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The River Usk at Newport has always proved an attractive place to make a home. Bronze Age fishermen
settled around its fertile estuary and later the Celtic Silures built hill forts overlooking it. In AD 75, on the very
edge of their empire, the Roman legions built a fortress at Caerleon to defend the river crossing. The Normans arrived
in 1090 to build a castle and river crossing downstream. Around the settlement, the New Town grew to be become Newport,
and was granted a charter by Hugh, Earl of Stafford in 1385. A further charter was granted by James I in the early 17th century.
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As the Industrial Revolution took off in Britain in the late 19th century, the Welsh Valleys became key suppliers of coal and iron:
these were transported down local rivers and the new canals to ports such as Newport, which grew rapidly as a result. Newport became
one of the largest towns in Wales and the focus for the new industrial towns of the Eastern Valleys of south Wales.
Newport was the focal point of a major Chartist uprising in 1839, where John Frost and 3,000 others marched on the Westgate Hotel
at the centre of the town. The march was met with an attack by militia, called to the town by the Mayor: at least 20 marchers were
killed and buried in St Woolos' churchyard. John Frost was sentenced to death for treason, but was instead transported to Australia:
he returned to Britain (but not to Newport) later in his life. John Frost Square, in the centre of the city, is named in his honour.
The county borough of Newport was granted city status in 2002 to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee.
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• Late 5th century CE: St. Woolos church founded by St. Gwynllyw, later to become St. Woolos Cathedral, seat of the Bishop of Monmouth.
• 1140: The first wooden castle is built on Stow Hill.
• c1400: Town attacked by the forces of Owain Glyndwr, rebel Prince of Wales: St Woolos Cathedral destroyed.
• 1672: Tredegar House completed.
• 1796: Opening of the Monmouthshire canal.
• 1842: Town Dock opens — able to accommodate the largest ships in the world.
• 1870: W. H. Davies, renowned poet born in Portland Street, Pillgwenlly.
• 1877: Athletic grounds at Rodney Parade opens.
• 1894: Belle Vue Park opens.
• 1906: Transporter Bridge opens on 12th September.
1937: King George VI visits Newport and cuts first sod of new Civic Centre building.
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Newport is divided by the River Usk. The first permanent crossing was a timber bridge, recorded
between 1158 and 1187. Towards the end of the 18th Century there was a rapid development of the east bank. In 1896, J.
Lysaght was looking for a suitable site for a steelworks. It became obvious that a new bridge would have to be built.
Several possibilities were looked at, including a conventional bridge, a lifting bridge and a tunnel. A conventional
bridge and a lifting bridge were impractical because the surrounding area was flat and high-masted ships used the river.
Also the river has the second highest tidal range in the world, and so the approach spans would have been too long. A tunnel
was deemed to be too expensive.
Mr R.H. Haynes, the Borough Engineer at the time, had heard of Ferdinand Arnodin, a French Engineer, who was designing an "Aerial
Ferry". This was proposed and the council agreed. Parliamentary approval was gained in 1900, and work began in 1902. Haynes and
Arnodin were joint engineers on the project and the contract was given to Alfred Thorne of Westminster. The bridge cost a total
of £98,000. It was opened on 12th September 1906 by Viscount Tredegar.
It was in continuous use until 1985, when it was discovered to be dangerous. It seemed as if it would be demolished, but Gwent
County Council were able to borrow £2 million towards the restoration. Work began in 1992 and was completed in 1996. It is now
in full use. It can be seen from many parts of Newport, and is illuminated at night.
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Almost 2,000 years ago, the Roman Empire dominated the
civilised world. Wales was its furthest outpost and, in AD 75, a fortress was founded at Caerleon that would guard the
region for over 200 years.
Today at the National Roman Legion Museum you can learn what made the Romans a formidable force and how life wouldn't be
the same without them. You'll be able to see a large collection of objects that show us how they lived, fought, worshipped and died.
At weekends and school holidays, children can step back in time in a full-sized barrack room, try on replica armour and experience the life of a Roman soldier.
Caerleon was one of only three permanent fortresses in Roman Britain. The museum lies inside what remains of the fortress, which includes the most complete amphitheatre in Britain and the only remains of a Roman Legionary barracks on view anywhere in Europe.
The National Roman Legion Museum at Caerleon is near Newport, within easy reach of Cardiff, Bristol and the Severn Bridge.
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In the summer of 2002 the well preserved
remains of a mediaeval ship were discovered during excavation works for a new Arts Centre on the banks of
the River Usk in central Newport. It is in an excellent state of preservation and is the most complete example
of a ship of the fifteenth century surviving in Northern Europe.
Artefacts and remnants of clothing found by archaeologists show that our ship was trading with Portugal during the 1400s. Finds recovered from within the vessel include 15th century coins, Portuguese pottery, large lumps of cork, stone cannon balls and engraved brass straps.
Initially dubbed "the Welsh Mary Rose", the Newport Ship has been described as a cross between a caravel and a Viking longship. It was in excess of 25 metres in length and, unusually, the hull remains largely intact.
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General History