4A High Street
About the Building | Recent History | Previous Occupiers | Other Information
| Address: | 4A High Street |
| Present Occupier: | Waterstones |
| Present Owner: | |
| Ground Floor: | Bookshop |
| Other Floors: | |
| Date when first used by present occupier: | 2006 as Waterstones |
About the Building
Information from Abergavenny Local History Society Survey 1980:
Fragments of timber frontage were found during alterations in 1959. Cellars and top storey windows filled in in 1959. Clay pipe found in the cellar. [Source: Mr Dulson]
Possibly established in 1298 [Source : Mr Jackson]
The present Greyhound Hotel (in Market Street, built 1872) was the tap bar of the old Hotel. There are slight remains of hay dispensers and stables in the back yard.
The hotel had 18 bedrooms, 4 reception rooms, a bar and a ballroom. There was a long bar, about 25 yards long, running parallel to Market Street, and it was great meeting place for the rugby, tennis and bowling clubs.
Recent History
2026 January: Waterstones book shop is still in situ [source: walk by 24/1/2026 sm]
Previous Occupiers
| Year | Name | Detail | Source |
| 2006 – to date |
Waterstones
|
Book shop | AHLS survey 1980+ |
| date unknown – 2006 |
Ottakers
|
Book shop | AHLS survey 1980+ |
| 1983 |
George Oliver
|
Footwear | AHLS survey 1980+ |
| 1979/80 |
(4a) George Masons International Pricerite
|
Grocers | AHLS survey 1980 |
| 1959 |
(4a) George Masons International Pricerite
|
Grocers | AHLS survey 1980 |
| to 1959 | Greyhound Hotel | Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding | |
| 1937 | Owner 1938 Greyhound Co Ltd. | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1934 | Prop: Mrs M Cotton | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly |
| 1930 | Prop: C C Daft 1927-31) | Greyhound Hotel | Car/Npt & Dis |
| 1926 | Prop: Rees, Rogers & Co | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly |
| 1923 | Prop Rees, Rogers & Co 1923-26 | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1920 | Prop: Mrs Ethel Maud Reynolds | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly |
| 1914 | Prop : Mrs Emily Tovell | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly |
| 1910 | Prop: Mrs Emily Tovell 1910-1914 | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1906 | Prop: Francis Albert McGraith Owner : R P Culley |
Greyhound Hotel | Kelly / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1901 | Prop: Francis Albert McGraith Owner : R P Culley & Co Ltd (1901-06) |
Greyhound Hotel | Kelly / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1895 | Prop : 1891-95 Walter C Williams | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1891 | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly | |
| 1884 | Prop Rees, Rogers & Co 1923-26 | Greyhound Hotel | Kelly / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1879 | Prop: William Tucker Owner 1880 : William Tucker |
Greyhound Hotel | Thacker / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1877 | Prop: William Tucker | Greyhound Hotel | Owen |
| 1875 | Prop: William Tucker | Greyhound Hotel | Mer & Croc |
| 1871 | Prop 1871-1880 : William Tucker Owner 1872 : William Tucker. 1873 : S W Tucker |
Greyhound Hotel / Inland Revenue Office, William Herring | Kelly / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1865 | Prop: Philip Morgan Prop : 1868 Mrs Tucker. Owner 1868 : S W Tucker |
Greyhound Hotel / from 1862 Inland Revenue Office | Webster / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1858 | Prop: Philip Morgan (from 1853-65) Owner 1853-1864 : Robert Williams |
Greyhound Hotel | Slater |
| 1852 Sept | Philip Morgan | Greyhound Hotel | Hereford Times 1852 Sept 28th |
| 1851 | Prop :1850-52 Timothy Buck Owner in 1849 : Mrs Hickman; Owner 1850-51 Duke of Beaufort |
Greyhound Hotel | Census / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1850 | Prop: 1849 William Morgan | Greyhound Hotel | Pigot |
| 1844 | Prop: John Richards Owner in 1839 : Duke of Beaufort |
Greyhound Hotel | Slater / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1835 | Prop: John Richards Prop 1830-1835:George Evans Prop ?Hickman in 1839 |
Greyhound Hotel | Pigot / Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1822 | Prop : Thomas Evans (1822-23) | Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding | |
| 1811 | Prop 1811 John Strange | Greyhound Hotel | Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1794 | Prop : Mrs Ann Wallington (owner 1791, prop 1791-1794) | Greyhound Hotel | Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
| 1787 | Mr C Wallington | Greyhound Hotel | Abergavenny Pubs Frank Olding |
Other Information
The Tucker family seems to have acquired the Greyhound sometime between 1865 & 1868 and various member of the family were to run the business from then until at least 1882. By July 1872 William Tucker had extended the hotel & added the new Tap & Billiard Room in March Street, now known as the Greyhound Vaults. Behind the Vaults, the hotel even had its own bowling green [Source : Abergavenny Pub, Frank Olding p 71]
On census night, 1851, there were in residence: Timothy Black, his wife and 5 children, 2 visitors and 5 servants. [Source : Abergavenny Local History Survey 1980]
1983 George Oliver Footwear Ltd moved here in 1983, from 20 High Street [ Source: ALHS survey 1980+]
1972 : George Masons [Source: Abergavenny Chronicle]
From 1959 to date unknown: 4A High Street : George Masons/International/Pricerite – grocers – this was all the same firm (at that time, on the upper floors was storage for Cavendish furniture (at no.4B) and a private flat which was formed from a block of 5 bedrooms from the Hotel. [ Source: ALHS survey 1980+]
Waterstones opened its first branch in London in 1982. Ottakar’s was established in 1987 and expanded rapidly. By 2006 it was present in 141 locations. Following a rumoured takeover by HMV and also a possible management buyout by founders James Heneage and Philip Dunne, the company was finally bought by Waterstones who took over on 31 May 2006 [Source : en.wikipedia.org]
1794 : the Abergavenny Improvement Committee met here, to redevelop the decayed Town Hall and Market
1800 : Abergavenny Society for the prosecution of felons met here
1839 : The Greyhound was owned by the Duke of Beaufort
1851 : “Paul Pry” the Daily Coach to and from London, via Gloucester, Ross & Monmouth, departed 1.30 pm
1854 : There was a horse bus service to connect with trains
1862-65 : also Inland Revenue office
1871 : William Herring, Inland Revenue Supervisor
1927 : The murderers Brown and Kennedy stayed here
[1794-1927 Source : Thacker, Abergavenny Local History Society Survey 1980]
Proprietor Philip Morgan, in 1862, also kept the Angel and a farm
Adverts in Abergavenny Chronicle :
1967 : ad for George Masons, wines & spirits
1969 : ad for George Masons, Christmas fare
1970 : ad for George Masons
If you have any further information about this property please email alhsresearch@email.com