Abergavenny developed into a town during early Norman times with protection from the Lords of Abergavenny. Hamelin de Balun, the first baron, came from a little town and castle name Bullong. In the late 11th Century he started the Benedictine priory which is now known as the Priory Church of St. Mary. The church is the home of many unique alabaster images, monuments and wood carvings from medieval times.
During the 12th and 13th Centuries the town was continuously caught up in the border warfare and power plays that were happening in the Welsh Marches. Abergavenny Castle became the scene of a slaughter of Welsh leaders by William de Braose in 1175. All the leaders were invited to a Christmas Banquet. They gave up their swords as a sign of peace upon arrival. Then Braose's army attacked them and being unarmed they could not defend themselves. By 1182 however the Welsh had regained control of the castle.
Abergavenny was attacked again in 1404 by Owain Glyndwr. Glyndwr's army was able to get into the walled town because a local woman felt sympathy towards their rebellion and let them in the Market Street gate late at night. They then opened the gate all the way and brought the rest of the troops in.
Once at full force they plundered the town's churches and homes then set fire to everything. They did however leave the Abergavenny Castle unharmed. Market Street's name was changed to Traitors Lane after that. The illegitimate son of Owain Glyndwr, Ieuan ab Owain Glyndwr, then declared the town its own nation but that only lasted a couple weeks.
There is a reference to a Abergavenny market in a charter granted by Prior by William de Braose. This right to have two weekly markets and three fairs a year as been tradition ever since 1657. Abergavenny was a major manufacture of Welsh flannel and goats haired periwigs. Rudolf Hess, Adolf Hitler's deputy, was housed in Abergavenny at Maindiff Court after he ran from Britain.
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