LAST week, we featured a picture of Newport (formerly St Woolos) Cathedral.

Newport Cathedral is positioned on top of Stow Hill overlooking the city of Newport.

This cathedral is of ancient foundation and contains a long history. It operates as a parish church, as well as the cathedral for the Diocese of Monmouth. The Dean is also the vicar of the parish of St Woolos in addition to its daughter church, St Martins-in-the-Gaer.

It is believed that Gwynllyw, Woolos is an English version of his name, founded the cathedral in c. 500 and that the main construction of the nave of the current building, as well as the Norman arch, was created and financed by the Abbot of Gloucester and his neighbourhood.

Around 1640 there was the installation of box pews, the demolishing of the rood screen and the vandalisation of monuments with Puritanism taking hold of the area.

The building also experienced a large restoration plan from 1853 in addition to change with the the parish boundaries. The parish of St Pauls was created in 1836, and this was followed by the Holy Trinity church and parish; within the populous St Woolos parish, a sister church of St Lukes was then built.

St Woolos had always been a parish church but in 1921 the new diocese of Monmouth was created and St Woolos became a pro-cathedral.

Today’s picture is of Newport’s St Woolos Cathedral. St Woolos is a corruption of St Gwynllyw, the original church was built in the 6th century.

Originally the parish of St Woolos was separate from the town of Newport, the two officially becoming one on 1 April 1935. The church became a cathedral in October 1930.

The tower was built by Jasper Tudor and had ten bells, the statue of Jasper Tudor on the face of the tower was mutilated by Oliver Cromwell’s soldiers.

Trams used to run up the steep Stow Hill side of the church but later a cut was made through the graveyard on the other side (now Clifton Rd) to give a less severe track.

The remains of the graveyard have been converted into a small park with the gravestones placed alongside the park wall.

Dave Woolven, Newport.