T Hls Is a Maritime Eounty, Bounded on Tle South-East by the River
• • THlS is a maritime eounty, bounded on tLe south-east by the river Severn, on the south by the Bristol Channel, on tlw west by the counties of Glamorgan and Brecknock (in South Wales), on the north by part of the latter county and Herefordshire, and on the east by Gloucestershire, from which it is separated by the river \Vye. Its greatest length, from north to south, is thirty miles; its breadth, from east to west, twenty-six square miles; and its cil'cumferenco about one hnndred and ten miles, comprising an area of -±96 miles, or 317,4,10 statute acres. In size it ranks as tho thir~y sixth English county. NaME AND EaRLY HISTORY. By the Saxons this county was denomimated Tf/entsel and TVentdand; but by the Britons it was cttllod Gwent, from an ancient city of thrrt name. The modern ape.t.ation is taken from 1\Ionmo'Ith, the county town, which Leland derives from its situation between the river Monnow (or l\llmnow) and the \Vye; Ua'ntlen also says it was originally ca11ed Jllon_qwy (Mwny). 'l'he ancient inllabitants of this and tlle neigltbonri1•g county of Hereford W• re the Silu1·es ; and the early history of 1Ionmouthshire partahs of the events which took place iu tlle former county, and Jf those which occurred in Iluntin;;donshire. The Romans occnpieJ the country of the SiluTes, as a con quered province, from their complete establishment in the reign of Vesp1.sian to the period of their final depwture from Britain, when the colossal empire of Rome was tottering to its centre.
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