Skenfrith
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 Skenfrith from the air, showingthe castle andRiver Monnow | |
  Skenfrith Location withinMonmouthshire | |
| OS grid reference | SO457201 |
| Community |
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| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Abergavenny |
| Postcode district | NP7 |
| Dialling code | 01600 |
| Police | Gwent |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
51°52′37″N2°47′17″W / 51.877°N 2.788°W /51.877; -2.788  Map of the community | |
Skenfrith (Welsh:Ynysgynwraidd) is a small village inMonmouthshire, south-east Wales. It is located on theRiver Monnow, close to theborder between Wales and England, about 6 miles (9.7 km) north-west ofMonmouth.[1]
TheWelsh placenameYnysgynwraidd, from which the English name derives, means "island of Cynfraeth", possibly a local 6th century leader.[citation needed]
Skenfrith Castle was originally established after the successful 1066Norman invasion of England to guard the route from Wales to Hereford. After a Welsh revolt in 1135 on the death ofHenry I,King Stephen brought it back underCrown control, incorporating it into the lordship of theThree Castles withGrosmont Castle andWhite Castle. The castle was substantially rebuilt byHubert de Burgh between 1219 and 1223, but by 1538 it was abandoned and in ruins.
St. Bridget's Church, Skenfrith was first mentioned in 1207,[where?] and was reconstructed and enlarged in the 14th century. The church has a squat tower and large buttress. The whole is listed Grade1. The interior has aJacobean pew and the tomb of the last governor of the Three Castles.[2] It also holds the SkenfrithCope, anembroideredvestment of redvelvet andlinen which has been dated to the late 15th century. Its design shows theAssumption of theVirgin, surrounded byangels andsaints.[3]
The village gave its name toone of the historichundreds of Monmouthshire.
The Bell at Skenfrith, originally a 17th-centurycoaching inn, was votedMichelin 2007 Pub of the Year, for the whole of Great Britain.[4]
Skenfrith was used as the location for the fictional village of "Upper Leadworth" in theDoctor Who episodes "Amy's Choice", broadcast on 22 May 2010 and the relatedDoctor Who Confidential episode "Arthurian Legend". In the episode quoted Skenfrith was labelled as the village which time forgot.[5]
In 2022 Skenfrith became a community, formed from parts ofCrucorney,Llangattock-Vibon-Avel andLlantilio Crossenny communities.[6][7]
There is an active secular charity, the Friends of St. Bridget's, Skenfrith, which supports the repair and maintenance of the church and has raised funds, in particular for the recent conservation project and new display and conservation of the pre-reformation cope. Patrons include theLord Lieutenant of Gwent Simon Boyle,Sara Fulgoni andSir Roy Strong.[8]
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