Bishton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bishton |
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 St Calwaladr's Church |
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 Bishton
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| Population | 2,181 (2001 census) |
| Language | English Cymraeg (Welsh) |
| OS grid reference | ST391876 |
| Principal area | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWPORT |
| Postcode district | NP18 |
| Dialling code | 01633 Llanwern exchange |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament |
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| Welsh Assembly |
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Bishton, also known as Bishopston, is a small countryside area in the eastern part of Newport, South Wales. Its Welsh name is Llangadwaladr Trefesgob, or simply Trefesgob. This area is part of the Llanwern electoral district. It includes the eastern side of the Llanwern steelworks and the Underwood housing estate. In 2011, about 2,137 people lived here.
Discovering Bishton's Past
The earliest mention of Bishton is from a book called Liber Landavensis. This book was written in the 12th century. It tells a story from around the year 700. In this story, a person named Guidnerth was given land and woods. This land stretched from the coast to St. Cadwaladr's church.
The name "Bishton" probably comes from "Bishop's Town". This is because the village might have been a home for the Bishops of Llandaff a long time ago.
Bishton Castle Remains
The remains of Bishton Castle can still be seen today. They are located on high ground near a farm. This site is west of Bishton Road. These castle remains are now a scheduled monument. This means they are protected as an important historical site.
The Story of St. Cadwaladr's Church
The church in Bishton is named after Cadwaladr. He was a legendary Welsh king who lived around AD 664. There are only a few churches named after him. The church grounds have a round shape, which is common for old Celtic church sites. However, the church building itself was built later.
The church was built in the "decorated" and "perpendicular" styles. These are types of Gothic building styles. In 1760, the church tower fell down and caused a lot of damage. The church was then repaired. In the 1800s, a porch was added. Many of the windows are from the 1700s or the Victorian era. A new tower was finished in 1887. It was designed by John Prichard in a Victorian Gothic style.
The church has a font from the 1300s. It also has a holy water basin, called a stoup, from the 1400s. The beautiful stained glass window at the east end was added in 1915. In 1963, the church was named a Grade II listed building. This means it is an important historical building.
For a long time, church services in Bishton were held in Welsh. This continued until 1828. Today, Sunday worship is held at 11:00 AM. This happens on the first and third Sundays of each month. The church is getting help from the National Churches Trust for repairs. In 2020, it was noted that the tower especially needed work. A plan is being made to fix it and also to check the local wildlife around the church.
