ABERGAVENNY (ab-ur-gen'i or 5.13-ur-ga-ven'i), municipal borough, Monmouthshire, England, at the converge of roads from Crickhowell, Ross, Hereford, Newport and Merthyr, at the con fluence of the Gavenny with the Usk. Population (1931) 8.6o8. There are evidences of the early occupation of the area on the hills around and the focus which became Abergavenny was the Roman Gobannium, a small fort guarding the road up the Usk. The town grew under the protection of the Norman lords of Abergavenny and there are remains of a castle built by Hamelyn de Baalun in the 11th century. The mediaeval walled town con tained a Benedictine monastery which later became the church of St. Mary. Owing to its situation, the town was frequently embroiled in the border warfare of the 12th and 13th centuries and was burnt by Owain Glyndwr (Owen Glendower, q.v.) in 1404. At the dissolution of the priory part of its endowment went towards a free grammar school. In 1639 Abergavenny re ceived a charter of incorporation with bailiff and burgesses. Like most towns of similar history it showed strong conservative ten dencies during the Civil Wars when the town suffered badly at the hands of Fairfax (1646), and again in 1688 when it lost its charter for its strong Jacobean demonstrations. The market was im portant as early as 1200 and further reference is made to it in 1657, but with the better roads and greater movement of the i8th and i9th centuries cattle and horse fairs become more important. In the i8th and early i9th centuries Abergavenny prospered as a market and social centre. It was also famous f or its Welsh flannel. Abergavenny was incorporated in 1899 and is governed by a mayor and corporation. It is in the parliamentary division of Monmouth.