Prior to the early part of the nineteenth century Devauden merely consisted of a collection of small settlements, squatters’ huts and cottages whose occupiers paid rent to the Duke of Beaufort. This population of forest dwellers was described as ‘the lowest class of society’ and ‘prone to evil’.

In 743, Devauden was the site of a battle between the Britons and the Anglo-Saxons, in which Kings Aethelbald of Mercia and Cuthred of Wessex defeated the native Welsh.

In 1815, a school was built on the northern outskirts of the village. It was 'the first national school in Monmouthshire,' and was built by the schoolmaster, James Davies, at the expense of the Duke of Beaufort. In 1827, Davies converted the school to a church at his own expense and in 1837 he built a new school and a house for himself next to the church.

Although, John Wesley had preached his first sermon in Wales at Devauden in 1739 it wasn’t until 1843 that the Methodist Chapel was built.

The 1881 edition of the 25inch Ordnance Survey maps labels the church, with the school next door, a the vicarage to the west of the green, and the Mason’s Arms public house.

In 1960 the Devauden Village Hall was given to the community in 1960 "for the use of meetings, lectures, classes and forms of recreation and leisure time and occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants."

The Church and Devauden Village Hall are still in use but the village school closed in the 1980s and Wesleyan Chapel is now part of a private house. The Mason's Arms is currently closed.

Further Reading

Anne Wareham of Veddw House Garden has researched the local history of Devauden.  

Here's a link to the articles on her website.

More Links

Kelly's Directory of Monmouthshire, 1901