Welsh Journals

Oxford in 1685 as proof that Wales was thirteen and not twelve shires at that date. The following year Thomas Nicholas complained that: The custom has become almost settled to consider the county of Monmouth a part of England.maps of Wales are now constructed which make the Usk the eastern boundary; children at school are almost invariably taught that Monmouthshire is 'in England'; and the erroneous notion is somewhat encouraged by a certain tone of 'national' feeling which willingly winks at history and gives vantage to prejudice.63 Nicholas went on to invoke ethnology, politics, geography, topography and law to support his argument. He was able to conclude with a flourish: The theory that Monmouthshire is an English county, first conceived by error, received without examination, and settled at last by an indolent consent, has thus in truth no historic or legal foundation, and must be pronounced a geographical blunder. 6 4 He added that the 'vulgar error' of classifying Monmouthshire with England was of comparatively recent date. He had noticed one or two eighteenth century instances but, 'it has become a general and settled opinion only within the present century and. for no better reason than that someone made a mistake or perpetuated an imposture, and that others received and passed on what had been coined.'65 If Nicholas was looking to point the finger he need have looked no further than Parliament itself. Highway Acts of 1844, 1860 and 1882 relating to Turnpike Trusts in South Wales listed the counties affected as Glamorgan, Brecknock, Radnor, Carmarthen, Pembroke and Cardigan.66 Furthermore, the 1860 Act actually stated that, for the purpose of that Act, South Wales should consist of those six counties and no others. Another 'culprit' was Samuel Lewis who, in 1840, dealt with Monmouthshire in his Topographical Dictionary of England rather than the equivalent Welsh work. The omission of Monmouthshire from Wales at this point is perhaps surprising in the light of the 1830 legislation which had abolished the Courts of Great Sessions in Wales.6 This Act had put an end to the separate jurisdiction for Wales. It had therefore removed the only real difference between Monmouthshire and the rest of Wales-the administrative provisions of 1536 and 1542/3. Of course, the status of Wales itself was in question with the removal of its autonomy. The problem of Monmouthshire was part of this larger issue. There was now no Wales at law.68 The twelve shires were in England and Monmouthshire with them. But there was another Wales-call it historical, traditional, cultural or what you will-that went untouched by law. It remained a 'geographical idea.'69 There was still no Act severing Monmouthshire from it.