Plas Gunter Mansion was built in the early 17th century by Thomas Gunter on land previously belonging to St Mary Priory. The area had been bought by his grandfather at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII. It appears today as an unobtrusive part of the rows of shops lining the A40 coming from the bus station to Abergavenny market.

It played a pivotal role in the maintenance of the Catholic religion in this area of Wales, with Thomas Gunter 1 and Thomas Gunter 11 supporting Catholic priests throughout the 17th century and providing a venue for Catholic worship. The house is closely associated with the last Welsh Martyrs St David Lewis and Phillip Evans and has a rare Catholic chapel in the top floor, lost from sight for many years until its rediscovery in 1907.

The talk explores the features of the house including the evidence for its date and looks at some of the people who were involved with the house over the years. The house is in a very poor state of repair and the upper floors are dangerous to access currently. The Trust is applying for a Heritage Lottery Grant to restore the building and give it a future. Dr Gill Wakley is lead Trustee on the history of the house and the past chair of the Abergavenny Local History Society.