Bassaleg
Encyclopedia
Bassaleg is a small semi-urban suburb
on the west side of the city
of Newport
, in south Wales
. It lies in the Graig
electoral ward and community
.
. Bassaleg is roughly bounded by the A467 road http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/528185 (A4072) to the east, the railway spur to Lower Machen
(the former Brecon and Merthyr Railway
) to the north, the St Mellons
Road (B4288) to the south and Rhiwderin
to the east. The Ebbw River
runs through the area http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/528034. The A468 road
passes through towards Caerphilly
and junction 28 of the M4 motorway
is less than a mile to the south http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/545650.
As Bassaleg lies near the junction of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway and Great Western Railway
it used to have two stations (Bassaleg and Bassaleg Junction
), although they were both victims of the Beeching Axe
in the 1960s. As the Ebbw Valley Railway is re-opened, there are plans for a station at Pye Corner
on the former GWR line.
Bassaleg School
is one of the most notable local educational institutions locally. Known for its sporting and academic prowess, famous past students include current Welsh rugby players Ryan Jones and Alix Popham
and former Miss Wales
beauty queen Kelly-Louise Pesticcio
. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/348042.
, a hermit
and wife of St. Gwynllyw
or Woolos, who founded her own hermitage
at Pencarnu, supposedly the site is at Pont Ebbw. While there she bathed in the Ebbw River
and the Lady's Well at Tredegar
may have been dedicated to her. It has been suggested that site of St. Basil's church in Bassaleg was originally dedicated to her.
In the 14th century (fl. c. 1320 - 1360/1380), a Welsh lord, Ifor Hael (His real name- Ifor ap Llywelyn) lived in Gwernyclepa manor near Bassaleg. He was a well known promoter of poetry
, and he was a friend to the famous Welsh bard, Dafydd ap Gwilym
.
There have been many poems written about him, and for the saddness of the state of his manor now. One such poem is an englyn
, written by Evan Evans
(Ieuan fardd)-
A direct translation from the englyn form is unavailable as due to the differences between the Engish and Welsh languages. -
The englyn is a part of a longer poem, which was traditionally sung.
According to historians, Bassaleg is the only British place whose name derives from the word basilica
, a term used in early Christianity
for a church containing the body of a saint
. Until the mid-19th century, a grave chapel for St. Gwladys survived close to the church.
The most important local influences was the local estate of the Morgans, Lords Tredegar
, at Tredegar House
many of whom are buried in the churchyard.
During the Newport Rising
of 1839 the Chartist
marchers passed through this area heading into Newport.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
on the west side of the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, in south Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It lies in the Graig
Graig
Graig is an electoral ward and coterminous community of the city of Newport, South Wales.The ward is bounded by the Ebbw River and M4 motorway to the east, the city boundary to the north and west. The southern boundary is formed by a line from the M4/A467 intersection in a roughly westerly...
electoral ward and community
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
.
Location, communications & amenities
Bassaleg is located two miles north west of Newport city centreNewport city centre
Newport city centre is traditionally regarded as the area of Newport bounded by the west bank of the River Usk, the George Street Bridge, the eastern flank of Stow Hill and the Great Western Main Line. Most of the city centre is contained within two conservation areas: the central area and the area...
. Bassaleg is roughly bounded by the A467 road http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/528185 (A4072) to the east, the railway spur to Lower Machen
Lower Machen
Lower Machen is small hamlet of 19 houses on the A468 road at the very western edge of the city of Newport, South Wales.Machen itself lies further west in the county borough of Caerphilly, although both lie within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire....
(the former Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Brecon and Merthyr Railway
The Brecon and Merthyr Junction Railway was one of several railways that served the industrial areas of South Wales and Monmouthshire. It ranked fifth amongst them in size, although hemmed in by the Taff Vale Railway and Great Western Railway...
) to the north, the St Mellons
St Mellons
St Mellons is a district and suburb of eastern Cardiff, the capital city of Wales.-History:St Mellons began as a small commercial centre in the historic county of Monmouthshire, relying heavily on rural agriculture, farming and travel...
Road (B4288) to the south and Rhiwderin
Rhiwderin
Rhiwderin is a small village in the west of the city of Newport, South Wales.It lies in the community parish and electoral district of Graig.The original village lies across a level crossing off the main A468 Newport—Caerphilly road...
to the east. The Ebbw River
Ebbw River
The Ebbw River is a river in South Wales.The main Ebbw River is formed by the confluence of the two minor Ebbw rivers, Ebbw Fach, and Ebbw Fawr ....
runs through the area http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/528034. The A468 road
A468 road
The A468 is a principal road from Newport to Nantgarw. The current route begins at the A467 in Bassaleg then passes through Rhiwderin, Machen, Trethomas, Bedwas and Caerphilly, terminating on the A470...
passes through towards Caerphilly
Caerphilly
Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...
and junction 28 of the M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
is less than a mile to the south http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/545650.
As Bassaleg lies near the junction of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway and Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
it used to have two stations (Bassaleg and Bassaleg Junction
Bassaleg Junction railway station
Bassaleg Junction served the village of Bassaleg, Monmouthshire. Opened by the Monmouthshire Railway, it became part of the Great Western Railway during the Grouping of 1923...
), although they were both victims of the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
in the 1960s. As the Ebbw Valley Railway is re-opened, there are plans for a station at Pye Corner
Pye Corner railway station
Pye Corner railway station is a proposed station to serve a residential area in the west of Newport, south Wales as part of a future phase development of the Ebbw Valley Railway. The station will be located at Western Valley Road in the Bassaleg district of Newport, close to the former Bassaleg...
on the former GWR line.
Bassaleg School
Bassaleg School
Bassaleg School is a comprehensive secondary school for pupils aged 11-18, situated in the suburb of Bassaleg on the western side of the city Newport, South Wales.The present buildings of the school range in age from the early 20th century to the present day...
is one of the most notable local educational institutions locally. Known for its sporting and academic prowess, famous past students include current Welsh rugby players Ryan Jones and Alix Popham
Alix Popham
Alix Jon Popham is a Welsh rugby union footballer, who plays at Number eight or flanker and is captain for the 2009 season at Brive in the French Top 14, having signed from the Llanelli Scarlets in 2008...
and former Miss Wales
Miss Wales
Miss Wales is an annual beauty pageant held in Wales, United Kingdom to select a representative to go through to the Miss World contest. It is currently run by Paula Abbandonato and Clare Birt of Vibe Models, Cardiff.-Rules:...
beauty queen Kelly-Louise Pesticcio
Kelly-Louise Pesticcio
Kelly-Louise Pesticcio, from Cardiff, Wales, won the title of Miss Wales 2007 and went on to represent Wales in the 2007 Miss World competition, held in Sanya, China, where she finished as third runner-up. Pesticcio, a qualified doctor, was also a finalist in the 2010 Miss Universe Great Britain...
. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/348042.
History
Bassaleg's earliest known inhabitant is Saint GwladysGwladys
Saint Gwladys ferch Brychan or St Gladys , was the Queen of Saint Gwynllyw Milwr and daughter of King Brychan of Brycheiniog. She was the mother of several saints, including Saint Cadoc "the Wise".-Traditional history:...
, a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
and wife of St. Gwynllyw
Gwynllyw
Saint Gwynllyw Milwr or Gwynllyw Farfog, known in English in a corrupted form as Woolos the Warrior or Woolos the Bearded was a Welsh king and religious figure....
or Woolos, who founded her own hermitage
Hermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
at Pencarnu, supposedly the site is at Pont Ebbw. While there she bathed in the Ebbw River
Ebbw River
The Ebbw River is a river in South Wales.The main Ebbw River is formed by the confluence of the two minor Ebbw rivers, Ebbw Fach, and Ebbw Fawr ....
and the Lady's Well at Tredegar
Tredegar
Tredegar is a town situated on the Sirhowy River in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, in south-east Wales. Located within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it became an early centre of the Industrial Revolution in South Wales...
may have been dedicated to her. It has been suggested that site of St. Basil's church in Bassaleg was originally dedicated to her.
In the 14th century (fl. c. 1320 - 1360/1380), a Welsh lord, Ifor Hael (His real name- Ifor ap Llywelyn) lived in Gwernyclepa manor near Bassaleg. He was a well known promoter of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, and he was a friend to the famous Welsh bard, Dafydd ap Gwilym
Dafydd ap Gwilym
Dafydd ap Gwilym , is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Dafydd ap Gwilym (c. 1315/1320 – c. 1350/1370), is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Dafydd ap Gwilym...
.
There have been many poems written about him, and for the saddness of the state of his manor now. One such poem is an englyn
Englyn
Englyn is a traditional Welsh and Cornish short poem form. It uses quantitative metres, involving the counting of syllables, and rigid patterns of rhyme and half rhyme. Each line contains a repeating pattern of consonants and accent known as cynghanedd.- The Eight Types :There are eight types of...
, written by Evan Evans
Evan Evans
Evan Evans may refer to:*Evan Alfred Evans, US judge*Evan Evans , off-road champion racing in Championship Off-Road Racing*Evan Evans Evan Evans may refer to:*Evan Alfred Evans, US judge*Evan Evans (racer), off-road champion racing in Championship Off-Road Racing*Evan Evans (academic) Evan Evans...
(Ieuan fardd)-
-
- Llys Ifor hael, gwael yw'r gwedd, - yn garnau
- mewn gwerni mae'n gorwedd;
- drain ac ysgall mall a'i medd,
- mieri lle bu mawredd.
A direct translation from the englyn form is unavailable as due to the differences between the Engish and Welsh languages. -
-
- The hall of Ifor the generous, poor it looks
- A cairn, it lies amongst alders
- Thorns and the blight of the thistle own it
- Briars, where once there was greatness
The englyn is a part of a longer poem, which was traditionally sung.
According to historians, Bassaleg is the only British place whose name derives from the word basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
, a term used in early Christianity
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
for a church containing the body of a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. Until the mid-19th century, a grave chapel for St. Gwladys survived close to the church.
The most important local influences was the local estate of the Morgans, Lords Tredegar
Baron Tredegar
Baron Tredegar, of Tredegar in the County of Monmouth, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.It was created in 1859 for the Welsh politician Sir Charles Morgan, 3rd Baronet, who had earlier represented Brecon in Parliament. His eldest son, Charles Rodney Morgan, sat as Member of...
, at Tredegar House
Tredegar House
Tredegar House in Newport, set in the 90 acre Tredegar Park, is one of the best examples of a 17th century Charles II country house mansion in the United Kingdom.-History of the Building:...
many of whom are buried in the churchyard.
During the Newport Rising
Newport Rising
The Newport Rising was the last large-scale armed rebellion against authority in mainland Britain, when on 4 November 1839, somewhere between 1,000 and 5,000 Chartist sympathisers, including many coal-miners, most with home-made arms, led by John Frost, marched on the town of Newport,...
of 1839 the Chartist
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
marchers passed through this area heading into Newport.