996); Jackson, W. Eric, The Structure of Local Government in England and Wales (London: Longmans, 1949).

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Gwent Record Office.

Usual copyright regulations apply

All records have been retained

Accruals are not expected

Further records are Gwent Record Office, A520.