History and location St James Square, Monmouth

1610 map of monmouth cartographer john speed, showing dixton (east) gate (marked m)

there lovely spots in town centre, none prettier st james s square, old war memorial in shadow of romantic-looking tree. description of st james square (pictured) in monmouth, wales appeared in telegraph of 25 february 2006. monmouth war memorial, commemorates fallen of first , second world wars, work of sculptor w. clarke of llandaff. monument installed near western tip of triangular st james square in 1921, in front of mature catalpa. catalpa or indian bean tree, 1 of oldest , largest specimens in united kingdom, planted on square 1900. grade ii listed cenotaph , tree, adjacent lawn , flowers, enclosed railings. in 2005, catalpa focus of controversy when monmouthshire county council condemned tree. other groups in community joined hire professional investigate tree s condition. eventually, metal rods installed support number of tree s branches. st james square continues bring community together. serves site of ceremonies held on armistice day , remembrance sunday (link photograph of ceremony below).

while st james square not appear on 1610 map of monmouth drawn cartographer john speed, dixton gate (east gate), east of square, shown on 17th-century map (pictured). st james square located within medieval walls of monmouth. whitecross street extends church street eastward, terminating @ roundabout encircling st james square. on maps of monmouth, eastern segment of whitecross street, intersection monk street termination on roundabout, given name st james square. consequence, buildings along stretch of street have both whitecross , st james addresses. in addition, st james street , old dixton road intersect roundabout @ eastern aspect. in 2010, during course of gas main replacement work @ st james square , wyebridge street, mesolithic era artefacts, including flints, excavated (link photograph of flints below). represented first discovery of mesolithic human settlement in monmouth.