Editing Monmouth (section)

==Culture and regular events==
[[File:The Savoy Theatre, Monmouth - geograph.org.uk - 1070497.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance to the [[Savoy Theatre, Monmouth|Savoy Theatre]], the oldest working theatre in Wales]]
The [[Savoy Theatre, Monmouth|Savoy Theatre]], on Church Street, is the oldest working theatre in Wales.<ref>{{cite web |title=Savoy Theatre |url=http://www.monmouth-savoy.co.uk/ |access-date=9 May 2024}}</ref> Monmouth is also home to the [[Monmouth School for Boys#Buildings|Blake Theatre]], which opened in 2004.<ref>[http://www.theblaketheatre.org/ The Blake Theatre].  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref>  Local performance groups include the Off Centre Theatre Company, Monmouth Operatic Society, Monmouth Choral Society, and the Merlin Society, one of the largest music societies in the country.<ref name=welcome/> The [[Monmouthshire Show]] (formerly the Monmouth Show) has been held each year, traditionally on the last Thursday of August, since 1919, though its history can be traced back to 1857. Prior to that there had been an agricultural society in the town dating back to the 1790s, which held ploughing competitions.  The show, now held on the third Saturday in July, is the largest one-day agricultural show in Wales, with over 350 trade stands.<ref>[http://www.monmouthshow.co.uk/General/History.aspx Monmouthshire Show: History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320180420/http://www.monmouthshow.co.uk/General/History.aspx |date=20 March 2012 }}.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref><ref name=townguide>[http://www.mdctc.co.uk/Monmouth-Town-Guide Monmouth Town Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324205406/http://www.mdctc.co.uk/Monmouth-Town-Guide |date=24 March 2012 }}, p.21.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref>

The [[Monmouth Museum]], formerly the [[The Nelson Rooms, Monmouth|Nelson Museum]], is home to one of the largest collections of [[Horatio Nelson|Nelson]] material, bequeathed to the town by [[Lady Llangattock]], mother of Charles Rolls. It also displays the only known example of an original [[Monmouth cap]], dating from the 16th century. The museum is currently closed, prior to its relocation to the Shire Hall.<ref>[http://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=474&pageNumber=5 Monmouthshire County Council: Monmouth Museum] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230051932/http://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=474&pageNumber=5 |date=30 December 2011 }}.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref>  A small [[Monmouth Regimental Museum|Regimental Museum]] established in 1989 is housed in [[Great Castle House]], a former town house built on the site of part of [[Monmouth Castle]].<ref>{{Cadw|num=2217|desc=Great Castle House|grade=I|access-date=3 March 2024}}</ref> The [[Monmouth Music Festival|Monmouth Festival]], a free nine-day music festival, has been running every year since 1982 and is one of the largest free music festivals in Europe. The town also holds the Rockfield Country Music Festival and the [[Monmouth Women's Festival]] each year. An annual regatta is held, each May, and a raft race takes place each year for the St David's Foundation.<ref>[http://www.countrymusicfestival.co.uk/ Rockfield Country Music Festival] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120428013410/http://www.countrymusicfestival.co.uk/ |date=28 April 2012 }}.  Accessed 15 May 2012</ref><ref>[http://www.monmouthfestival.co.uk/ Monmouth Festival].  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref><ref>[http://www.mdctc.co.uk/images/FILES/Monmouth_Town_Guide.pdf Monmouth Town Guide]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, p.27.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref> Location scenes for two episodes of the [[BBC]] drama series ''[[Doctor Who]]'' were filmed in Monmouth: "[[The Unquiet Dead]]" (2005) and "[[The Next Doctor]]" (2008).<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613103933/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/doctorwholoc_s1e3/pages/monmouth.shtml |archive-date=13 June 2007|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/doctorwholoc_s1e3/pages/monmouth.shtml|title=Outside Sneed's parlour|publisher=BBC|access-date=19 December 2011}}</ref><ref>[http://www.doctorwholocations.net/locations/shirehall Doctor Who Locations]. Retrieved February 2012{{Self-published source|date=December 2015}}</ref> Monmouth was named one of the best places to live in Wales in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sands|first=Katie|date=10 March 2017|title=These towns have been named as the best places to live in Wales|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/market-town-been-named-best-12719747|website=WalesOnline|language=en}}</ref> In 2020 the international [[beekeeping]] charity organisation [[Bees for Development]] designated Monmouth a "Bee Town", the first such in Britain. An annual Bee Festival is held, which takes place in the Nelson Garden and Chippenham Fields.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Monmouth Bee Festival|first=Monmouth|title=Bee Festival|url=https://beefestival.org.uk|url-status=dead|access-date=27 December 2021|archive-date=21 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421023441/http://beefestival.org.uk/}}</ref> The county and town councils have special policies in place for pollinators.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/our-work/news/The-Duchess-of-Cornwall-is-new-President-of-Bees-for-Development |title=Bees for development &#124; |website=www.beesfordevelopment.org |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806002435/http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/our-work/news/The-Duchess-of-Cornwall-is-new-President-of-Bees-for-Development |archive-date=6 August 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Welsh language and culture are promoted by the Monmouth & District Welsh Society ''(Cymdeithas Gymraeg Trefynwy a'r Cylch)''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cymdeithasgymraegtrefynwy.org.uk/|title=Promoting Welsh Language and culture|publisher=Monmouth and District Welsh Society|access-date=5 February 2023|archive-date=19 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319113012/http://www.cymdeithasgymraegtrefynwy.org.uk/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Monmouth is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with the [[France|French]] town of [[Carbonne]],<ref name="Archant twinning 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705094933/http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns |title=British towns twinned with French towns ''[via WaybackMachine.com]''|access-date=20 July 2013|archive-date=5 July 2013|work=Archant Community Media Ltd}}</ref> and [[Waldbronn]] in [[Germany]].<ref name=welcome>[http://www.monmouth.gov.uk/pages/monmouth.asp Monmouth Town Council: Welcome to Monmouth] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424161512/http://www.monmouth.gov.uk/pages/monmouth.asp |date=24 April 2012 }}.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref>