ONE week on from the death of Queen Elizabeth II, aged 96, floral tributes to the long-serving monarch have been left around Gwent.
Following the news on Thursday, September 8, St Woolos Cathedral designated an area of people to leave flowers and messages in remembrance of the Queen.
And since then dozens of tributes have been left outside the cathedral.
One tribute read: “God bless and keep you. God bless the Queen”, while other tributes thanked the Queen for her “lifetime of service”.
Sarah Thomas from Rogerstone left a poem for the Queen: “There are no tears in Heaven, nor grief of any kind. I leave this final teardrop to those I’ve left behind though absent from the body, I’m present with the Lord. The joy of my salvation is now my full reward”.
St Andrew’s Primary School in Lliswerry, were among those to leave flowers for the Queen, while two-year-old Dolly also left a special tribute to the Queen.
Tributes left at St Woolos Cathedral
Elsewhere, the memorial gates at Pontypool Park have been transformed into a sea of floral tributes.
The gates were erected in 1924 to mark the Italian Garden and at the same time as the entrance to the new section of the park was created in memory of those killed during the First World War. They have now formed a focal point for local tributes to the Queen since her death was announced last week.
A note, signed ‘Davies family, Pontypool’, attached to a bouquet of carnations tied to the gates simply reads “Your majesty thank you”.
Tributes at Pontypool Memorial Gates
A bunch of roses, left at the foot of the gates, are accompanied by a note addressed “Dear Queen Elizabeth”.
It reads: “I was so saddened in your passing, you have been in my life all my life, you are so respected as a wonderful monarch and have worked so hard all your life to serve us all. My deepest sympathy.”
It is signed: “Your servant always”.
Tributes to the Queen at St Woolos Cathedral
The Pontypool St John Ambulance branch has also left a tribute at the gates that says: “A bright wonderful star. A constant in our lives, always there.
“A perfect example, you served tirelessly for the good of all until you were called home.
“Thank you your majesty. RIP. Pontypool Division.”
Linda Foxwell described the flowers at the gates, which were designated by Torfaen Borough Council as a site for floral tributes, as “lovely”.
She has placed a Union flag, with a photograph of the late Queen as a young woman, in the window of her Belle Femme hair and beauty salon on Park Road near an older entrance to the park.
She said she will be closing her salon, which employs three members of staff, on Monday when the Queen’s funeral is held with the day having been declared a bank holiday.
Tributes at Pontypool Memorial Gates
“As a small business we obviously can’t afford to lose money but it’s history and I want to watch the funeral with my family,” said the salon owner.
“We’re going to have a big roast dinner and we’ll all watch it together as a family, we’ll never see anything like it again a 70 year reign.”
The royalist said she has previously held events in the salon to mark occasions such as the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan but felt it important to close on Monday and noted that supermarkets and big high street stores are also shutting up shop.
Tributes to the Queen at St Woolos Cathedral
“We stayed open for the royal weddings and we had China tea cups and saucers and all dressed up in hats but I think it’s important everyone watches the funeral so I wouldn’t do that on Monday.”
Clients have also been talking about the period of mourning said Ms Foxwell: “One lady went up to London on Sunday and said all the parks have flowers in the trees.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here