N S Jamesof Raglan

N S James is a family butcher on Crown Square in the village of Raglan, trading since 1959 and now in its second generation. It is one of the oldest independent butchers in Wales and the only one in Monmouthshire to hold Rare Breeds Specialist status, the first business in Wales to be given that designation. Much of the meat is home-killed and sourced tightly from the surrounding countryside, with the shop stating that no animal travels more than twenty miles. In 2025 proprietor Neil James was named Welsh Butcher of the Year in May, then Countryside Alliance Champion Butcher for the whole UK in June. The counter runs to rare-breed beef, lamb and pork alongside the usual butcher's range, and supplies chefs and local institutions as well as retail customers. It remains a single shop rather than part of a group.