Whitson
Encyclopedia
Location
Whitson is located seven miles (11 km) south east 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...
on the Caldicot Levels
Caldicot and Wentloog Levels
The Caldicot and Wentloog Levels are two areas of low-lying estuarine alluvial wetland and intertidal mudflats adjoining the north bank of the Severn estuary, either side of the River Usk estuary near Newport in south east Wales...
, a large area of coastal land reclaimed from the sea. Administratively, Whitson is part of the community (parish) of Goldcliff.
Origin of the name
Sir Joseph BradneyJoseph Bradney
Colonel Sir Joseph Alfred Bradney, FSA, BA, JP, DL was a British soldier, historian and archaeologist, best known for his multivolume A History of Monmouthshire.-Life:...
, in his 1922 "History of Monmouthshire", is undecided on the derivation of the name of the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
and surrounding village, but notes early spellings such as Witston, Widson and Wyttston. It seems most likely, however, that the name came from "Whitestone", similar to the adjacent "Goldcliff". In 1358 the manor was held "...by John de Saint Maur of Penhow
Penhow, Newport
Penhow is a small village and community parish just inside the eastern edge of the boundary of the city of Newport, South Wales, within the historic county of Monmouthshire....
of Peter de Cusance by knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
service, as of his manor of Langstone
Langstone, Newport
Langstone is an electoral ward and smaller village and community of the city of Newport, Wales. The area is governed by the Newport City Council.- Location :...
". In the 18th and 19th centuries the Phillips family owned a large estate in the parish and lived at what was then called "Whitson House" (see "Whitson Court" below).
Character
Together with the neighbouring larger parishes of NashNash, Newport
Nash is a village and community parish to the south of the city of Newport, south-east Wales, in the Liswerry ward.- Origin of the name :...
and Goldcliff it is one of the so-called "Three Parishes" which have long been treated as a unit - geographically, socially, economically and ecclesiastically.
At high-tide much of the land in the village is below sea-level. A main drainage ditch, with an origin near Llanwern
Llanwern
Llanwern is an electoral ward and community in the urban-rural fringe of the City of Newport, South Wales. Llanwern ward is bounded by the M4 and Langstone to the north, Ringland, Liswerry and the River Usk to the west, the River Severn to the south and the city boundary to the east...
, known as "Monksditch" or "Goldcliff Pill" (probably from the Welsh "pwll" for pool) passes through the village on its way to the sea. Local folklore maintains that the sides of the Monksditch are laced with smuggler's brandy.
The main part of the village has the houses and farmsteads set back from the road in long strips of pasture reflecting a medieval 'cope' land allocation pattern, similar to that used in land reclamation in Holland .
The real outpost of the village is the remote Porton House, situated next to the sea and accessed from Great Porton. Historically Porton has been part of Goldcliff and may have once had its own separate church, although confusion with Whitson church seems more likely. For many years Porton, like Goldcliff, was the site of a salmon fishery
Putcher fishing
Putcher fishing is a type of fishing which employs a large number of putcher baskets, set in a fixed wooden frame, against the tide in a river estuary, notably on the River Severn, in England and South East Wales.-History:...
.
History
Kelly's DirectoryKelly's Directory
Kelly's Directory was a trade directory in the United Kingdom that listed all businesses and tradespeople in a particular city or town, as well as a general directory of postal addresses of local gentry, landowners, charities, and other facilities. In effect, it was a Victorian version of today's...
of 1901 lists the Parish Clerk as one William Roberts and sub-postmaster as one Richard Keyte. Two private dwellings are listed for a Mr. St.John Knox Richards Phillips J.P. at Whitson Court and for Reverend John Price of St.Bees (vicar of Whitson & Goldcliff) at the Vicarage.
Commercial residents are listed as:
- Henry Gale, farmer, Church Farm;
- John Hale, farmer, Whitson Farm;
- Mrs Charlotte Howells, farmer, Whitson Green;
- Thomas James, Newhouse;
- Edward Jones, stonemason;
- Robert Roberts, farmer;
- John Keyte, farmer, Chestnut Tree Farm;
- Richard Keyte, carpenter, wheelwright & post office;
- Edgar Morgan, farmer, Court Farm;
- John Waters, farmer, Green Court;
- Charles Webb, farmer.
The Church
The tiny parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
church, with its distinctive "thimble tower," is situated to the east of the village at Porton. It is thought to have originally been a chapellage of the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
Priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
at Goldcliff. Although the original dedication is unclear, the church is known locally as St.Mary's (not to be confused with the church of St.Mary Magdelene at Goldcliff).
An ancient building of stone, in the Early English style, it consists of chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, south porch and a western tower, originally containing two bells. The inscription for the larger ball was "God save our King and Kingdom, and send us peace. W. and E. 1758" and for the smaller bell of the same date "Obedite"..
Prior to the 20th century the nave was restored and the chancel substantially rebuilt. There is a handsome Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
and a stained glass memorial east window erected in 1884 by the family of Reverend John Beynon. In 1901 there were 100 sittings. The register of baptisms dates from 1744, marriages from 1729 and burials from 1728. In 1901 the living was a vicarage with a net income of £196, including 49 acres (198,296.1 m²) of glebe
Glebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
and residence, in the gift of Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and the Dean and Chapter of Llandaff
Llandaff Cathedral
Llandaff Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff, head of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff. It is situated in the district of Llandaff in the city of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The current building was constructed in the 12th century over the site of an earlier church...
alternately, and held from 1900 by the Reverend John Price.
Bradney (1933) notes the church as "remarkable for its fine tower with a pinnacle at one corner." The church is now closed but the churchyard, which is well maintained, may still be accessed by means of a public footpath through private land.
Whitson Court
Whitson Court is a Welsh example of a neo-classicalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
ly inspired family house. Built in the grounds of a medieval tithe barn
Tithe barn
A tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe in the Middle Ages for storing the tithes - a tenth of the farm's produce which had to be given to the church....
and on the site of an earlier house, the present property was built for the local MP William Phillips. Keck had designed a similar property at Iscoed in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, but Whitson House had many Nash
John Nash (architect)
John Nash was a British architect responsible for much of the layout of Regency London.-Biography:Born in Lambeth, London, the son of a Welsh millwright, Nash trained with the architect Sir Robert Taylor. He established his own practice in 1777, but his career was initially unsuccessful and...
-inspired additions including the unsupported cantilever stone spiral staircase in the hall with an arched doorframe underneath, and plasterwork known to have been used at other Nash houses.
Monumental inscriptions at Whitson Church indicate that the house was called Whitson House from at least 1789 and for most of the 19th century, but had become Whitson Court by 1903. Memorial stones for the Phillips family may also be found in St.Mary's church in the neighbouring village of Nash. (William Phillips also built Redbrick House in nearby Redwick
Redwick, Newport
Redwick is a small village and community parish to the south east of the city of Newport, in South Wales, United Kingdom. It lies within the Newport city boundaries, in the historic county of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent.- Location :...
).
After the death of St. John Knox Rickards Phillips, in 1901 ownership of the house passed to a distant relative, Reverend Oliver Rodie Vassall-Phillips. In consequence of the persecution of religious congregations in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the Sacramentines of Bernay
Bernay
- Communes :*Bernay, Eure, in the Eure département*Bernay-en-Champagne, in the Sarthe département*Bernay-en-Ponthieu, in the Somme département*Bernay-Saint-Martin, in the Charente-Maritime département...
of the Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament
Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament
The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament was an enclosed Roman Catholic religious congregation and a reform of the Dominican Order devoted to the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament were a female religious congregation...
at the time of the expulsion in July 1903, were compelled to close their boarding-school and go into exile. Thirteen of the sisters retired to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and founded a house at Hal
Halle, Belgium
Halle , is a Belgian city and municipality in the district Halle-Vilvoorde of the province Flemish Brabant. The city is located on the Brussels-Charleroi Canal and on the Flemish side of the language border that separates Flanders and Wallonia...
, while the rest of their community settled at Whitson Court - thanks to the generosity of Reverend Vassall-Phillips, who wrote:
"This order of nuns existence is precarious, for they are not permitted to open a school. Their days are spent in prayer, adoration, and the making of altar-breads, vestments, and church ornaments."
In March, 1911, the Sacramentines were permitted by Archbishop Farley to open a house in Holy Trinity parish, Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
and the house and estate at Whitson were then used as a training school for the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n missions. In 1917, the vast Whitson Estate, encompassing most of the local farms and totalling some 1050 acres (4.2 km²) and the Manorial Title, were sold at auction mainly to its existing tenant farmers. When Bradney published his "History of Monmouthshire" in 1932, the house stood empty.
In 1933, Whitson Court and its remaining 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) of gardens and parkland, were purchased from the then owner, Squire Oakley, by
Mr Garroway Smith of "The Chalet" at Ridgeway in Newport who took up residence at the property with his wife Mary and his sister Louise. Mr William Maybury, his wife Olive Maybury and their daughters, Jane and Elizabeth also moved into the house. Their third daughter, Mary, was born at Whitson Court in May 1938.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the family gave sanctuary to several German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Jewish refugees, as well as providing work for German Prisoners of War - many of the paths in the grounds were built by German POW officers howsed at the camp in Nash. Ironically the house was also used as a reference point by German bomber crews, aiming their runs at Newport Docks
Newport Docks
Newport Docks is the collective name for a series of docks in the city of Newport, South Wales.-Background:Newport was a small fishing port and market town until the coming of the industrial age at the beginning of the 19th century...
.
Following the death of Garroway Smith in the late 1950s, the house and grounds passed to his niece, Olive Maybury, who collected exotic animals including bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s and lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s. She opened the grounds to the public during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1980 the private zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
was closed and the animals either re homed or allowed to live out their natural lives in freedom. Olive Maybury continued to live at Whitson Court until her death in 1998 at the age of 99.
The house was subsequently sold by the family and was again left empty, listed on Newport Councils "Buildings at Risk" register. It was sold again in 2008, and is presently under restoration under the guidance of Cadw
Cadw
-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
.
Whitehall Farm/Redbrick House
This notable property is situated in the neighbouring parish of RedwickRedwick, Newport
Redwick is a small village and community parish to the south east of the city of Newport, in South Wales, United Kingdom. It lies within the Newport city boundaries, in the historic county of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent.- Location :...
. The earliest Church records show that there has been a house on the site since 1450, then called Whitehall Farm. The main Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
façade was built in about 1795, by local MP William Phillips, owner of Whiton Court. Phillips built the Brick House in anticipation of his son William's return to Britain from the American Colonies. William junior sadly never returned, however, as the ship bringing him home was wrecked in a storm and William drowned. The house is now a guest house.
Amenities
The village hallVillage hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
, now unused, was for many years the site of an annual village fair at Whitsuntide which traditionally included a road-race run around the three parishes - a distance of about 6.5 miles. The village was the home for the Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
for the three parishes for many years but this has now long since closed. The village has never been known to have had its own public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. There is a large electricity sub-station, operated by the National Grid, adjacent to the former site of Llanwern Steelworks near Whitson Arch. The local newspaper is the South Wales Argus
South Wales Argus
The South Wales Argus is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Newport, south Wales. The Argus is distributed in Newport and the historic area of Monmouthshire....
which is published in Newport.
The village enjoys a regular public bus service (Route 63, seven a day, six days a week) provided by Veolia Transport Cymru
Veolia Transport Cymru
Veolia Transport Cymru is a division of the Veolia Transport group , part of the French multinational Veolia Environnement. Formed by the purchase of a number of smaller independent coach and bus firms, the company has its headquarters in Parc Nantgarw, mid way between Cardiff and...
.
Upfield Farm Aerodrome
Since 1995 a light aircraft landing strip (council approved for use as a grass strip for the owner, family and friends) has been used by Mr Ken Bowen at his Upfield Farm home. By 2008 the strip had become a 650 m (2,132 ft) long concrete airstripRunway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
, a series of aircraft hangars and a perimeter hard standing.
On 4 July 2008 a light aircraft crash-landed after taking off from the airstrip. Narrowly missing both the old Village Hall and a nearby stables, the aircraft burst into flames and was almost completely destroyed. Emergency services attended but both occupants escaped unharmed.
The resultant accident inquiry 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...
and the Civil Aviation Authority
Civil Aviation Authority
This is a list of national and supra-national civil aviation authorities.-See also:* Air route authority between the United States and the People's Republic of China* National Transportation Safety Board -External links:****...
found that the airstrip at the farm had grown considerably beyond the scope of its original approved planning permission, and was, according to some local residents, supporting as many as ten flights a day. Mr Bowen applied for retrospective planning permission to retain the facility with its concrete runway, but was denied by the council planning committee on 17 September 2008 acting on advice from the planning department. The owner did not attend the meeting but was given to appeal the decision within six months.
Government
The area is governed by the Newport City CouncilNewport 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...
and the Goldcliff community council
Community council
A community council is a public representative body in Great Britain.In England they may be statutory parish councils by another name, under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or they may be non-statutory bodies...
.