History: This large cruciform church served a priory founded by Hamelin de Ballon in circa 1100. When dissolved in 1536 there were only a prior and four monks. The nave was already used by townsfolk, who then took over the whole building. For a while, the chancel was used as a school, but is now part of the church again. It and the transepts are essentially 14^th century work, altered after being ravaged by Owain Glyndwr in 1402, and since several times restored. The nave and north aisle were entirely rebuilt 1882-96. Among the furnishings are a Norman font, probably from another church, late mediaeval choir stalls with miserichords carved with various motifs, and a wooden representation of the tree of Jesse, probably from a reredos. On a board in the south transept are Royal Arms dating from 1709. There are more effigies in Abergavenny Priory than in any other Welsh church.
[Extracted from SALTER, Mike (1991) The Old Parish Churches of Gwent, Glamorgan & Gower, Folly Publications, Malvern, Worcestershire; ISBN 1-871731-08-9]