Editing Usk (section)

==Amenities==
The road to Monmouth (the [[A472]]) passes Twyn Square, a large town square, where a clock tower was erected to commemorate the [[Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria]] in 1887.<ref>{{Cadw|num=2206|desc=Jubilee Clock, Twyn Square, Usk|grade=II|access-date=27 September 2023}}</ref>

"Usk Island" is a park at the edge of the river ('island' is a literal translation of the Welsh 'ynys' meaning a river meadow). The park is mostly laid to grass, with surrounding woodland. It also has a substantial adventure playground.  Usk [[Tennis]] Club was Tennis Wales "Club of the Year" for 2006.<ref>[http://www.usktown.co.uk/tennis.html Usk Tennis Club] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006214353/http://www.usktown.co.uk/tennis.html |date=6 October 2011 }}. Retrieved 6 April 2011.</ref>

The BBC reported in May 2014 that Wales' rarest tree, [[Ley's Whitebeam]] (''Sorbus leyana''), would be planted in Usk to honour the man who rediscovered them, Peter Charlesworth.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-27411959|title=Rare trees planted to honour man who discovered them|work=BBC News |date=15 May 2014}}</ref>

===Priory Church of St Mary, Usk and the Priory Gatehouse===
{{main|Priory Church of St Mary, Usk|Priory Gatehouse, Usk}}
[[File:St Mary's Priory church, Usk - geograph.org.uk - 1434014.jpg|thumb|[[Priory Church of St Mary, Usk|Priory Church of St Mary]]]]
The [[parish church]] of St Mary originated as part of the Benedictine priory founded by [[Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke|Richard de Clare]] in the 12th century. The northern [[aisle]] of the [[convent]] church was added in the 13th century for the use of the town's residents, and after the [[Dissolution of the Monasteries|Dissolution]] of the nunnery in 1536 the nave was also incorporated as part of the parish church. The original 12th-century [[Crossing (architecture)|crossing]] remains, as does an original [[font]]. Most of the structure derives from the 14th century, although the two porches and the notably fine [[rood screen]] date from the 15th century and were probably built for [[William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1423–1469)|William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke]], who was [[Castellan|constable]] of the castle. The church was partly rebuilt and extended {{circa|1844}} by the architect [[T. H. Wyatt]], and further restored and extended in 1899–1900.<ref name=towntrail/><ref>[[John Newman (architectural historian)|John Newman]], ''The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire'', 2000, {{ISBN|0-14-071053-1}}, pp.584–596</ref>

The priory's poor finances were improved in 1404 by a [[Indulgence|Papal indulgence]] obtained by [[Adam of Usk]], who was buried beside the priory [[altar]]; there is a brass monument to him in the church, with an inscription in the form of a [[cywydd]] (a Welsh [[metre (poetry)|poetic metre]] from {{circa|13th century}}).<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Morris-Jones |first=John |author-link=John Morris-Jones |volume=31 |date=1921 |title=Adam Usk's Epitaph |magazine=[[Y Cymmrodor]] |pages=112–134 |location=London |publisher=[[Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion]] |url=https://journals.library.wales/view/1386446/1395591/119#?xywh=-1104%2C-202%2C4553%2C4005}}</ref> Usk later became a centre for [[pilgrim]]s. The [[Priory Gatehouse, Usk|gatehouse]] of the original convent survives beside the main entrance to the churchyard. However, most of the priory buildings, such as the [[cloister]] and [[chapter house]], were destroyed and their stones later used in town buildings.<ref name=towntrail/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.monasticwales.org/article/22|title=Browse the Monastic Wales database|website=www.monasticwales.org}}</ref>

===Sessions House===
{{main|Sessions House, Usk}}
The [[Sessions House, Usk|Sessions House]] is a [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] courthouse by [[Thomas Henry Wyatt]] of 1877.<ref>''The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire'', p. 593</ref> It has been designated a [[Grade II* listed building]] since 4 January 1974.<ref name="Cadw">{{NHAW|num=2154|desc=The Sessions House including balustraded terrace|grade=II*|access-date=18 April 2022}}</ref>

=== Prison ===
[[File:Usk Prison - geograph.org.uk - 1541844.jpg|thumb|Usk Prison seen over the rooftops from Usk Castle]]
{{main|HM Prison Usk}}
Her Majesty's Prison Usk is situated close to the centre of the town. It was built in 1842–44 to a Victorian 'rotunda' design, similar to that of [[Pentonville (HM Prison)|Pentonville]] in London. The architect was T. H. Wyatt.  It became the County Gaol for [[Monmouthshire (historic)|Monmouthshire]] in 1870, and operated until 1922. After being closed for more than a decade, it was reopened in 1939, adapted for use as a [[borstal]] to hold youth offenders. In 1990 it was adapted again for use as a Category C establishment for vulnerable prisoners, including [[sex offender]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.insidetime.org/info-regimes2.asp?nameofprison=HMP_USK|title=HMP USK Prison Regime Information}}</ref>

The sister establishment of HM Prison Usk is [[Prescoed (HM Prison)|HM Prison Prescoed]], which is located {{cvt|3|mi}} to the south-west of the town, towards [[Pontypool]].

===Usk Rural Life Museum===
The Rural Life Museum is housed in a former malt barn, possibly of mediaeval origin, on New Market Street. Run by volunteers, it focuses on life in the area as it was between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries. It is open to visitors between April and October.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uskmuseum.org.uk/|title=uskmuseum.org.uk|website=www.uskmuseum.org.uk}}</ref>

===Usk Natural Burial Meadow===
Usk Natural Burial Meadow is a {{convert|14|acre|ha|adj=on}} site in Usk Castle Chase that offers full interments, and the burial or scattering of cremation ashes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leedam.com/locations/usk-castle-chase/|title=Usk Castle Chase Natural Burial Meadow|website=Leedam Natural Burials}}</ref> The site is located {{convert|1|mi|km}} from the town centre along Monmouth Road and was established in 2005.<ref>[http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/1439525.net_cemetery/ "Net cemetery", ''South Wales Argus'', 31 May 2007].  Retrieved 2 July 2016</ref> It was awarded Cemetery of the Year in 2008 by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iccm-uk.com/|title=The Bereavement Services Portal|website=www.iccm-uk.com}}</ref>

===Usk in Bloom===
Local residents formed the Usk in Bloom committee in 1981. The [[voluntary organisation|voluntary]] committee aims to improve the local environment by the imaginative planting of trees, shrubs, bulbs and floral displays; and to foster partnerships with other organisations and residents for work on environmental issues in the town. The town has won the "Wales in Bloom" competition for 35 times in a row between 1982 and 2016;<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usktown.org/|title=Home – Usk Town Council|website=www.usktown.org}}</ref> won the "large village" category of "[[Britain in Bloom]]" four times; and twice represented the United Kingdom in European competitions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uskinbloom.org.uk/index.htm|title=Usk in Bloom}}</ref>

===Usk Brass Band===

Usk has a [[brass band]], which has represented the town at the National Finals of Great Britain regularly since registering as a competing band in 2014.<ref>[https://www.uskbrassband.com/  Usk Brass Band]. Retrieved 22 June 2021</ref>

=== Fishing and accommodation ===
Usk is a centre for [[recreational fishing]], with the River Usk being known for its [[Atlantic salmon|salmon]] fishing.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.visitmonmouthshire.com/explore/usk | title=Usk – Visit Monmouthshire }}</ref>

The town has a number of inns and hotels, including the Castle Inn in Twyn Square, the Glen Yr-Afon Hotel on the Pontypool Road and the Three Salmons Hotel on Bridge Street.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.hotels.uk.com/uk/south-wales/hotels-in-usk/the-castle-inn.np15-1bh | title=The Castle Inn | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115142341/https://www.hotels.uk.com/uk/south-wales/hotels-in-usk/the-castle-inn.np15-1bh | archive-date=2023-11-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/wales/monmouthshire/hotels/glen-yr-afon-house-hotel/|title=Glen-Yr-Afon House Hotel|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=3 November 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/wales/monmouthshire/hotels/three-salmons-hotel/|title=Three Salmons Hotel|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=1 November 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref>