Grade II* listed buildings in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire in Wales has 244 Grade II* listed buildings. Listing marks buildings or structures as having special architectural, historical, or cultural importance. In Wales, Cadw is the authority that lists these buildings under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. Listing began in 1947, and once a building is listed, changes to its structure or fittings are closely controlled.
What kinds of buildings are Grade II* in Monmouthshire?
- 72 houses
- 42 churches
- 35 farmhouses
- 21 commercial premises
- 8 bridges
- 7 barns
- 6 garden structures
- 4 sets of walls, railings or gates
- 3 gatehouses
- 2 chapels
- 2 community centres
- 2 dovecotes
- 1 almshouse
- 1 aqueduct
- 1 castle (the only Grade II* castle is Skenfrith)
- 1 courthouse
- 1 cross
- 1 dairy
- 1 folly
- 1 masonic lodge
- 1 mill
- 1 prison
- 1 former slaughterhouse
- 1 statue
- 1 theatre
Skenfrith Castle
Skenfrith is the county’s only Grade II* listed castle and sits at the eastern point of the Three Castles triangle, a group of castles with a long history of shared ownership.
Notable architecture and builders
- Nationally important architects who worked in Monmouthshire include John Nash and Sir John Soane (for example at Clytha Park gates and the now-ruinous Piercefield House).
- Sir Aston Webb contributed to local architecture, with works near Rockfield.
- The county’s major houses are mostly modest country homes built by the Welsh gentry, such as Lower Dyffryn House in Grosmont.
- Llanarth Court is a large and unusual neo-classical building.
- Nos. 1–6 Priory Street in Monmouth were designed by George Vaughan Maddox, who helped shape the town’s architectural character.
- The churches are largely medieval; notable exceptions include the first Catholic chapel in Monmouthshire since the Dissolution at St Mary and St Michael, Llanarth, and St Mary’s Priory Church in Monmouth by George Edmund Street.
Notable people connected to Monmouthshire’s Grade II* buildings
- David Lewis, the Catholic martyr, was imprisoned at 30 Bridge Street, Usk.
- Lord Nelson is commemorated by a pavilion in the Nelson Garden, Monmouth.
- Charles Stewart Rolls, a pioneer aviator and motoring figure, lived at The Hendre; his statue stands in Agincourt Square, Monmouth.
- Winston Churchill’s predecessors lived at Trewyn House in the county.
- The Dukes of Beaufort managed large Monmouthshire estates from Troy House for centuries.
- Cefntilla Court was given to FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, for his Crimean War service.
- Henry Avray Tipping built mounts at Mounton and High Glanau.
- John Loraine Baldwin, founder of I Zingari and author of early badminton and whist rules, lived at St Anne’s House, Tintern.
- The countryside around Llanwenarth House is said to have inspired the hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful, written by Cecil Frances Alexander.
If you’d like, you can also view an interactive map showing the locations of all Grade II* listed buildings across Monmouthshire.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 15:13 (CET).