Magor (; ) is a large village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, about west of Chepstow and about east of Newport. It lies on the Caldicot Levels beside the Severn Estuary, and is in the community of Magor with Undy. Magor lies close to the M4 motorway. History The original Welsh language name Magwyr, from which the English name is derived, is thought to originate from the Latin maceria, meaning masonry walls or ruins. It may relate either to a now-lost Roman villa in the area, or alternatively to sea defences or a causeway built by the Romans. Magor and the surrounding area contain many Roman ruins and artefacts, and the village centre was originally located at the inner edge of salt marshes which the Romans began to reclaim as farmland. The local name "Whitewall" may relate to the same causeway, which would have connected the village to a small now-vanished harbour on the Severn Estuary known as Abergwaitha or Aberweytha. In 1994 the remains of a 13th-century boat, used for trading along and across the Severn Estuary, and perhaps with Ireland, were found buried in the mud of the estuary close to Magor Pill. The boat was found to have been carrying iron ore from Glamorgan. Magor, as "Magur", is one of the few villages to appear on the Cambriae Typus map of 1573. St Mary's Church According to tradition, the parish church was founded in the 7th century, and was originally dedicated to St. Leonard. The existing building has been described as "one of the most ambitious churches in Monmouthshire". The earliest parts of the building date from the 13th century, at about the same time as it was handed by Gilbert Marshal, Earl of Pembroke to the Abbey of Anagni in Italy. It was later administered by Tintern Abbey. The church was greatly extended in the 15th century, and was restored and re-dedicated to St. Mary in the mid-19th century. Remains of The Procurator's House, some parts of which may date from the 14th century and others from the 16th century, are still standing just off the village square. The procurator was responsible for collecting the tithes of the village on behalf of the abbey. The church is the burial place of Welsh composer Mansel Thomas (1909–1986). Amenities Magor has a thriving village centre containing shops, pubs, restaurants and a Post Office. As well as the large