Westgate Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Westgate Hotel is a historic building in Newport city centre
and is famous as the scene of the 1839 Chartist
riot, the so-called Newport Rising
.
It is located at the bottom Stow Hill.
The hotel was rebuilt in 1886 increasing the number of floors, and including the provision of an ornate ballroom.
into the centre of Newport. Here he discovered several Chartists had been arrested and were held in the Westgate Hotel. Troops protecting the hotel opened fire on the marchers, killing over 20 people and wounding 50 more. Bullet holes from the insurrection can still be seen in pillars in the frame of the main door.
The building is a Grade II listed building, but is currently on the Buildings at Risk Register as substantially unoccupied and beginning to cause concern. The main staircase and richly decorated public rooms are amongst the best surviving examples of their period.
In recent times the building has been converted into a parade of shops and an entertainment complex.
Newport 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...
and is famous as the scene of the 1839 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...
riot, the so-called 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,...
.
It is located at the bottom Stow Hill.
Building history
When the old "West Gate" of the town was demolished in 1799, it was replaced with a hotel, and this in turn was replaced by the present building, designed by E.A. Lansdowne, in 1884. The proprietor of the Westgate Hotel at that time was Mr Samuel Dean.The hotel was rebuilt in 1886 increasing the number of floors, and including the provision of an ornate ballroom.
Role in 1839 uprising
On 4 November 1839 local politician and activist John Frost led a march of 3000 ChartistsChartism
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...
into the centre of Newport. Here he discovered several Chartists had been arrested and were held in the Westgate Hotel. Troops protecting the hotel opened fire on the marchers, killing over 20 people and wounding 50 more. Bullet holes from the insurrection can still be seen in pillars in the frame of the main door.
Recent developments
Statues commemorating the 1839 Chartist uprising have been placed in the street at the front of the Westgate Hotel.The building is a Grade II listed building, but is currently on the Buildings at Risk Register as substantially unoccupied and beginning to cause concern. The main staircase and richly decorated public rooms are amongst the best surviving examples of their period.
In recent times the building has been converted into a parade of shops and an entertainment complex.