22 Monk Street

About the building

 The original street survey stated that in 1834 Hope House was on the site of No 26. It was demolished at a later date.  However, an advertisement for Hope House, the school, indicates that it was actually on the site of No 22. [Source: Hope House School Advertisement, 1826, held in Abergavenny Museum].  Behind the school was a tennis court.

In 1813-14 there was a French Masonic Lodge at Hope House, “Enfants de Mars et de Neptune”. The Lodge was set up by the, paroled, Napoleonic French prisoners of War in Abergavenny.  Meetings were held in the room that was their Officers’ Mess.  The French Lodge room had a vaulted ceiling with decorative plaster work. See Plate II, Abergavenny interior of Lodge Room: https://archive.org/details/cu31924030291102/page/n33/mode/2up?view=theater 

Four Masonic certificates, issued in 1813 and 1814 and are kept in St John’s Church, the present meeting place for St John’s Lodge 818.

[Sources: “The history of St John’s Lodge 818” www. monmouthshirefreemasons.org/lodge/stjohns818/ and “French Prisoners’ Lodges”, John T. Thorp 1900]

See also Former French Masonic Chapter https://historypoints.org/index.php?page=former-french-masonic-chapter-abergavenny

Recent history

1971-1980: Left hand side occupied by Henry Kenneth Lockyer, Priory Bookshop (2nd hand books). Right hand side occupied by Kathleen Evans Ladies Hairdresser (still there in 1988). Owner G W H Oliver. Other floors residential flats.

1993: Folly’s (nearly new) special hat sale or hire

Previous occupiers

Other information

Before moving here Miss Radford ran her school at 23 Nevill Street between 1910 to 1920.

1821: John Pocock established Hope House Academy

The National Girls school was here before moving.

The offices and boardroom of the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway Company, founded in 1859 were here.

For more information see: 22 Monk Street History Points

If you have any further information about this property please email alhs@live.co.uk