Local Area
Tintern Abbey
The ruins of Tintern Abbey lie between the River Wye and the A466 road at the southern end of Tintern village. The site is beautiful, with the tidal river frequently changing from a very low flow during Summer low tides to a raging torrent when Winter floods add to the high tides surging up the Bristol Channel.
The hills around the Abbey are covered with woods, changing colour with the seasons. The land upon which the Abbey is set makes the most of the sunlight, the Abbey receiving the benefit of the last of the sun shining down the Angiddy valley.
The actual ruins are now looked after carefully and receive a good number of visitors. Maintenance is often underway to prevent further deterioration of the fabric.
Tintern Abbey was originally founded by Cistercian monks in 1131 AD. in the reign of Henry I. Between 1270 and 1301 the Abbey was rebuilt and by the end of the rebuilding, around four hundred monks lived in the complex. The Black Death arrived in 1349 and affected Abbey life badly but it continued to operate until 1536. In that year the Abbey was part of the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. Within a few years the lead was stripped from the roof and the building began to decay. The Abbey then became a source of building stone and only in the eighteenth century was any interest shown in the ruin. Around 1760 the site was cleaned up and visitors to the Wye Valley began to be entranced with the beauty of the site and surroundings. Turner was the best known artist to visit Tintern at the end of that century along with the poet Wordsworth. His poem Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey became a standard text for English students throughout the English speaking world.
Today the Abbey receives many visitors. At times the Abbey hosts special church services, although in the roofless and windowless ruin, the clergy have to compete with the cawing of the local rooks and the noise of road traffic climbing out of the valley to the south.
The site was taken over by the Office of Works in 1914 and is now in the care of Cadw, Welsh Historic Monuments. The Abbey is open most days. There is a gift shop attached to the Abbey which sells very appropriate items of good quality.
Cycling
The Wye Valley area and south east Wales offers some of the best cycling in the UK, if not the world. With picturesque villages dotted along the river wye all with there own unique array of watering holes.
Castles Around Tintern
Caldicot
Visit Caldicot's magnificent medieval castle set in fifty-five acres of beautiful parkland.
Founded by the Normans, developed in royal hands in the Middle Ages and restored as a Victorian family home; discover its romantic and colourful history with a taped tour, relax and enjoy the grounds and explore the hands-on activities.
Gift shop, tea room, events, free parking and toilets, picnic tables, barbecue hearths.
Open Daily March to October 11am to 5pm
Take junction 23a from M4 and B4245 to Caldicot.
Tel: (01291) 420241
Email: caldicotcastle@monmouthshire.gov.uk
Chepstow
Situated at the bottom of the town in Chepstow. This is a major stone built castle built spectacularly against the River Wye. It was a strategic fortress for hundreds of years. This is a large site and includes a major exhibition entitled "A Castle at War".
Open all year except Christmas Eve and Day, Boxing Day and New Year's day.
There is an admission charge.
Tel: 01291-624065; Pay and Display car park, Information Bureau and Chepstow Museum are adjacent to the castle.
(taken from the pamphlet issued by the Gwent Association of Tourist Attractions)
Penhow
On the A48 south of Chepstow. This castle was originally the first home in Britain of the famous Seymour family.
Today the castle has been restored and is lived in, but the castle welcomes visitors.
Every admission includes one of a free selection of stereo Walkman tours to suit many interests.
Open Good Friday to the end of September on Wednesdays to Sundays inclusive 10.00am to 5:15pm, every day in August.
Wednesdays 10.00am to 4:00pm only in Winter.
Tel: 01633 400800
(Information taken from the Penhow Castle leaflet
Raglan
The castle is easily found on the A40 at Raglan. The castle was commenced in 1430 on the site of a small Norman castle. It has a hexagonal tower and elaborate drawbridge arrangements, two features more typical of northern France.
Notable features include the Fountain Court, the Pitched Stone Court, the buttery, pantry, kitchen tower, closet tower, office wing, south gate, chapel and state apartments with an exhibition on the history of Raglan.
Open all year except Christmas Eve and Day, Boxing Day and New Year's day.
There is an admission charge.
Tel: 01291 690228
(Taken from the pamphlet issued by the Gwent Association of Tourist Attractions)
Fishing
Tintern Angling Club is a community-run club offering a unique chance to fish anytime in your own private fly fishing waters for trout, in 2 spring fed ponds with half mile of brook fishing seperating them.
The ponds are set in beautiful woodland near Tintern. Annual membership is available, and day tickets can be arranged in advance from Abbey Mill.
Both ponds are regularly stocked with mixed size rainbow trout plus wild brown and brook trout.
The season runs from: 1st April – 31st October.
For further information, phone 01291 630617 or 07971 129587.
Golf Around Tintern
Dewstow golf club & Driving Range
Situated at Dewstow Farm, Caerwent near Caldicot about eight miles from Tintern.
Two 18 hole parkland courses plus 26 bay driving range.
Tel: 01291 430444
Monmouth Golf Club
Leasbrook Lane, Monmouth.
Tel: 01600 712212
Monmouthshire Golf Club
Llanfoist, near Abergavenny.
Tel: 01873 852606
Raglan Parc Golf Club
Station Road, Raglan.
Tel: 01291 690077
Rolls of Monmouth Golf Club
The Hendre, Monmouth.
Tel: 01600 715353
St. Pierre Golf Course
This is a well known golf course on which important tournaments are played. It is situated just south of Chepstow on the A48 road to Caldicot and Newport.
Tel: 01291 635205
Shirenewton Golf Club
Home Farm, Shirenewton.
Shirenewton is generally approached from the A48 south of Chepstow - Visitors welcome.
Tel: 01291 641642
The Forest of Dean Golf Club
Lords Hill, Coleford, Gloucester - Visitors welcome.
Tel: 01594 832583
Wood Lake Park Golf Club
Tyn Y Cae Farm, Glascoed, near Usk.
Tel: 01291 673933
Museums Around Tintern
Abergavenny Museum
The Castle, Castle Street.
Set in the ruins of Abergavenny Castle this museum recreates the story of Abergavenny from prehistoric times to the present day.
Displays include a Victorian Welsh farmhouse kitchen and a saddler's workshop.
Generally open:
11 - 1 and 2 - 5 Mon to Sat, 2 - 5 Sun. Closing at 4pm and all day Sun, Nov to Feb incl.
Tel: 01873 736004
Chepstow Museum
Opposite the Castle in Bridge Street.
This is situated in an elegant 18th century house and features many displays,paintings and photographs. The museum particularly shows Chepstow's maritime past to good effect.
Generally open:
11 - 1 and 2 - 5 Mon to Sat, 2 - 5 Sun. Extended hours Jul to Sep 10:30 - 5:30 Mon to Sat.
Tel: 01291 625981
Nelson Museum
Priory Street, adjacent to the Post Office and Woolworth's in Monmouth.
Nelson was born in Norfolk and died at sea, yet Monmouth houses a magnificent collection of Nelson material. The museum also features the exploits of Charles Rolls, co-founder of Rolls-Royce.
Generally open:
10 - 1 and 2 - 5 Mon to Sat, 2 - 5 Sun.
Tel: 01600 713519
Horse Riding
Riding is not easily available in the immediate area around Tintern. However the Black Mountains are just under an hour's drive from Tintern and offer both easy and exciting trekking.
To reach the Black Mountain riding area you need to head towards Llanthony Priory, well worth a visit to see the ruins (a smaller version of Tintern Abbey and with a similar history) and to use as a centre for walking. There is a free car park and hostelry.
The simple route is via the A466 north out of Tintern, turn left (at ten miles) on the A40 at the bridge and traffic lights close to Monmouth, and head for Abergavenny on the A40. Some seven miles along the A40 you need to take the slip road off the dual carriageway to stay on the A40 (the dual Carriageway becomes the A449 to Newport). Continue on the A40 (a further nine miles) until you hit the junction with the A465 just before you reach Abergavenny.
Go around the large road complex to take the A465 north towards Hereford.
Just after 5 miles you can branch off left towards Llanthony, follow the signs for Llanthony which is about five miles along this narrow road. The views are superb and the road has several venues for pony trekking into the hills.
Riding venues continue until you have passed Llanthony and reach Capel y Finn at about eight miles from the A465.
Pony trekking varies from easy (a trot to the pub), to exciting, climbing the surrounding hills, viewing waterfalls etc.
The ground is at its wildest at the Capel y Finn end of the road.
Note: It is well worth continuing on further on the road as it climbs out through Gospel Pass between Hay Bluff and Lord Hereford's Knob to give superb views before dropping down to Hay on Wye.
Llanthony Pony Trekking Court Farm, Llanthony
Tel: 01873 890359
Grange Pony Trekking Capel y Fin
Tel: 01873 890215
Gardens In Tintern
Nurtons Garden
Nurtons Garden is the only garden in the village of Tintern at present open to the public.
The Nurtons Garden covers about two acres on the hillside overlooking the River Wye. It is a "Plantsman's Garden" with a host of unusual plants in a natural setting; most notably a fine collection of over 100 Hosta varieties, an extensive collection of Salvias, and a rich variety of ferns and grasses. These are displayed within open sunny beds and borders, shady areas, rockery and a large formal Herb Garden which contains one of the largest collection of medicinal plants in Wales.
The nursery on site sells many unusual herbaceous perennials and herbs.
Access is from the drive opposite the Old Station, Tintern on the main road.
The garden is open daily (except Tuesdays) 10:30 - 5:00. early March - October.
Tel and Fax: 01291 689253
The "Nurtons" have a web site at www.thenurtons.co.uk
Veddw House Garden
Just four miles from Tintern, near Devauden, (see map on the website www.veddw.co.uk) and is open every Sunday afternoon in June, July and August.
There are two acres of ornamental garden and two acres of woodland. The owners, Anne Wareham and Charles Hawes, are interested in local landscape history and have incorporated this interest into the garden design, in particular in a large parterre of grasses inside a pattern of box hedges, based on the local Tithe map.
Elsewhere, thoughts about what "natural" & "wild" mean have been an influence, for example in the "Cornfield Garden" where cornfield weeds and barley are grown in formal beds. A dramatic reflecting pool with a sculptural seat is a recent notable addition, but many people's favourite parts will still be the ornamental vegetable plot, with rose border, brick paths and standard roses or the colour themed gardens and borders.
The garden is an RHS Partnership Garden, and is featured in the Good Gardens Guide, the BBC Gardener's World Garden Lover's Guide to Britain and the RHS Garden Finder. See also the book "Gardens of Illusion" by Sara Maitland.
Anne Wareham is a garden writer for the Times, The English Garden, The RHS Garden, Country Living and others; Charles Hawes is a garden photographer, his pictures feature in those and other publications.
Email - Anne Wareham
Website - www.veddw.co.uk
Veddw House, Devauden,
Monmouthshire NP16 6PH
Tel: 01291 650 836
Fax: 01291 650 948
Parva Farm Vineyard, Tintern
The vineyard is situated at the northern end of the village on the hill behind the Wye Valley Hotel.
Visitors are welcome for vineyard tours set in a working farm environment with sheep, cattle and ponies.
There is a car park and picnic area, a gift shop selling vine related products, silk flower arrangements and decorations, plants and Welsh Wine.
Fresh flowers can be obtained for weddings, funerals etc.
Tel: 01291 689636
Open most days between 10:30am and 6:30pm or dusk.
Due to the steep and sometimes uneven terrain, we strongly recommend appropriate footware.
The Old Station, Tintern
The Old Station will be opening for the weekend before Christmas.
Visit Father Christmas in his grotto - and receive a gift - £3.50 per child Saturday and Sunday 10 - 4.
Make a willow Christmas Star to decorate your tree - Saturday only 2pm - 4pm £1.50
Make a Christmas table decoration - Sunday only 2pm - 4pm £1.50
Make a seasonal card or create your own seasonal bag or box to put a present in for someone special - Sunday morning 11am - 1pm £1.00
Enjoy a miniature train ride with the visiting Berkley light railway. Climb aboard their Great Western 4700, 1.2-ton engine and travel along the 10-¾ inch gauge railway. £1 per ride
Sign up to be one of Santa's helpers and solve the clues to find the reindeer missing red noses. £1 per go prize for everyone who enters.
Enjoy some time shopping in our carriage shop or from one of our local crafts people.
Relax and enjoy a piping hot chocolate with one of our homemade cakes.
The Old Station for Tintern was on the now long gone Wye Valley Railway. It is situated well out of the village at the northern end. A walk down past St. Michael's Church and along the river bank to the station is very pleasant when the weather is fine. There is also a car park (50p) at the site.
The station is now in a good state of preservation and incorporates a cafe serving a range of meals in the old waiting room. Ice creams are delicious and very welcome if you are taking a longer walk via the station.
The station signal box is used to house art exhibitions etc.
On many weekends there is a steam railway service on the 5 inch railway running along the edge of the site. This is big enough to take adults as well as the children.
There is a gift shop in a railway coach and a small exhibition on the Wye Valley railway in another.
The site is ideal for children as it incorporates a large grass space covering the old railway track. There is also an area with various playground items for children.
The site has a camping area adjoining it. All are welcome but for a maximum of three nights only. Toilet and wash-hand basins are available but there are no shower facilities.
Historic figures from Monmouthshire's ancient past have been depicted in wooden sculptures at the Old Station picnic area.