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MONMOUTHSHIRE - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES

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Archives and Libraries for Monmouthshire-related family history research. 

Generally speaking, Archives(more commonly known as Record Offices) are repositories for original source material, such as Wills or Parish Registers, whereas the Local Studies Sections of Libraries are where you'd expect to find the Census, and printed local source material, such as Trade Directories

More detailed information, and some useful comments based on our own experiences, are offered below.

Record OfficesMuseumsLibraries

  • Record Offices

  • Gwent Archives
    General Offices
    Steelworks Road
    Ebbw Vale
    Blaenau Gwent
    NP23 6DN

Gwent Record Office was formerly the Monmouthshire County Record Office prior to 1974. The modern county of Gwent comprises most of Monmouthshire and a small part of Breconshire. The remaining parts of Monmouthshire were transferred to the modern county of Glamorgan.

 

  • Glamorgan Record Office
    Clos Parc Morgannwg, Leckwith, Cardiff, CF11 8AW

    Email: GlamRO[at]cardiff.gov[dot]uk        Tel.  029 2087 2200

    Some records for the parishes of Llanfihangel-Y-Fedw/Michaelston-y-Fedw, in old Monmouthshire may be found at the Glamorgan Record Office.

     

  • National Library of Wales
    ABERYSTWYTH
    Wales   SY23 3BU

    The National Library of Wales holds nearly all Bishops Transcripts and other diocesan records for Wales. The ancient dioceses covering Monmouthshire were Llandaff (most of the county) and St David's.

     

  • Hereford Record Office
    Fir Tree Lane, Rotherwas, Hereford HR2 6LA
    Tel: +44 (0)1432 260 750. It is in a dedicated modern building and their catalogue is now online (or certainly most of it).  There is plenty of car parking space in the grounds and there is a cafe nearby where patrons can get basic lunch. (Rotherwas is on the southern outskirts of Hereford.)

    Some records for the parishes of Dixton, Llangiwa / Llangua and Monmouth / Trefynwy are to be found at the Hereford Record Office.

     

  • Records Retained by the Parish Church

    Finally, when all else fails... some parish records may still be held at the parish church - often with good reason, as perhaps a register is still in use. However please do not take too seriously any statement on individual GENUKI/MON parish pages that records are still kept by the Incumbent. Most parish registers will now be found at county Record Offices, so please do enquire there first.

    If parish registers are however still with the church, a statutory fee will be levied for searches, between £15-18 per hour.

    See also the ARCHON (Archives On-Line) Information service for locations of other Record Offices throughout the country.

    NB: Unfortunately, the splendid Access to Archives Database covers only Archives in England at present; however a comparable source is provided by  - providing a quick reference source of documents held by Record Offices, universities and other bodies throughout Wales.

  • Libraries

  • City of Newport - Library Service
    Newport Central Library
    John Frost Square
    Newport
    South Wales   NP9 1PA

     

  • Monmouthshire Libraries

    Monmouthshire Libraries have recently acquired Ancestry Library Edition, available free in all libraries including Gilwern and Usk. This apparently means you can use the library facilities to search Ancestry.com