Tredegar House
Encyclopedia
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...
, set in the 90 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
(360,000 m²) Tredegar Park
Tredegar Park
Tredegar Park is a large municipal park located near the housing estates of Duffryn, Maesglas, and Gaer in the city of Newport in South Wales.- History :...
, is one of the best examples of a 17th century Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
country house mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History of the Building
The earliest surviving part of the building dates back to the late 15th century. The home was originally built of stone and was very grand indeed, grand enough for Charles I to visit. Between 1664 and 1672, however, William Morgan decided to rebuild the house on a larger scale from red brick, at that time a rare building material in Wales. The name of Inigo JonesInigo Jones
Inigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
has been linked with the building - but this is wishful thinking, and it seems we will never know who the architect was. In his 1882 publication, local historian Octavius Morgan provides a plan of an intricate garden maze which was in place prior to the 1660s improvements and which probably dated from the time of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
.
The Tredegar Morgans’ 1402 – 1951
Tredegar's name came from Tredegar Fawr, the name of the mansion or seat of the old Morgans, who were descended from Cadifor the Great the son of Collwyn; and the owners of the land upon which Tredegar stands. The earliest record of someone with the name Morgan living at Tredegar is 1402, was a Llewellyn Ap Morgan. Today, Tredegar House set in a beautiful 90 acre park, is the finest Restoration house in Wales and for over five hundred years the estate (including Ruperra CastleRuperra Castle
Ruperra Castle is a Grade II* Listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument, situated in Lower Machen in South East Wales. It is currently in a ruined condition, and up for sale....
) was home to the Morgan family, later Lords Tredegar; one of the most powerful and influential families in the area.
John Morgan was created a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre (possibly c1448). Later, when Henry Tudor was crowned King Henry VII it was of great benefit to the Morgans of Tredegar who were great supporters of Henry. Sir John received reward for his early support, and on 7 November 1485 he was appointed by the new king the office of ‘Sheriff of Wentloog and Newport’, and made ‘Steward’ of the Machen Commote. His elevation to officer of the Tudor crown placed Sir John Morgan's influence and power at a new height. Around 1490, he commissioned the building of a new house at Tredegar. A wing of Sir John's stone manor house still exists. It is now the oldest part of the present day Tredegar House.
They lived quite happily in this stone house until after the restoration. During the civil war after the Battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
, King Charles I visited it in 1645. In 1661 William Morgan
William Morgan
-Australia:* William Morgan , Premier of South Australia, 1878–1881-England:* William Morgan , town clerk in Birmingham, England...
(d.1680) rebuilt the house on a very grand scale, with the help of his wife, Blanche Morgan’s huge dowry. Their fortunes continued to flourish down the generations, tremendously enhanced by the foresight and business enterprises of Sir Charles Gould Morgan throughout the 18th century. Following his father's financial successes, his son further expanded several commercial and industrial projects, and virtually established 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...
as an important trade centre. Whilst consolidating their influence on the political and economic issues of the country, they secured a baronetcy in 1859.
In 1854, Godfrey Morgan fought in, and survived, the ‘Charge of the Light Brigade
Charge of the Light Brigade
The Charge of the Light Brigade was a charge of British cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War. The charge was the result of a miscommunication in such a way that the brigade attempted a much more difficult objective...
’ at Balaclava. Godfrey was 22 and Captain in the 17th Lancers
17th Lancers
The 17th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War...
. His horse, Sir Briggs, also survived, and lived at Tredegar House until his death at the age of 28. He was buried with full military honours
Military funeral
A military funeral is a specially orchestrated funeral given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute,...
in the Cedar Garden at Tredegar House. The monument still stands there today. In 1905 Godfrey was created the first Viscount Tredegar. He never married and on his death the estate passed to a relation.
Later, extravagance, eccentricities, and weighty death duties seriously depleted the family's financial assets throughout the next three generations. John Morgan, 6th Baron Tredegar died childless in 1962 aged 54. His death signalled the end of the Morgan’s of Tredegar. In 1951, Tredegar House was stripped, the remaining contents auctioned, and the estate was sold.
Ownership
For over five hundred years, it was home to one of the greatest of Welsh families, the Morgans the same family as Captain MorganHenry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
) - later the 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...
- until they left in 1951. The Morgan family has since spread far and wide with some descendants changing their names through marriage or for reasons of anonymity. Families still using the titles of Lord or Lady, descending from the Morgan line, are said to be still living in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, in Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
/Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
and in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. Other descendants who have kept the Morgan name may be easier to track.
After 1951 the house was bought by the Catholic Church as a convent school with boarders, later St. Joseph's Roman Catholic comprehensive school. It was bought by the Newport Corporation Council in 1974, giving rise to its present status as "the grandest council house in Britain".
Newport City Council
Newport City Council
Newport City Council is the governing body for the city of Newport, one of the subdivisions of Wales within the United Kingdom. It consists of 50 councillors, representing the city's 20 wards. Since the 2008 election, the council has been controlled jointly by the Conservatives and Liberal...
provides guided tours which cover of most of the house, many major rooms and the vast kitchens, and include details of its long history and the personalities involved.
Events
There is an annual Tredegar House vintage carVintage car
A vintage car is commonly defined as a car built between the start of 1919 and the end of 1930 known as the "Vintage era". There is little debate about the start date of the vintage period—the end of World War I is a nicely defined marker there—but the end date is a matter of a little...
rally in the grounds to raise funds for Leukaemia Research
Leukaemia Research
Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research is a British charitable organisation, established in 1960by the Eastwood family from Middlesbrough who started raising money, following the death of their 6-year-old daughter Susan....
. The first rally was held in October 1980 and raised £635. In 2007 the event raised nearly £45,000 bringing the total amount raised by the Rally since 1979 to nearly £576,000.
Other events happen throughout the year, including childrens fun days, period dance workshops, Easter, Pirates Day, Halloween and Christmas. There are also special tours held in addition to the normal house tours, including ones on the servants.
Thousands of children visit the house with schools for one of three workshops - 'The Stuarts', 'The Victorians' and 'Houses and Homes'.
The House is approved for marriages and civil ceremonies, and is used by Newport City Council
Newport City Council
Newport City Council is the governing body for the city of Newport, one of the subdivisions of Wales within the United Kingdom. It consists of 50 councillors, representing the city's 20 wards. Since the 2008 election, the council has been controlled jointly by the Conservatives and Liberal...
for Mayoral Functions. The Morgan Room, The Orangery and the Servants hall are all hired out for private functions.
The House is a popular location for filming. Being Human
Being Human
- Plot :The film portrays the experience of a single human soul, portrayed by Williams, through various incarnations. Williams is the only common actor throughout the stories that span man's history on Earth....
and The Hairy Bikers
The Hairy Bikers
David Myers and Simon "Si" King , collectively known as The Hairy Bikers, are British television presenters who have fronted the series The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook, The Hairy Bikers Ride Again, The Hairy Bakers, The Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain and The Hairy Bikers Mums Know...
have both been flimed there recently. Many episodes of Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, since the programme was revived in 2005, have used Tredegar House for location filming, including the 2008 Christmas special "The Next Doctor" and the 2009/2010 Christmas/New Year special The End of Time
The End of Time
The End of Time: The Next Revolution in Our Understanding of the Universe, also sold with the alternate subtitle The Next Revolution in Physics, is a 1999 science book in which the author Julian Barbour argues that time exists merely as an illusion.-Auto-biography:The book begins by describing how...
.
See also
- Ruperra CastleRuperra CastleRuperra Castle is a Grade II* Listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument, situated in Lower Machen in South East Wales. It is currently in a ruined condition, and up for sale....
- Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount TredegarEvan Morgan, 2nd Viscount TredegarEvan Frederic Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar was a Welsh poet and author. The only son of Courtenay Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar, of Tredegar Park, Monmouthshire, and Lady Katherine Carnegie, he was a chamberlain to Popes Benedict XV and Pius XI yet, as an accomplished occultist, was hailed by...
- Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount TredegarGodfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount TredegarGodfrey Charles Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar was a British Army officer and British politician.Tredegar was born on 28 April 1831 in Ruperra Castle, Glamorganshire...