Newport History

Newport History Exploring the rich past of Newport, one story, one photo at a time. Discover hidden gems, forgotten tales, and the moments that shaped our city.

Archaeologists in Caerleon have uncovered evidence of a previously unknown Roman fast food outlet.Early findings suggest...
01/04/2026

Archaeologists in Caerleon have uncovered evidence of a previously unknown Roman fast food outlet.

Early findings suggest soldiers were served flatbread with toppings, possibly the earliest form of pizza.

The remains of Caerleon Castle in Caerleon mark the site of a medieval fortification built by the Normans in the late 11...
26/03/2026

The remains of Caerleon Castle in Caerleon mark the site of a medieval fortification built by the Normans in the late 11th century.

Originally constructed as a motte-and-bailey castle, it was likely established around 1085 to control key crossing points on the River Usk, a strategic route that had been important since Roman times.

What makes Caerleon Castle particularly unique is its connection to the past. It was built on and around the remains of Isca Augusta, one of the most important Roman military sites in Britain.

Over the centuries, the castle became a focal point of conflict between Norman forces and Welsh rulers. In 1217, it was captured by the Welsh before later being rebuilt in stone under William Marshal, one of the most powerful figures of the period.

The site is also linked to legend. In the 12th century, writers such as Geoffrey of Monmouth suggested that the nearby Roman ruins may have been associated with King Arthur, even claiming Caerleon as a possible site of his court or coronation.

Today, much of the castle has been lost, but its most striking feature remains, the large earthen mound, or motte, which rises around 30 metres high. Although landscaped in the 19th century, it still dominates the landscape and marks the heart of the original fortress.

A ruined 13th-century stone tower also survives near the Hanbury Arms. This structure likely formed part of the castle’s outer defences and was later used as a local lock-up or jail during the 18th century.

Built using stone taken from the Roman fortress, Caerleon Castle represents a layered history, where Roman, medieval, and legendary pasts all meet in one place.

In 2002, during construction of the Riverfront Arts Centre in Newport, workers uncovered something far more significant ...
25/03/2026

In 2002, during construction of the Riverfront Arts Centre in Newport, workers uncovered something far more significant than bedrock, the remarkably preserved hull of a 15th-century merchant vessel.

Buried in the anaerobic mud of the River Usk for over 500 years, the discovery sparked one of the most ambitious maritime salvage operations in British history.

Dendrochronological analysis suggests the ship was built around 1448, likely in the Basque region of northern Spain. This was a vessel designed for the demands of long-distance trade, capable of navigating the treacherous waters of the Bay of Biscay.

During the 1450s and 1460s, it formed part of the “Great Trade,” transporting large quantities of wine from France and Spain to Britain.

Excavations revealed more than just timber. Archaeologists uncovered stone cannonballs, fine pottery, and even pomegranate seeds — luxury items that reflect the scale and sophistication of medieval trade networks.

Although the ship likely visited major ports such as Bristol, it met its end in Newport. Evidence suggests it was brought into a riverside “cradle” in the late 1460s for extensive repairs.

Those repairs were never completed.

At some point during the work, the ship’s supports likely failed, causing it to flood and sink into the mud. What would have been a costly disaster for its owners became an extraordinary stroke of luck for modern historians, the silt preserved the vessel in remarkable condition for centuries.

Today, the Newport Ship stands as one of the most important maritime discoveries ever made in Britain, offering a rare glimpse into the world of medieval trade.

In the early hours of 13 September 1940, during the Battle of Britain, a German bomber piloted by Harry Wappler was retu...
23/03/2026

In the early hours of 13 September 1940, during the Battle of Britain, a German bomber piloted by Harry Wappler was returning from a mission targeting Ellesmere Port.

With bombs still on board, the crew chose Newport as a secondary target. Flying low to avoid cloud cover and improve accuracy, the aircraft passed over the city, but near Tredegar Park, disaster struck. The plane's wing hit a cable from a barrage balloon, slicing into it and causing the aircraft to lose control.

As it spiralled downward, it struck a second cable near Belle Vue Park. Realising the aircraft was doomed, Wappler bailed out. Moments later, the plane crashed into a house at 32 Stow Park Avenue, at the top of Stow Hill.

The consequences were devastating.

The house belonged to the Phillips family. Harold and Marjorie Phillips managed to escape through a window, but their two children, Malcolm, 17, and Myrtle, 14, had been sleeping downstairs for safety. They were killed when the aircraft's fuel and incendiary devices exploded.

Three of the four German crew members also died in the crash. Today, they are buried at the German Military Cemetery at Cannock Chase.

Wappler survived, parachuting into Queen's Street where he landed in a tree, breaking his arm. He was quickly arrested and taken to St Woolos Hospital, before being sent to a prisoner of war camp.

In a strange twist, Wappler later became known for a daring escape attempt while imprisoned in Cumbria, where he and another pilot tried to steal a British aircraft to fly back to Germany, though they were caught before they could take off.

Town Dock, from the roof of the Orb Steel Works on the east side of the river, after 1895. This was the earliest dock in...
20/03/2026

Town Dock, from the roof of the Orb Steel Works on the east side of the river, after 1895. This was the earliest dock in Newport, built in 1842 at a cost of £200,000.

The St Woolos Workhouse opened in 1839 on the outskirts of Newport, in what was then a largely rural area. It served the...
12/03/2026

The St Woolos Workhouse opened in 1839 on the outskirts of Newport, in what was then a largely rural area. It served the Newport Poor Law Union, taking in the destitute from Newport and the surrounding parishes.

Like many Victorian workhouses, the building was designed to control and separate its inmates. Men, women, and children were kept apart, and families were often split up when they entered. Residents were expected to perform basic work such as laundry, cleaning, or simple labour.

Life inside could be extremely difficult. Food was basic, rules were strict, and the loss of personal freedom was severe.

Records show that many of the poorest residents of Newport died inside the workhouse, particularly the elderly and sick who had nowhere else to go. Some were buried in nearby cemeteries with little more than a simple entry in the parish registers to mark their passing.

Workhouses often functioned partly as hospitals, but medical care was limited by the standards of the time.

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many workhouses increasingly began to serve as hospitals and care homes for the elderly and infirm. As attitudes toward poverty began to change, the workhouse system was gradually abolished, and the Newport workhouse evolved into St Woolos Hospital.

For much of the 20th century, the site served as an important medical facility for the area before eventually being replaced by newer hospitals.

Although the original purpose of the workhouse has long disappeared, the site remains an important part of Newport’s social history. Institutions like St Woolos Workhouse reveal the realities of poverty in Victorian Britain and the harsh systems created to deal with it.

For thousands of people in Newport, the workhouse was a place of last resort, entered only when there was nowhere else to turn.

Did you hear about the man who drank acid? In September 1877, a tragic and unusual accident took place in Newport that w...
10/03/2026

Did you hear about the man who drank acid?

In September 1877, a tragic and unusual accident took place in Newport that would later become one of the city’s more disturbing historical stories.

Edward Granville, a cellarman working at the Tredegar Arms in the Pill area of the town, had gone down into the pub’s cellar to help move beer barrels. While there, he noticed a bottle and decided to take a quick drink, believing it to be alcohol.

Unfortunately, the bottle did not contain drink at all. It held carbolic acid, a powerful chemical disinfectant commonly used in the 19th century for cleaning drains and killing bacteria. The bottle had apparently been left in the cellar and the warning label was not clearly visible. Unaware of the danger, Granville swallowed a large amount before realising something was terribly wrong.

After leaving the cellar, Granville reportedly told another man that he had been “drinking something hot.” Within minutes the acid began to burn his throat and stomach. He attempted to drink water but soon collapsed. A doctor was called and tried to treat him with milk, eggs, and olive oil, remedies sometimes used at the time for poisoning, but the damage was already severe.

Edward Granville died within two hours of swallowing the acid. A post-mortem examination later revealed the extent of the injuries, with doctors discovering a large quantity of the corrosive chemical still in his stomach.

The tragedy soon led to rumours around Newport. Some people claimed the landlord of the Tredegar Arms had been using carbolic acid to dilute beer, an accusation he strongly denied, stating the chemical had only been used to disinfect drains in the area. In later years, stories even emerged that strange things happened in the cellar where Granville died, leading some locals to believe his restless spirit still haunted the pub.

For most of Newport’s history, the city after dark was lit by gas lamps and candlelight.But in the late 19th century eve...
09/03/2026

For most of Newport’s history, the city after dark was lit by gas lamps and candlelight.

But in the late 19th century everything changed when electric lighting arrived. Streets that had once been dim and shadowy suddenly glowed with bright new lamps powered by modern technology.

For many residents it must have felt like stepping into the future.

Electric lighting transformed life in Newport. Shops could stay open later, streets became safer at night, and the city began to take on a more modern character.

It’s easy to forget today, but there was a time when the simple act of flicking on a light switch was something entirely new.

Image: Mark Lewis

Margaret Haig Thomas, The 2nd Viscountess Rhondda, was the founder and editor of Time & Tide, International businesswoma...
08/03/2026

Margaret Haig Thomas, The 2nd Viscountess Rhondda, was the founder and editor of Time & Tide, International businesswoman and Newport suffragette who helped to achieve the right for women to vote.

In 1913, she posted a small home made bomb in a post box on Risca Road in an attempt to destroy the mail. She was given a fine for the act but refused to pay, this resulted in her being sent to Usk prison but was released 5 days later after going on a hunger strike.

Parliament was forced to heed the suffragettes demands after protests increased and prisons started filling up with activists. But their activities would come to an abrupt halt when the First World War broke out.

Tragically, she died in 1958, less than a month after women were able to enter the House of Lords which she had previously been unable to do.

Twmbarlwm, the "Cymru’s Sphinx" that dominates the skyline of Gwent, is a landscape where the boundary between historica...
03/03/2026

Twmbarlwm, the "Cymru’s Sphinx" that dominates the skyline of Gwent, is a landscape where the boundary between historical archaeology and high fantasy dissolves. At its heart lies the massive Iron Age hillfort, a sprawling defensive enclosure once commanded by the Silures.

This fierce Celtic tribe was renowned for its guerrilla warfare tactics against the Roman legions, and it is widely believed that their spiritual leaders, the Druids, utilized the summit as a sacred "Place of Judgment." From this height, the Druids would interpret the laws of the land and the movements of the stars, creating a legacy of wisdom and ritual that has permeated the soil for over two millennia.

Beyond the historical defense of the Silures, the mountain is steeped in the eerie folklore of the Tylwyth Teg, or the Fair Folk. Local legend warns that the summit is a "thin place" where the music of the fairies can occasionally be heard drifting on the wind.

One of the most haunting tales tells of a young local girl who was lured away from her path by this ethereal, enchanting melody. Following the sound into the mist toward the ancient mound, she vanished into the realm of the Fair Folk, serving as a cautionary tale for those who wander the hill after dusk without a clear heart or a steady foot.

The "Twmp" itself, the prominent mound at the summit, is the subject of grander, more primordial myths involving the giant Brân the Blessed.

It is said that the giant’s head is buried beneath the earth here, his spirit acting as a slumbering sentinel over the valleys. Guarding his rest is a legendary swarm of supernatural bees, said to be the protectors of a hidden golden hoard. This giant’s presence is further complimented by the figure of the Green Guardian, a manifestation of the wild, untamed spirit of the mountain.

This guardian is often depicted as a protector of the flora and fauna of Twmbarlwm, ensuring that the ancient sanctity of the site is respected by those who traverse its slopes.

The intersection of these stories creates a rich tapestry that defines the local identity of the Risca and Cwmbran areas. Whether it is the ghost of a Silurian warrior, the judgment of a Druid, or the shimmering music of the Fair Folk, Twmbarlwm remains a site of profound mystery.

While the physical mound may have been reinforced by Norman hands centuries later, the soul of the mountain belongs to these older legends. To walk the ridge today is to step into a living storybook, where every gust of wind might be the whisper of the Green Guardian or the distant hum of Brân's golden bees.

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! 🌼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
01/03/2026

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! 🌼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Address

Newport

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Newport History posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category