This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2009) |
Underwood
| |
---|---|
Location within Wales | |
Population | 1,976 [1] |
Community | |
Principal area | |
Country | Wales |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | NEWPORT |
Postcode district | NP18 |
Dialling code | 01633 Llanwern and Penhow exchanges |
Ambulance | Welsh |
UK Parliament | |
Underwood is a settlement in the city of Newport, South East Wales. [2] It is an early 1960s council housing estate that consists of houses, [3] shops, a leisure centre, Baptist church and social club called "Iscoed Tavern" owned by the company red dragon pubs. There is a community centre which has a gym attached to it. The leisure centre is now up for sale.
The Underwood Estate was originally developed from the former World War II Prisoner of War camp after the end of the war. A few surviving examples of the former PoW huts were still visible until the early 1990s when they were demolished. The original huts stood as early community buildings. In the early 1980s several huts and a water tower were also visible on the now Waltwood Park Drive area, this area belonged to the General Post Office and was used to house old telecommunications equipment until it was sold and demolished by British Telecom who took over the site when BT was privatised in the early 1980s. The land was subsequently sold to Westbury homes who built the Waltwood Park Drive Development of around 220 houses on the land.
The estate is situated in a natural land formation within the falls of a wooded area on the south and north side and a small drainage ditch or reen called "Monks Ditch" on the northern side of the development. Built in three phases, with the Waltwood Park Development being the last of the three phases.
Many people believe[ vague ] that the Underwood Estate was created for the local steelworks at Llanwern, as it was constructed at the same time as the Richard Thomas and Baldwins "Spencer Works" was being built. This has some truth, as originally people moved into the huts after the war. However the local council at the time, Magor and St Mellons Rural District Council, created the housing estate with post-war initiatives for more housing, hence why the second phase of the housing development consists of rapid construction poured concrete houses which are very sturdy in construction and much stronger than traditional bricks-and-mortar houses.[ citation needed ]
The Leisure Centre was considered to be one of the best leisure centres in the area, even though it has no swimming pool. In fact it was widely known as one of the first in Wales. It was built from funding provided by Richard Thomas and Baldwins, when the steelworks was constructed, built on land donated to the community by local farmer, Mr. Weeks, and still covered by a covenant on the land by the original donor. However, there are moves to change this donation to build upon the land, of which the local residents are ardently opposed to.
Within the Llanmartin area, a large man-made reservoir is located. This reservoir is built on Waltwood Hill. It consists of four lagoons which contain Grey water. This water is used at the Llanwern steelworks. It remains private property and is off-limits to the public.
Also, Pencoed Castle is situated nearby. A small hamlet of Llanmartin consists of farms and a number of houses — the Old Barn Llanmartin is an old circa 1800 barn converted to a local public house serving quality food and drink. Within St. Martin's church is a tomb of the ancestors from Pencoed Castle.
Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River in Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough. The Ebbw Vale and Brynmawr conurbation has a population of roughly 33,000. It has direct access to the dualled A465 Heads of the Valleys trunk road and borders the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Caldicot is a market town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales. The town is located between Chepstow and the city of Newport. The site adjoins the Caldicot Levels, on the north side of the Severn Estuary. The population of the built-up area was around 11,000. It has a large school, Caldicot School, and is known for its medieval castle. The built-up area includes Portskewett. Caldicot had a population of 9,604 in 2011.
Pencoed is a town and community in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales. It straddles the M4 motorway north east of Bridgend and is situated on the Ewenny River. At the 2011 census it had a population of around 9,166.
Risca is a town in the Caerphilly County Borough and the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in south-east Wales. Risca has a railway station, re-opened on the Ebbw Valley Railway in February 2008, after a gap of 46 years. It is split into two communities; Risca East and Risca West. It has a population of 11,700. Cardiff the capital of Wales can be reached in under 28 minutes from the nearby railway station of Risca and Pontymister station which reopened in 2008 after a gap of nearly 60 years.
Cyncoed is a community in the northeast of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. With many properties in the area fetching over £1 million, Cyncoed is considered to have some of the highest property prices in the country. Cyncoed overlooks the city centre of Cardiff, near Roath Park, with views of the surrounding mountains.
Rogiet is a small village and community in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, between Caldicot and Magor, 8 miles (13 km) west of Chepstow and 11 miles (18 km) east of Newport, which covers an area of 847 hectares (3.27 sq mi). It lies close to the M4 and M48 motorways, and the Second Severn Crossing. It is adjacent to the main railway line into South Wales, and has a railway station named Severn Tunnel Junction. Rogiet had a population of 1,813 in the 2011 census.
Llandysul, also spelt Llandyssul, is a town and community in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. As a community it consists of the townships of Capel Dewi, Horeb, Pontsian, Pren-gwyn, Tregroes, Rhydowen and the town of Llandysul itself. Llandysul lies in south Ceredigion in the valley of the River Teifi and is visited for its fishing and canoeing. The community had a population of 2732, as of 2011. The village itself has a population of 1484.
Llanmartin is a village and parish in the city of Newport, Wales.
Sedbury is a village in the Forest of Dean district of west Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the eastern bank of the River Wye, facing the town of Chepstow in Monmouthshire. The village is in the parish of Tidenham. It had a population of 3,535. Nearby are the villages of Tutshill, Woodcroft and Beachley.
Whitson is a village on the outskirts of the city of Newport, South Wales. It is located about 7 miles (11 km) south east of Newport city centre on the Caldicot Levels, a large area of coastal land reclaimed from the sea. Administratively, Whitson is part of the community of Goldcliff.
Pontnewynydd is a predominantly working class suburb of Pontypool, Torfaen, in Wales. It should not be confused with Pontnewydd in nearby Cwmbran.
Langstone is a community and village of the city of Newport, Wales. The area is governed by the Newport City Council. The community had a population of 4,730 in 2019.
Llanwern is a village and community in the eastern part of the City of Newport, South East Wales.
Bishton or Bishopston is a small rural community in the east of the city of Newport, South Wales. It lies in the Llanwern electoral district (ward) and contains the eastern end of Llanwern steelworks, the Underwood estate as well as Bishton itself. The population in the 2001 census was 2,181; dropping to 2,137 in 2011.
Goldcliff is a village, parish and community to the south east of the city of Newport in South Wales. It lies within the Newport city boundaries in the historic county of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent. Administratively, the community of Goldcliff includes the village/parish of Whitson. The population in 2001 was 233; by 2011 it had risen to 329.
Brynglas is an area of the city of Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom.
Nash is a village and community to the south of the city of Newport, South Wales, in the Lliswerry ward.
Llanwern steelworks is located in Llanwern, east of the City of Newport, South Wales.
Glan Llyn is a mixed-use community development south-east of Newport, South Wales, at the western end of the former Llanwern steelworks, on the A4810 road at the edge of the Caldicot Levels.
Pencoed Castle is a ruined Tudor mansion, largely dating from the 16th century, in the parish of Llanmartin, now within the city of Newport, south Wales. It is located about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of Llanmartin village, and 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south-east of Llandevaud, at the end of a farm lane.