MADAM,

With reference to MIM John's letter in last week's paper under the heading "Monmouth is Welsh" it so happens that today, as a result of my recent approach to the National Library of Wales, and the kind assistance of our library service, I read relevant parts of "A history of Wales", written by John Davies and first published in Welsh as "Hanes Cymru" in 1990.

On pages 86 and 234 of the book are copies of maps attributed to William Rees, 1959 yet these do not portray the maps as shown on the copies I obtained from Hereford within the last year or so of which a copy is now with Monmouth Library nor is any reference to William Rees given in the text.

Also, although King Edward VI is mentioned at page 240, nothing is cited about the "Abstract of the Municipal Charters" by which the King, by writ of Privy Seal, sets to right the past liberties granted to the "Burgesses of his Borough and Town of Monmouth in the Marches of Wales within his Duchy of Lancaster," which had almost been extinguished by the Statute of Henry VIII, a Tudor king.

Among the liberties thus restored is the siting of Monmouth Market, also within the designated area: "Burgesses, their stewards and tenants resident in the area shall not be tried by any foreigner but by English men of the said Borough only and not by any men of Wales for ever" which can only mean that this part of the UK must be in England.

A copy of this Abstract is also with our library and in view of this, coupled with information given me by another of your readers, I will also be passing this information to the Right Honourable Lord Tebbit who has already kindly promised to try to raise interest in this matter since it is clear from the relevant entries in Hansard that in 1972 Monmouthshire and Newport were simply hijacked into Wales by the unchecked actions of a group of Welsh MPs who also decided to amalgamate Herefordshire with Worcestershire, again quite illegally,

Finally should MIM Johns wish to have access to more information on this and other matters relevant to our ancient town, following the lecture given on February 16th by John Gwynfor Jones, Professor of Welsh History, Cardiff University, then I am sure that Cllr Charles Boase, in his capacity as Chairman of Monmouth Field and History, would kindly oblige.

Don Stroud

Beaufort Road,

Osbaston