England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Llanvapley St Mable

The Parish

The parish of Llanvapley lies in the northern portion of central Monmouthshire. Llanvapley is located about 4 miles east of the market town of Abergavenny. Llanvapley is a small village largely built along the B4233 road which links Abergavenny and Monmouth. Llanvapley is situated in a largely pastoral landscape, small fields and neatly hedged, although there is some arable too for a mixed landscape. The landscape is gently undulating, the valley of the River Trothy lies just to Lanvapley's east and a small tributary of the same just to the west. The Trothy drains eastwards before joining the Monnow to the south of Monmouth, thereafter heading for the Bristol Channel. Llanvapley is sited at around 70 metres above the sea but local heights rise to almost 180 metres about a mile west. The parish was one of the smaller in Monmouthshire, at just over 800 acres it supported a mere 120 parishioners. There is no specific mention of Llanvapley in Domesday Book as the area was outside its jurisdiction.

The Church

St Mable's church lies at the junction of the B4233 and Firs road which leaves it headed northwards. St mable is a rarity, a church which was left largely untouched by the Victorian restorers. The building can be dated to three distinct periods, the chancel is earliest and in the Early English style of the early 13th century. Next in age is the western tower which is in the Decorated style and from the late 13th century. It is evident that the nave, too, was of this period but was rebuilt and the height lowered during the Perpendicular period of the 14th/15th centuries. The building is attractive for its use of the local Old Red Sandstone, the characteristic pink colour being especially pleasant in evening light. The church is in a highly wooded site and is almost invisible from either road. Access in from the B4233 where a steep set of steps rises to give entry. Because of the trees it is difficult to get varied views of the building as angles are heavily restricted.