Tredegar House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tredegar House |
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"The most splendid brick house of the 17th century in Wales."
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| General information | |
| Type | Country house and gardens (32 hectares) |
| Architectural style | Carolean |
| Town or city | Newport, Monmouthshire |
| Country | Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°33′41.66″N 3°1′45″W / 51.5615722°N 3.02917°W |
| Construction started | 1664 |
| Completed | 1672 |
| Client | William Morgan (of Machen and Tredegar) |
| Management | National Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name | Tredegar House |
| Designated | 3 March 1952 |
| Reference no. | 2902 |
| Official name | Tredegar Park |
| Designated | 1 February 2022 |
| Reference no. | PGW(Gt)48(NPT) |
| Listing | Grade II* |
Tredegar House (in Welsh: Tŷ Tredegar) is a large, historic house from the 1600s. It is located in Coedkernew, near Newport, Wales. For over 500 years, this amazing house was home to the Morgan family. They were one of the most powerful families in the area.
People say it's "the most splendid brick house of the 17th century in Wales." The house sits in a beautiful park that is about 32 hectares (90 acres) big. Tredegar House became a very important historical building on March 3, 1952. Since March 2012, the National Trust has taken care of it.
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What Does the Name Tredegar Mean?
The name Tredegar first appeared in the 1300s. It was spelled Tredegyr back then. This name likely comes from two Welsh words. The first word, tre(f), means 'a farmstead'. The second part comes from a person's name, Tegyr.
The name Tegyr might mean 'fair king'. Over time, the spelling changed to Tredegar. This name was also used for the Tredegar Iron Company in 1800. That company then gave its name to the town of Tredegar. Today, the Welsh name for the house is 'Tŷ Tredegar'. This simply means 'Tredegar House'.
The History of Tredegar House
The oldest part of Tredegar House was built in the late 1400s. The house was first made of stone. It was important enough that King Charles I visited in 1645.
Between 1664 and 1672, a man named William Morgan decided to rebuild the house. He made it much bigger. He used red brick, which was very rare in Wales at that time. We don't know for sure who designed the new house. But some think it was Roger and William Hurlbutt. They built other grand houses in a similar style. An expert named Peter Smith called Tredegar, "the most splendid brick house of the seventeenth century in Wales."
Before the 1660s, there was a detailed garden maze at the house. It was probably built around the time of Queen Elizabeth I.
The Morgan Family of Tredegar
The Morgan family lived at Tredegar House for over 500 years. They were very important people in Wales. The earliest record of a Morgan living there is from 1402.
When Henry Tudor became King Henry VII, it was good news for the Morgans. They had supported him. Sir John Morgan was rewarded for his help. He became an important officer for the King. Around 1490, he started building a new house at Tredegar. A part of his stone manor house still stands today. It is the oldest part of Tredegar House.
Some members of the Morgan family were soldiers. Thomas Morgan became a Major-General. He fought in the English Civil War. His nephew, Henry Morgan, became a famous privateer in the Caribbean. Another family member, Edward Morgan, was a Royalist during the Civil War. He later became Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.
In 1661, William Morgan rebuilt the house to be very grand. He used a large dowry from his wife, Blanche Morgan, to help pay for it. The family's wealth grew over the years. This was thanks to the smart business ideas of Sir Charles Gould in the 1700s. His son helped make Newport an important trading center. The family became even more powerful. They were given special titles, becoming baronets in 1792 and barons in 1859.
In 1854, Godfrey Morgan fought in the famous Charge of the Light Brigade. He was a Captain and survived the battle. His horse, Sir Briggs, also survived. Sir Briggs lived at Tredegar House until it was 28 years old. The horse was buried in the Cedar Garden, and a special memorial was built for it. In 1905, Godfrey became the first Viscount Tredegar. He never married. When he died, the estate went to his nephew, Courtenay Morgan.
Over the next few generations, the family spent a lot of money. This, along with taxes on inherited wealth, reduced their fortune. John Morgan, the 6th Baron Tredegar, died in 1962 without children. This was the end of the Morgan family living at Tredegar House. In 1951, the house was emptied, and its contents were sold. The estate was also sold.
Who Owns Tredegar House Now?
After the Morgan family left in 1951, the Catholic Church bought the house. They used it as a convent school for girls. Later, it became St. Joseph's Roman Catholic School.
In 1974, the Newport City Council bought the house. Some people joked that it was "the grandest council house in Britain" because a local council owned it.
In 2012, the National Trust took over running the house and its 32 hectares (90 acres) of grounds. They have a 50-year lease from Newport City Council. The National Trust said Tredegar House is very important. Many similar old houses have been lost over the last 100 years. The National Trust lets visitors explore most of the house.
Filming and Events at Tredegar House
Tredegar House has been used as a location for many TV shows and films. In 2014, an episode of the Antiques Roadshow was filmed there. The house's red brick outside now appears in the show's opening.
Other TV shows like Being Human, Da Vinci's Demons, and The Hairy Bikers have also filmed at the house.
Since 2005, many episodes of Doctor Who have been filmed at Tredegar House. This includes episodes with David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor.
The house also hosts many fun events throughout the year. These include an Easter Egg Hunt, Pirate's Day, and a 1930s Garden Party. They also have special events for Halloween and Christmas. The Christmas events are often based on Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Visitors can also enjoy daily talks, activities, and special tours. An annual Folk Festival takes place in May.
Tredegar House is a place where people can get married or have civil ceremonies. The Morgan Room can also be rented for private parties.
For many years, a vintage car rally was held in the grounds. This event raised money for Leukaemia Research. The first rally was in 1980 and raised £635. The last rally was in 2014. It raised £80,000, bringing the total raised since 1980 to £868,000.
See also
- Ruperra Castle
- Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar
- Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar
- Tredegar Square, London E3
- Sir Charles Gould Morgan, 2nd Baron Tredegar
