ONE of Newport’s most well-known historic houses was taken over by pirates yesterday.

Hundreds of young buccaneers and their families joined Captain Morgan on his pirate adventure on bank holiday Monday at Tredegar House, for their annual Pirate Day.

Clad in eye patches, stripes and Jolly Rogers, shipmates of all ages were led around the house’s staterooms as they got into their pirate personas.

There, they encountered different characters, before taking part in games and activities.

Even the sun managed to come out in time for the wannabe swashbucklers to walk the plank, scrub the decks or join the wet sponge pirate attack.

Legendary pirate captain, Henry Morgan – a distant cousin of Tredegar House – judged and presented a prize for the best dressed cutlass-wielding buccaneers.

Charles Ferris, from the Friends of the Newport Ship, also joined the nautical celebrations by striking coins.

Over the weekend, Tredegar House also launched the National Trust’s 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾ campaign.

The rain didn’t deter youngsters from den building, tree climbing and toasting marshmallow around campfires in the stately home’s grounds.

There will be more challenges to get involved in throughout June.