99-459: Whitson is a village on the outskirts of the city of Newport , South Wales. It is located about 7 miles (11 km) south east of Newport city centre on the Caldicot Levels , a large area of coastal land reclaimed from the sea. Administratively, Whitson is part of the community of Goldcliff . Sir Joseph Bradney , in his History of Monmouthshire (1922), is undecided on the derivation of
198-712: A community council . Newport has a moderate temperate climate , with the weather rarely staying the same for more than a few days at a time. The city is one of the sunnier locations in Wales and its sheltered location tends to protect it from extreme weather. Like the whole of the British Isles, Newport benefits from the warming effect of the Gulf Stream . Newport has mild summers and cool winters. Thunderstorms may occur intermittently at any time of year, but are most common throughout late-spring and summer. Rain falls throughout
297-573: A unitary authority in 1996 and forms part of the Cardiff-Newport metropolitan area , and the Cardiff Capital Region . Newport has been a port since medieval times when the first Newport Castle was built by the Normans . The town outgrew the earlier Roman town of Caerleon , immediately upstream and now part of the city. Newport gained its first charter in 1314. It grew significantly in
396-542: A 12-year-old paperboy, Thomas 'Toya' Lewis, who was small enough to crawl into the collapsed trench. He worked for two hours trying to free one of the trapped men, who was finally released the next day. A public subscription raised several hundred pounds and Lewis was sent on an engineering scholarship. He was also awarded the Albert Medal for Lifesaving by King Edward VII . Memorials to the dead are in St Mark's Church , close to
495-503: A by-election in 1922 was one of the causes of the fall of his coalition government. The late 19th and early 20th century period was a boom time for Newport. The Alexandra Docks opened in 1875. The population was expanding rapidly and the town became a county borough in 1891. In 1892 the Alexandra South Dock was opened and was the largest masonry dock in the world. Although coal exports from Newport were by now modest compared to
594-533: A cosmopolitan population who will not submit to the domination of Welsh ideas!". Lloyd George was to suffer a further blow in Newport, when the South Wales Liberal Federation, led by David Alfred Thomas , an industrialist and Liberal politician, and Robert Bird moved that Lloyd George "be not heard" in the 1895 General Election . The Conservative capture of the recently created Newport constituency in
693-778: A day. The owner applied for retrospective planning permission to retain the facility with its concrete runway, but this was refused by the council. An appeal was dismissed in 2009. The area is governed by the Newport City Council and the Goldcliff community council . The village falls within the Llanwern ward of the Newport East parliamentary constituency. This article contains public domain material from J. A. Bradney's History of Monmouthshire (1904). Newport, Wales Newport ( Welsh : Casnewydd [kasˈnɛwɨð] )
792-490: A further five, work was beginning on some of the earliest of the great stone castles . For example, Hugh de Lacy built a Motte-and-bailey castle on the site of the present day Trim Castle , County Meath, which was attacked and burned in 1173 by the Irish king Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair . De Lacy, however, then constructed a stone castle in its place, which enclosed over three acres within its walls, and this could not be burned down by
891-587: A grass strip for the owner, family and friends) had been developed by the owner. By 2008 the strip had become a 650 metres (2,130 ft)-long concrete airstrip with a series of aircraft hangars . An inquiry by Newport City Council and the Civil Aviation Authority ,held after a plane crashed at the farm in 2008, found that the airstrip at the farm had grown considerably beyond the scope of its original approved planning permission, and was, according to some local residents, supporting as many as ten flights
990-405: A large collection of monkeys , reptiles and exotic birds. The family opened the grounds to the public during the 1960s and 1970s and they were a popular attraction for local families and school children. In 1980 Whitson Zoo was closed and the animals re-homed. Olive Maybury continued to live at Whitson Court until her death in 1998 at the age of 99. The house and grounds were subsequently sold by
1089-503: A large estate in the parish and lived at what was then called "Whitson House" (now " Whitson Court "). Together with the neighbouring larger parishes of Nash and Goldcliff it is one of the so-called "Three Parishes" which have long been treated as a unit – geographically, socially, economically and ecclesiastically. At high-tide much of the land in the village is below sea-level. A main drainage ditch, with an origin near Llanwern , known as "Monksditch" or "Goldcliff Pill" passes through
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#17328586138261188-697: A new crossing of the River Usk, which was provided by the Newport Transporter Bridge completed in 1906, described as "Newport's greatest treasure". Further extensions to the South Dock were opened in 1907 and 1914. The Newport Docks Disaster occurred on 2 July 1909 when, during the construction of the new south lock connecting the South Dock to the Severn Estuary , supporting timbers in an excavation trench collapsed and buried 46 workers. Rescuers included
1287-506: A pre-existing fortification in the vicinity and is most likely either to reference the ancient fort on Stow Hill, or a fort that occupied the site of the present castle. The English name 'Newport' is a later application. The settlement was first recorded by the Normans as novo burgus in 1126. This Latin name refers to the new borough (or town) established with the Norman castle. The origin of
1386-467: A result. Newport became one of the largest towns in Wales and the focus for the new industrial eastern valleys of South Wales . By 1830 Newport was Wales' leading coal port, and until the 1850s it was larger than Cardiff. The Newport Rising in 1839 was the last large-scale armed rebellion against authority in mainland Britain. John Frost and 3,000 other Chartists marched on the Westgate Hotel at
1485-519: A school. Their days are spent in prayer, adoration, and the making of altar-breads, vestments, and church ornaments." In 1910 the left pavilion wing, which was used as the estate laundry, was partially destroyed by fire. In March 1911, the Sacramentines were permitted by Archbishop Farley to open a house in Holy Trinity parish, Yonkers, New York and the house and estate at Whitson were then used as
1584-717: A sequence of styles has been attributed to Thomas Rickman in his 1817 work An Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture from the Conquest to the Reformation . In this work he used the labels "Norman, Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular". The more inclusive term romanesque was used of the Romance languages in English by 1715, and was applied to architecture of the eleventh and twelfth centuries from 1819. Although Edward
1683-406: A style must be assessed as an integral whole rather than an aggregate of features, and while some include these developments within the Norman or Romanesque styles, others describe them as transitional or "Norman–Gothic Transitional". A few websites use the term "Norman Gothic", but it is unclear whether they refer to the transitional style or to the Norman style as a whole. Neo-Norman architecture
1782-444: A succession of receding semicircular arches, often decorated with mouldings, typically of chevron or zig-zag design; sometimes there is a tympanum at the back of the head of the arch, which may feature sculpture representing a Biblical scene. Norman windows are mostly small and narrow, generally of a single round-headed light; but sometimes, especially in a bell tower , divided by a shaft into two lights. Viking invaders arrived at
1881-497: A tower, originally containing two bells. The inscription for the larger bell was "God save our King and Kingdom, and send us peace. W. and E. 1758" and for the smaller bell of the same date "Obedite" . Prior to the 20th century the nave was restored and the chancel rebuilt. There is a Norman font and a stained glass memorial east window erected in 1884 by the family of Reverend John Beynon. The register of baptisms dates from 1744, marriages from 1729 and burials from 1728. In 1901
1980-552: A training school for their African missions. In 1917, the Whitson Estate, encompassing most of the local farms and totalling some 1,050 acres (420 ha) and the Manorial Title, were sold at auction mainly to its existing tenant farmers. When Bradney published his "History of Monmouthshire" in 1932, the house stood empty. In 1933 Whitson Court and its remaining 18 acres (7.3 ha) of gardens and parkland, were purchased from
2079-558: Is a city and county borough in Wales , situated on the River Usk close to its confluence with the Severn Estuary , 12 mi (19 km) northeast of Cardiff . The population grew considerably between the 2011 and the 2021 census , rising from 145,700 to 159,587, the largest growth of any unitary authority in Wales. Newport is the third-largest principal authority with city status in Wales, and sixth most populous overall . Newport became
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#17328586138262178-649: Is a Grade II* listed building , retaining many original features. Originally believed to have been designed by Anthony Keck , who had designed a similar property at Iscoed in Carmarthenshire , Whitson House had many Nash -inspired additions including the unsupported cantilever stone spiral staircase in the hall, similar to that of Ffynone House at Manordeifi in Pembrokeshire , with an arched door frame underneath and plasterwork known to have been used at other Nash houses. There were also false plaster windows added to
2277-523: Is a defining point of Norman architecture. Grand archways are designed to evoke feelings of awe and are very commonly seen as the entrance to large religious buildings such as cathedrals. Norman arches are semicircular in form. Early examples have plain, square edges; later ones are often enriched with the zig-zag and roll mouldings. The arches are supported on massive columns , generally plain and cylindrical , sometimes with spiral decoration; occasionally, square-section piers are found. Main doorways have
2376-549: Is a large electricity sub-station, operated by the National Grid , adjacent to the former site of Llanwern steelworks near Whitson Arch. The local newspaper is the South Wales Argus which is published in Newport. Since March 2015 the village has used a Demand Responsive Transport public bus service (Route 63, two a day, weekdays) provided by Newport Bus . In 1995 a light aircraft landing strip (council approved for use as
2475-540: Is a type of Romanesque Revival architecture based on Norman Romanesque architecture. There is sometimes confusion, especially in North America, between this style and revivalist versions of vernacular or later architecture of Normandy , such as the " Norman farmhouse style " popular for larger houses. Romanesque Revival versions focus on the arch and capitals, and decorated doorways. There are two examples in Manchester:
2574-500: Is continuing to expand rapidly with new housing estates continuing to be built. The city boundaries include a number of villages in the Newport Built-up area . The city is divided into 21 wards. Most of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. Each community can have an elected council. The following table lists city council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. * communities with
2673-410: Is largely low-lying, but with a few hilly areas. Wentwood is 1,014 ft (309 m) above sea level. Areas in the south and east of the city tend to be flat and fertile with some housing estates and industrial areas reclaimed from marshland. Areas near the banks of the River Usk, such as Caerleon , are also low-lying. The eastern outskirts of the city are characterised by the gently rolling hills of
2772-555: Is said to have belonged to Portown, a place now swallowed up by the sea." Kelly's Directory of 1901 lists the Parish Clerk as one William Roberts and sub-postmaster as one Richard Keyte. Two private dwellings are listed for a Mr. St. John Knox Richards Phillips J.P. at Whitson Court and for Reverend John Price of St.Bees (vicar of Whitson & Goldcliff) at the Vicarage. Commercial residents are listed as: The Rev. Henry Morgan reports
2871-555: Is the cathedral of the Diocese of Monmouth . The original Welsh name for the city was Casnewydd-ar-Wysg (pronounced [kasˈnɛwɪð ar ˈwɪsk] ). This is a contraction of the name Castell Newydd ar Wysg , which translates as 'new castle on the Usk'. The Welsh name is recorded in the Brut y Tywysogion when it was visited by Henry II of England sometime around 1172. "New castle" suggests
2970-408: The opus gallicum technique to Italy. Their clever use of the local stone artisans, together with the vast riches amassed from their enslaved population, made such tremendous feats possible, some as majestic as those of the ancient Roman structures they tried to emulate. Besides the encastellation of the countryside, the Normans erected several religious buildings which still survive. They edified
3069-417: The 2011 census , 89.9% described themselves as White, 5.5% Asian, 1.7% Black, 1.1% Mixed White/Black, 0.5% Mixed White/Asian and 1.4% as other ethnic groups. In the 2021 census, Whites had decreased to 85.6% of the population while all other groups increased bar Black Caribbeans. Norman architecture The term Norman architecture is used to categorise styles of Romanesque architecture developed by
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3168-570: The 2022 Newport City Council election with 35 seats, ahead of the Conservative Party with 7 seats. The Labour Party lost control of Newport council in the 2008 local elections to a Conservative/ Liberal Democrat coalition but the Labour Party regained an overall majority of councillors in the 2012 election until the present day. In the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), Newport is divided between
3267-613: The Brexit Party . The official blazon of the armorial bearings is: "(arms) Or, a chevron reversed gules, the shield ensigned by a cherub proper. Supporters: on the dexter side a winged sea lion Or, and on the sinister side a sea dragon gules, the nether parts of both proper, finned gold." The title of Freedom of Newport is a ceremonial honour, given by the Newport council to those who have served in some exceptional capacity, or upon any whom Newport wishes to bestow an honour. There have been 17 individuals or organisations that have received
3366-637: The Church of Saint-Étienne at Caen, in 1067. This would eventually form a model for the larger English cathedrals some 20 years later, after they had invaded and conquered England. In England, Norman nobles and bishops had influence before the Norman Conquest of 1066, and Norman influences affected late Anglo-Saxon architecture . Edward the Confessor was brought up in Normandy and in 1042 brought masons to work on
3465-554: The M4 corridor high-technology cluster. It was granted city status in 2002. The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport hosted the Ryder Cup in 2010 and was the venue for the 2014 NATO summit . The city contains extensive rural areas surrounding the built-up core . Its villages are of considerable archaeological importance. Newport Cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Monmouth and
3564-534: The Normans in the various lands under their dominion or influence in the 11th and 12th centuries. In particular the term is traditionally used for English Romanesque architecture . The Normans introduced large numbers of castles and fortifications including Norman keeps , and at the same time monasteries , abbeys , churches and cathedrals, in a style characterised by the usual Romanesque rounded arches (particularly over windows and doorways) and especially massive proportions compared to other regional variations of
3663-608: The Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament at the time of the expulsion in July 1903, were compelled to close their boarding-school and go into exile. Thirteen of the sisters retired to Belgium , and founded a house at Hal , while the rest of their community settled at Whitson Court – thanks to the generosity of Reverend Vassall-Phillips, who wrote: "This order of nuns existence is precarious, for they are not permitted to open
3762-585: The Port of Cardiff (which included Cardiff, Penarth and Barry ), Newport was the place where the Miners' Federation of Great Britain was founded in 1889, and international trade was sufficiently large for 8 consuls and 14 vice-consuls to be based in the town. In 1898 Lysaght's Orb Works opened and by 1901 employed 3,000 staff. Urban expansion took in Pillgwenlly and Lliswerry to the south; this eventually necessitated
3861-503: The Senedd constituencies of Newport East and Newport West and elects one Member of the Senedd (MS) in each constituency. In the 2021 Senedd election , the Labour Party retained both Newport East and Newport West. In Senedd elections the Labour Party has held both the Newport East and Newport West constituencies since the constituencies were created in 1999. In UK General Elections
3960-583: The Vale of Usk and Christchurch has panoramic views of the Vale of Usk and the Bristol Channel . Ridgeway at Allt-yr-yn also has good views of the surrounding areas and Bristol Channel. Brynglas has views over the city centre and Twmbarlwm to the west. The suburbs of the city have grown outwards from the inner-city, mostly near the main roads, giving the suburban sprawl of the city an irregular shape. The urban area
4059-530: The cathedral at Messina consecrated in 1197. However, here the high Gothic campanile is of a later date and should not be confused with the early Gothic built during the Norman period; which featured pointed arches and windows rather than the flying buttresses and pinnacles later to manifest themselves in the Gothic era. After its Norman conquest in 1091, Malta saw the construction of several Norman pieces of architecture. Many have been demolished and rebuilt over
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4158-609: The 19th century when its port became the focus of coal exports from the eastern South Wales Valleys . Newport was the largest coal exporter in Wales until the rise of Cardiff in the mid-1800s. Newport was the site of the last large-scale armed insurrection in Great Britain , the Newport Rising of 1839. In the 20th century, the docks declined in importance, but Newport remained an important centre for manufacturing and engineering . Latterly its economy has been bolstered as part of
4257-915: The City of Newport is in two UK Parliament constituencies . Due to boundary changes the Newport West constituency was renamed Newport West and Islwyn for the 2024 United Kingdom general election . In 2024 the Labour Party won both the expanded Newport East constituency and the new Newport West and Islwyn constituency. Until 2024 The City of Newport was divided between the UK Parliament constituencies of Newport East and Newport West and elected one Member of Parliament (MP) in each constituency. The Labour Party held Newport East since constituency boundaries were redrawn in 1983 and held Newport West since 1987. The city formerly had only one constituency Newport (Monmouthshire) (UK Parliament constituency) until 1983 when
4356-793: The Confessor built the original Westminster Abbey in Romanesque style (now all replaced by later rebuildings), its construction predates the Norman Conquest: it is still believed to have been the earliest major Romanesque building in England. No other significant remaining Romanesque architecture in Britain can clearly be shown to predate the Norman Conquest. However, historians believe that many surviving "Norman" elements in buildings–nearly all churches–may well in fact be Anglo-Saxon elements. The Norman arch
4455-924: The Irish. The years between 1177 and 1310 saw the construction of some of the greatest of the Norman castles in Ireland. The Normans settled mostly in an area in the east of Ireland, later known as the Pale , and among other buildings they constructed were Swords Castle in Fingal (North County Dublin), Dublin Castle and Carrickfergus Castle in County Antrim. The Normans began constructing castles, their trademark architectural piece, in Italy from an early date. William Iron Arm built one at an unidentified location (Stridula) in Calabria in 1045. After
4554-483: The Metropolitan Cathedral of Wales, as it had when previous Bishops of Monmouth were elected Archbishop. In 1850 Newport was recognised as a centre of Catholicism in Wales when the Diocese of Newport and Menevia was created. Between 21 October 1966 and 6 October 1969, having retired as Bishop of Rochester , New York , Fulton J. Sheen , an American bishop who pioneered preaching on television and radio ,
4653-630: The Mezzogiorno ;: Sicily 's Norman period lasted from c. 1061 until about 1200. The architecture was decorated in gilded mosaics such as that at the cathedral at Monreale . The Palatine Chapel in Palermo built in 1130 is perhaps the strongest example of this. The interior of the dome , (itself a Byzantine feature), is decorated in a mosaic depicting Christ Pantocrator accompanied by his angels . During Sicily's later Norman era early Gothic influences can be detected such as those in
4752-566: The Phillips family may also be found in St. Mary's church in the neighbouring village of Nash . (William Phillips also built Redbrick House in nearby Redwick ). After the death of St. John Knox Rickards Phillips, in 1901 ownership of the house passed to a distant relative, Fr Oliver Rodie Vassall-Phillips CSsR. In consequence of the persecution of religious congregations in France , the Sacramentines of Bernay of
4851-469: The Romanesque style of the Franks. By 950, they were building stone keeps . The Normans were among the most travelled peoples of Europe, exposing them to a wide variety of cultural influences which became incorporated in their art and architecture. They elaborated on the early Christian basilica plan. Their churches were originally longitudinal with side aisles and an apse. They then began to add towers , as at
4950-641: The Scottish brothers Alex and Peter Campbell on the River Clyde , but was re-located to the Severn Estuary. Departing steamers would face south on Davis Wharf, with the Art College to its left and the town bridge behind. The boats gave rise to the name of the short street which led to the quayside – Screwpacket Road. By 1955 steamers had stopped calling at Newport and P & A Campbell went into receivership in 1959. It
5049-471: The borough was incorporated into the new local government county of Gwent until Newport became a unitary authority again in 1996. Gwent remains in use for ceremonial functions as a preserved county . Newport was historically industrialised with a large working class population and strong support for the Labour Party . Newport City Council consists of 53 elected councillors. The Labour Party won
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#17328586138265148-443: The castle the next day. A cannonball dug up from a garden in nearby Summerhill Avenue, dating from this time, now rests in Newport Museum . As the Industrial Revolution transformed Britain in the 19th century, the South Wales Valleys became key suppliers of coal from the South Wales Coalfield , and iron . These were transported down local rivers and the new canals to ports such as Newport, and Newport Docks grew rapidly as
5247-446: The centre of the city. A pub in the city centre was named "The Tom Toya Lewis" in his honour, but closed in 2021. The building in which the pub was housed was formerly the Newport YMCA , the foundation stone for which was laid by Viscount Tredegar in 1909. From 1893 the town was served by the paddle steamers of P & A Campbell Ltd. (the "White Funnel Line"), which was based in Bristol. The company had originally been set up by
5346-421: The centre of the town, where chartists were being held prisoner, with some of the chartists being armed. Shooting began between the chartists and the 45th Regiment of Foot , which had been called to the town by the Mayor, Thomas Phillips, to assist the police. At least 20 chartists were killed and were later buried in Saint Woolos churchyard . Thomas Philips and three of those in the hotel were wounded. John Frost
5445-400: The church into residential accommodation was granted by Newport City Council. The church was sold at auction in February 2022. Whitson Court is a neo-classical house. Built in the grounds of a medieval tithe barn linked to Goldcliff Priory and on the site of an earlier house, the present property was built for William Phillips (1752–1836), High Sheriff for Monmouthshire , in about 1791 and
5544-438: The city was split into Newport East and Newport West due to population growth. Prior to Brexit in 2020, Newport was part of the Wales European Parliament Constituency . The Wales constituency elected four Members of the European Parliament (MEP) on a Proportional representation basis. In the 2019 European Parliament election the Wales constituency elected one MEP from the Labour Party , one from Plaid Cymru and two from
5643-493: The concentrated spaces of capitals and round doorways as well as the tympanum under an arch. The "Norman arch" is the rounded, often with mouldings carved or incised onto it for decoration. chevron patterns , frequently termed "zig-zag mouldings ", were a frequent signature of the Normans. The cruciform churches often had deep chancels and a square crossing tower which has remained a feature of English ecclesiastical architecture . Hundreds of parish churches were built and
5742-443: The construction of the Severn Bridge and local sections of the M4 motorway in the late 1960s, making Newport the best-connected place in Wales. Although employment at Llanwern steelworks declined in the 1980s, the town acquired a range of new public sector employers, and a Richard Rogers –designed Inmos microprocessor factory helped to establish Newport as a centre for technology companies. A flourishing local music scene in
5841-462: The court of King Macbeth around 1050. His successor Máel Coluim III overthrew him with English and Norman assistance, and his queen, Margaret , encouraged the church. The Benedictine order founded a monastery at Dunfermline . Her sixth and youngest son, who became King David , built St. Margaret's Chapel at the start of the 12th century. The Normans first landed in Ireland in 1169. Within five years earthwork castles were springing up, and in
5940-436: The death of Robert Guiscard in 1085, the Mezzogiorno (peninsular southern Italy) experienced a series of civil wars and fell under the control of increasingly weaker princes. Revolts characterised the region until well into the twelfth century and minor lords sought to resist ducal or royal power from within their own castles. In the Molise , the Normans embarked on their most extensive castle-building programme and introduced
6039-555: The death of Garroway Smith in the late 1950s, the house and grounds passed to his niece, Olive Maybury who made various alterations to the house, adding three neo-classical plaster relief panels to the fire surround in the morning room, an ornately carved fire surround in the former kitchen and the replacement of the dilapidated spiral staircase to the top floor of the house, with a Gothic secondary staircase, removed from Plas LLecha at Tredunnock . The family collected exotic animals including Bornean Sun Bears , Himalayan Bears , lions and
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#17328586138266138-461: The early 1990s led to claims that the town was "a new Seattle ". The county borough of Newport was granted city status in 2002 to mark Queen Elizabeth II 's Golden Jubilee . In the same year, an unusually large merchant ship, referred to locally as the Newport Ship , was uncovered and rescued from the west bank of the River Usk during the construction of the Riverfront Arts Centre . The ship has been dated to between 1445 and 1469 and remains
6237-429: The east of the village at Porton. It is a Grade II* listed building and is thought to have originally been a chapellage of the Benedictine Priory at Goldcliff . Although the original dedication is unclear, the church is known locally as St. Mary's (not to be confused with the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Goldcliff ). The church is built of stone, in the Early English style , with a chancel , nave , south porch and
6336-407: The ends of the adjoining pavilions which were typical of John Nash. In the same year (1791), Nash was working on his design for Newport Bridge and the lodge at Whitson Court is of a typical Nash design. Monumental inscriptions at Whitson Church indicate that the house was called Whitson House from at least 1789 and for most of the 19th century, but had become Whitson Court by 1903. Memorial stones for
6435-404: The family and were again left empty, being placed on Newport Council's "Buildings at Risk" register in 2009. The court was subsequently sold and has now been restored, with advice from Cadw . This property is situated in the neighbouring parish of Redwick . The earliest church records show that there has been a house on the site since 1450, then called Whitehall Farm. The main Georgian façade
6534-428: The fertile estuary of the River Usk and later the Celtic Silures built hillforts overlooking it. In AD 75, on the very edge of their empire, the Roman legions built a Roman fort at Caerleon to defend the river crossing. According to legend, in the late 5th century Saint Gwynllyw (Woolos), the patron saint of Newport and King of Gwynllwg founded the church which would become Newport Cathedral . The church
6633-420: The first Norman Lord of Newport was Robert Fitzhamon . The original Newport Castle was a small motte-and-bailey castle in the park opposite Newport Cathedral. It was buried in rubble excavated from the Hillfield railway tunnels that were dug under Stow Hill in the 1840s and no part of it is currently visible. Around the settlement, the new town grew to become Newport, obtaining its first charter in 1314 and
6732-450: The first Romanesque building in England, Westminster Abbey . In 1051 he brought in Norman knights who built "motte" castles as a defence against the Welsh. Following the invasion, Normans rapidly constructed motte-and-bailey castles along with churches, abbeys , and more elaborate fortifications such as Norman stone keeps . The buildings show massive proportions in simple geometries using small bands of sculpture. Paying attention to
6831-417: The great English cathedrals were founded from 1083. After a fire damaged Canterbury Cathedral in 1174 Norman masons introduced the new Gothic architecture . Around 1191 Wells Cathedral and Lincoln Cathedral brought in the English Gothic style, and Norman became increasingly a modest style of provincial building. Bibliography Scotland also came under early Norman influence with Norman nobles at
6930-419: The honour since 1909, including: Newport is located 138 mi (222 km) west of London and 12 mi (19 km) east of Cardiff . It is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent . The City of Newport, which includes rural areas as well as the built up area, is the sixth most populous unitary authority in Wales. The city
7029-416: The hospital lived on in the place name " Spytty Fields " (a corruption of ysbyty , the Welsh for hospital). "Austin Friars" also remains a street name in the city. During the Last War for Welsh Independence in 1402 Rhys Gethin , General for Owain Glyndŵr , forcibly took Newport Castle together with those at Cardiff, Llandaff, Abergavenny, Caerphilly, Caerleon and Usk. During the raid the town of Newport
7128-510: The living was a vicarage with a net income of £196, including 49 acres (20 ha) of glebe and residence, in the gift of Eton College and the Dean and Chapter of Llandaff alternately, and held from 1900 by the Reverend John Price. Bradney (1933) notes the church as "remarkable for its fine tower with a pinnacle at one corner." The church closed, as it was a very poor state of repair, and
7227-514: The mining towns of the South Wales Valleys . Despite the economic conditions, the council re-housed over half the population in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1930 the Town Dock was filled in. The post-war years saw renewed prosperity, with Saint Woolos' Cathedral (now Newport Cathedral ) attaining full cathedral status in 1949, the opening of the modern integrated Llanwern steelworks in 1962, and
7326-556: The mouth of the river Seine in Normandy in 911, at a time when Franks were fighting on horseback and Frankish lords were building castles. Over the next century the population of the territory ceded to the Vikings (now called Normans ) adopted these customs as well as Christianity and the langue d'oïl . Norman barons built timber castles on earthen mounds, beginning the development of motte-and-bailey castles , and great stone churches in
7425-427: The name Newport and the reason for its wide adoption remains the subject of debate. Newport-on-Usk is found on some early maps, and the name was in popular usage well before the development of Newport Docks . One theory suggests that Newport gained favour with medieval maritime traders on the Usk, as it differentiated the "New port" from the " Old Roman port " at Caerleon . Bronze Age fishermen settled around
7524-414: The name of the manor and surrounding village, but notes early spellings such as Witston, Widson and Wyttston. It seems most likely, however, that the name came from "Whitestone", similar to the adjacent "Goldcliff". In 1358 the manor was held "...by John de Saint Maur of Penhow of Peter de Cusance by knight service, as of his manor of Langstone ". In the 18th and 19th centuries the Phillips family owned
7623-467: The nearby ports of Bristol and Bridgwater and industries included leather tanning, soap making and starch making. The town's craftsmen included bakers, butchers, brewers, carpenters and blacksmiths. A further charter was granted by James I in 1623. During the English Civil War in 1648 Oliver Cromwell 's troops camped overnight on Christchurch Hill overlooking the town before their attack on
7722-689: The new church were held. By July 1879 the decline in Welsh-speaking in the town led to a change in the services from Welsh to English. In September 1993, the Charles Street congregation joined with Ebbw Bridge Baptist Church, Newport, and the Charles Street Chapel closed. In the 2011 census 56.8% of Newport residents considered themselves Christian , 4.7% Muslim , 1.2% Other religions (including Hindu , Buddhist , Sikh , Jewish and Others), 29.7% were non-religious and 7.5% chose not to answer
7821-456: The non-compulsory religion question on the census. Newport has more than 50 churches, 7 mosques , and one synagogue ; the nearest Gurudwara is in Cardiff. The Church in Wales church of St Julius and St Aaron, at St Julian's, was consecrated in 1926. The following table shows the religious identity of residents residing in Newport according to the 2001, 2011 and the 2021 censuses. In
7920-429: The only vessel of its type from this period yet discovered anywhere in the world. Newport has long been the largest town in the historic county of Monmouthshire and a county borough between 1891 and 1974. The Local Government Act 1972 removed ambiguity about the legal status of the area by including the administrative county of Monmouthshire and the county borough of Newport into all acts pertaining to Wales. In 1974,
8019-563: The overnight temperature fell to −16.1 °C (3.0 °F) the coldest temperature for the whole of the UK during that year, and the latest date in spring the UK's lowest temperature has been recorded. In 1929 St Woolos Church became the Pro-Cathedral of the Diocese of Monmouth , becoming a full cathedral in 1949. When Rowan Williams was appointed Archbishop of Wales in 2000, the Cathedral became
8118-481: The preachers John Hier, and his subordinate James Edmunds, both from Bethesda, to preach to them there. They later moved to a larger room in Charles Street. In 1816 a meeting at the Castleton Baptist Association agreed to build the first Welsh Baptist Chapel in Newport. Land was acquired in Charles Street, with the help of a bequest from Newport tailor John Williams. In May 1817 the opening services of
8217-630: The rest of Monmouthshire came to be seen as "un-Welsh", a view compounded by ambiguity about the status of Monmouthshire . In the 19th century, the St George Society of Newport (a group largely consisting of English settlers and businessmen) asserted that the town was part of England. It was at a meeting in Newport, attended by future Prime Minister David Lloyd George , that the Cymru Fydd movement received its death-blow in 1896 when politician Robert Bird stated: "You will find, from Swansea to Newport,
8316-561: The shrine at Monte Sant'Angelo and built a mausoleum to the Hauteville family at Venosa . They also built many new Latin monasteries, including the famous foundation of Sant'Eufemia Lamezia . Other examples of great importance are the portal of the Shrine of Mary Queen of Anglona and the ambulatory and radiating chapels of the Aversa Cathedral . Here is a list of Norman architecture in
8415-555: The story of Eve, daughter of the Whitson postmaster, who died at The Farmer's Arms in Goldcliff . Said to have haunted the area, Eve's ghost was chased by the villagers whereupon she flung herself into a well. The well became known as "Ffynnon Eva" or Eve's Well – in the Newport district in Beechwood now known as Eveswell. The parish church with its distinctive "thimble tower" is situated in
8514-597: The style. These Romanesque styles originated in Normandy and became widespread in northwestern Europe, particularly in England, which contributed considerable development and where the largest number of examples survived. At about the same time, a Norman dynasty that ruled in Sicily produced a distinctive variation–incorporating Byzantine and Saracen influences–also known as Norman architecture (or alternatively Sicilian Romanesque). The term Norman may have originated with eighteenth-century antiquarians , but its usage in
8613-531: The then owner, Squire Oakley, by Mr Garroway Smith of Newport. During World War II , the family gave sanctuary to several German Jewish refugees as well as providing work for German Prisoners of War – many of the paths in the grounds were built by German POW Officers housed at the Prisoner of War camp in Nash. The house was used as a reference point by German bomber crews, aiming their runs at Newport Docks . Following
8712-659: The village on its way to the sea. Local folklore maintains that the sides of the Monksditch are laced with smuggler's brandy. The layout of the village has the houses and farmsteads reflects a medieval 'cope' land allocation pattern, similar to that used in land reclamation in Holland . Porton House is situated next to the sea and accessed from Great Porton. Historically Porton has been part of Goldcliff and may have once had its own separate church, although confusion with Whitson church seems more likely. For many years Porton, like Goldcliff,
8811-459: The year, Atlantic storms give significant rainfall in the autumn, these gradually becoming rarer towards the end of winter. Autumn and summer have often been the wettest seasons in recent times. Snow falls in most winters and sometimes settles on the ground, usually melting within a few days. Newport records few days with gales compared to most of Wales, again due to its sheltered location. Frosts are common from October to May. On 20 March 1930,
8910-521: The years (especially after the 1693 Sicily earthquake which destroyed many old Norman buildings), however some fortresses and houses still exist in Mdina and Vittoriosa . As master masons developed the style and experimented with ways of overcoming the geometric difficulties of groin vaulted ceilings, they introduced features such as the pointed arch that were later characterised as being Gothic in style. Architectural historians and scholars consider that
9009-660: Was appointed the titular archbishop of Newport by Pope Paul VI . The Catholic St Patrick's Church was served by the Rosminians until the 2010s. The foundation of the Charles Street Baptist Church was mainly the project of three women who had been members of Bethesda Baptist Chapel in Rogerstone , which was first built in 1742. In 1807 a Mrs Samuel and her friends rented a room in John Rowe's house on Stow Hill and asked
9108-409: Was badly burned and Saint Woolos church destroyed. A third charter, establishing the right of the town to run its own market and commerce came from Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham in 1426. By 1521, Newport was described as having "....a good haven coming into it, well occupied with small crays [merchant ships] where a very great ship may resort and have good harbour." Trade was thriving with
9207-610: Was built in about 1795, by William Phillips, owner of Whiston Court. Phillips built the house in anticipation of his son's return to Britain from the American Colonies , but the son drowned in a shipwreck. The village hall , now unused, was for many years the site of an annual village fair at Whitsuntide . The village was the home for the Post Office for the three parishes for many years but this has now closed. The village has never been known to have had its own public house . There
9306-505: Was certainly in existence by the 9th century and today has become the seat of the Bishop of Monmouth . In 1049/50, a fleet of Orkney Vikings, under Welsh king Gruffydd ap Llywelyn , sailed up the Usk and sacked St Gwynllyw's church. The church suffered a similar fate in 1063, when Harold Godwinson attacked south Wales. The Normans arrived from around 1088–1093 to build the first Newport Castle and river crossing downstream from Caerleon and
9405-469: Was granted a second one, by Hugh Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford in 1385 (the Newport coat of arms reflects those of the Staffords: theirs was a red chevron - pointing upwards- on a gold field, Newport's is a red chevron reversed - pointing downward - on the same background.) In the 14th century Augustinian friars came to Newport where they built an isolation hospital for infectious diseases. After its closure
9504-492: Was placed on the council's register for Buildings at Risk. The churchyard, which is well maintained, may still be accessed by means of a public footpath through private land. In November 2018 it was stated that plans to convert the church to a private residence were likely to be rejected because of flood risk. Concerns were also raised over a stained glass window, dedicated to the memory of Herbert and Alice Stevens, paid for by their 14 children. In 2021, planning permission to convert
9603-407: Was sentenced to death for treason, but this was later commuted to transportation to Australia. He returned to Britain (but not to Newport) later in his life. John Frost Square (1977), in the centre of the city, is named in his honour. Newport probably had a Welsh-speaking majority until the 1830s, but with a large influx of migrants from England and Ireland over the following decades, the town and
9702-515: Was taken over by the firm which would become the Townsend Ferry group. Compared to many Welsh towns, Newport's economy had a broad base, with foundries, engineering works, a cattle market and shops that served much of Monmouthshire. However, the docks were in decline even before the Great Depression , and local unemployment peaked at 34.7% in 1930: high, but not as bad as the levels seen in
9801-530: Was the site of a salmon fishery . The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) describes the village as "a parish in the lower division of Caldicott Hundred , county Monmouth, 6 miles S.E. of Newport" and says, "The land is partly in common. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Llandaff value £180, in the alternate patronage of the Chapter of Llandaff and the Provost of Eton College . The church
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