100 year-old plaque finds home in Newport church (From South Wales Argus)

100 year-old plaque finds home in Newport church

3:10pm Tuesday 1st January 2013 in News

A PLAQUE dating back almost 100 years is taking pride of place in a Newport church after being spotted in a skip by an eagle-eyed passerby.

The plaque, bearing Psalm 15, was originally donated by the Masons to the old Newport High School and was moved to Bettws when the secondary school was built there.

In autumn last year, genealogist David Woolvern, was walking past the school when he spotted the plaque in a skip.

He got in touch with Allt-yr-yn councillor Charles Ferris, a member of the Newport High School Old Boys' Club and vicar's warden in St Mark's.

Cllr Ferris discussed it with the Reverend Canon Andrew Willie, of St Mark's vicarage, Gold Tops, and they set the wheels in motion to get the necessary permission from the school and the Masons to keep the plaque before getting faculty from the Diocesan Chancellor - essentially planning permission to fit it in the church.

This took some time, but the church got the approval and the plaque was fitted on the wall of the chancel, next to the choir seating area.

Rev Willie said the plaque dates back to the 1920s.

He added: "It took a great deal of time but was a good result from Mr Woolvern spotting it and his quick-wittedness. It's a very nice ending and it's there for anyone who is interested to come and see it."