Celtic Manor Resort

Last updated

Celtic Manor Resort
CelticManorLogo1.jpg
Celtic Manor Resort Hotel (geograph 7343881) (cropped).jpg
Newport UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Newport
General information
Location Newport, South East Wales
AddressColdra Woods, The Usk Valley, Newport NP18 1HQ
Coordinates 51°36′11″N2°55′57″W / 51.60306°N 2.93250°W / 51.60306; -2.93250
Opening1982
Owner Sir Terry Matthews
Technical details
Floor count11
Other information
Number of rooms400
Number of suites32
Number of restaurants5
Website
www.celtic-manor.com

Celtic Manor Resort is a golf, spa and leisure hotel and resort in the city of Newport, South East Wales. Owned by Sir Terry Matthews, the resort is located on the south-facing side of Christchurch Hill in eastern Newport, near Junction 24 of the M4 motorway. The golf courses run over the north-facing side of Christchurch Hill down into the Vale of Usk, overlooking the Wentwood escarpment. The resort's area is circa 2,000 acres (810 ha). [1]

Contents

Formerly the site of several Roman roads, the site's redevelopment has been overseen on occasion by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust. The location has been occupied since at least 1634, when it was a residence. A manor house was built in 1860 and it passed through multiple tenants, was expanded circa 1915, and was the location of a hospital between 1940 and 1975. In 1980, Matthews (who had been born at the hospital) bought and financed the refurbishment and expansion of the manor house, and it opened as the Celtic Manor Hotel in 1982. The hotel was continually redeveloped throughout the next decades. In 2010, the resort hosted the 2010 Ryder Cup and in 2014, the resort hosted the 2014 NATO summit. [2] The Wales Open is played at the site annually.

The properties consist of four hotels, a country inn, luxury lodges, two spas, six restaurants, three championship golf courses, two golf and country clubhouses, high ropes courses, adventure golf, laser tag, archery and the International Convention Centre Wales.

History

Early history

During the Roman Empire, the Via Julia Augusta and several other Roman roads ran through the location to local Roman towns. [3]

The manor house was built in 1860 by coal baron Thomas Powell, [4] from the South Wales coalfield. The house was originally known as Coldra House, [3] [5] later renamed to Coldra Hall. [4] Powell's son Thomas Powell Jnr and his bride Julia Jenkins were given the mansion as a wedding gift. [4] However, Powell Jnr, his wife, and his son were murdered during an 1869 [4] trip to then-Abyssinia, after which the house was leased to various tenants until 1915. [3] The Firbank family rented 1900 until 1915, [4] after which the hall was sold to Sir John Beynon, [4] a local coal and shipping businessman who was the son of then-Sheriff Sir John Wyndham Beynon;[ citation needed ] Beynon added an additional wing. [3]

In the 1930s, Beynon donated the house to the local health authority [3] and it became the Lydia Beynon Maternity Hospital, named in honour of his mother, in 1940. [4] Over 60,000 babies were born there, [3] including the present owner Sir Terry Matthews. [6] It closed as a hospital in 1975. [3]

Hotel development

Under the Celtic Inns group, [3] Matthews bought the Manor House in 1980 for an estimated £290,000, [4] investing £100m for its redevelopment.[ citation needed ] Originally planned as a hotel with 17 bedrooms plus an 18-hole golf course, the hotel arm of Celtic Manor Hotel opened in 1982, though the golf courses were delayed until the 1990s. [3] During that decade, the group added a three-storey extension which expanded capacity to 70 bedrooms.[ citation needed ] From 1983 to 1987, it received the Egon Ronay Guide awards for the best hotel in Wales for five consecutive years. [6]

Celtic Manor Resort Celtic Manor panorama.jpg
Celtic Manor Resort

In 1991 plans were unveiled to develop two new golf courses and a convention centre on land between the Manor House and the River Usk. Matthews had become friends with the late golf-course architect Robert Trent Jones whose family roots were in Aberystwyth. Work began on the Roman Road course in 1992 – named after the nearby historical road connecting the former Roman fortress of Caerleon with the town of Caerwent. By 1994, work had commenced on the 400-bedroom Resort Hotel, as well as a £10-million golf clubhouse and the 4,000-yard (3,700 m)Coldra Woods golf course.

The new development was completed and opened in 1999, adding 330 rooms. [7] The former Celtic Manor Hotel was renamed "The Manor House" to distinguish it from the new "Resort Hotel."

The Twenty Ten Bridge The Twenty Ten Bridge, Celtic Manor Resort.jpg
The Twenty Ten Bridge

In 2001, the Resort won the bid to host the 2010 Ryder Cup. [7] To prepare, The Twenty Ten Course, designed by Ross McMurray, was built as part of a £16 million development, the first golf course to be purpose-built for the event. The development included a 120-metre-long £2m twin-suspension bridge, the course and a new clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure, which was promised as part of the bid. The new bridge, The Twenty Ten Bridge, links the practice ground to the golf course across the River Usk and was officially opened by the First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones. [8]

In 2019 the Twenty Ten Bridge was closed to the public in the form of two high sided gates. The Resort stated that any users accessing the bridge would be at risk of being hit by stray golf balls, due to the bridge being built next to the driving range. [9] The closure has left the village of Caerleon with no pathway access to the Resort and its facilities, requiring patrons to take vehicular transport.[ citation needed ]

2010 archaeological and heritage site

In July 2010 a bitter dispute developed between Matthews and Newport City Council's planning committee which refused permission for Matthews to demolish or move a ruined Grade-II listed building from a position overlooking the 18th green, a farmhouse dating back to 1630, described by Matthews as "damaging to the image of the entire nation". The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings said: "The problematic situation is entirely of the owner’s own making and refusal to safeguard the listed building over many years. It cannot be right to reward this by agreeing to a proposal to simply move a listed building out of the way." [10]

It being known that a Roman settlement had been located at Great Bulmore, the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust was appointed by the Celtic Manor Resort to oversee archaeological considerations prior to the course construction. The Trust worked closely with the designers to ensure the preservation of historic material and features. When a Roman pottery kiln was found during the construction of one of the greens, [11] the green was redesigned to avoid it. [12]

While as much as possible of the potential archaeology was identified at the design stage, watching briefs were carried out during construction, since other structures might be discovered. As a result, construction work was halted in sensitive areas to give time to excavate features, including a second Roman pottery kiln with a probable workshop building and a Roman drying kiln.

On the site of the new coach park, a small square tower-like building was found well to the north of any Roman activity previously discovered. It lay alongside a lightly metalled track, that must have branched off the Caerleon to Usk road. There has been some argument as to whether it was military—a Roman watch tower (Castellum) for example—or whether it was a mausoleum where someone of importance had been buried. [13] In the rubble that overlay the building were two pieces of an inscription, with a few letters on each. They were found to fit together, and Roger Tomlin, of the University of Oxford interpreted them as part of a verse referring to 'unjust fate', which could support the mausoleum theory. [12]

Modern day and event hosting

The Wales Open was played at the site from 2000 to 2014 until the event was canceled, and once again in 2020 due to a COVID19-induced European tour revamp. In 2010, the resort hosted the 2010 Ryder Cup. The resort hosted a special stage during the 2012 Wales Rally GB.[ citation needed ] In 2014, the resort hosted the 2014 NATO summit. [2]

In June 2012, Matthews and the hotel announced a £160M 10-year plan for developing the hotel as a resort. Creating 230 new permanent jobs, and 700 in construction and supply during the development, the additions were to include 10 luxury 5-star chalets, 40 luxury hill-top apartments, and Europe's longest zip-line attraction. [14]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Celtic Collection Group announced plans to lay off about 450 of its 995 full time staff. In response, local politicians and community members sent a letter urging Matthews, by then a billionaire, to "do whatever you can to save these jobs, even if it means using your own considerable personal fortune to do so." [15]

Resort facilities

The resort has placed in lists of popular wedding destinations [1] and beautiful hotels. [16] Its hotel properties are noted as a 19th-century Manor House, a resort hotel, and two others. The Manor House contains several "period" rooms from the original building, with some containing four-poster beds. The restaurants include "The Olive Tree" buffet, the Asian-style "PAD", "The Grill", "Newbridge on Usk", Twenty Ten course clubhouse restaurant "Rafters", and steak restaurant "Steak on Six". The bars include piano and live music bar "Merlins", "The Cocktail Bar", sports bar "The Cellar Bar", "The Manor Bar / Lounge Bar", and "Spike" at the Twenty Ten course clubhouse. Other amenities on site include the aforementioned golf courses, a golf training academy, health clubs, a spa, a shopping centre, tennis courts, and mountain biking and nature trails. Off site, there is Lazer clay-pigeon shooting and fishing.

ICC Wales

The delegate conference suite has an exhibition hall and 40 function rooms. It has a 1,500-seat auditorium with 4,000 square metres of exhibition space, which is able to accommodate up to 2,700 guests opened in 2019. Opened in September 2019, it is a joint venture partnership with the Welsh Government. It has a total capacity of 4,000 delegates.

Golf

Celtic Manor Resort
Twenty Ten clubhouse, Celtic Manor Resort.jpg
The Twenty Ten clubhouse
Club information
Location Newport, south Wales
Established1994
TypePrivate
Owned by Terry Matthews
Total holes54
Events hosted 2010 Ryder Cup, Celtic Manor Wales Open
Website www.celtic-manor.com/golf.aspx
The Twenty Ten Course
Designed by Ross McMurray
Par 71
Length7,493 yards
The Montgomerie Course
Designed by Colin Montgomerie
Par 69
Length6,371 yards
Roman Road Course
Designed by Robert Trent Jones
Par 69
Length6,600 yards

2010 Ryder Cup

In 2001 the resort won its bid to host the 2010 Ryder Cup. As a result, much of the Wentwood Hills course was redeveloped into the Ryder Cup's first purpose-built venue; the "Twenty Ten" Course. [17] An additional clubhouse built specifically for the Twenty Ten course was completed and opened in autumn 2007. The opening of the Ryder Cup, which ran from 27 September until 4 October 2010, saw a visit from Charles, Prince of Wales. [18] Europe won the trophy by 14½ – 13½ points. [19]

2000 PGA Cup

In 2000 Celtic Manor hosted the PGA Cup, the biennial contest between club professionals from Great Britain and Ireland against the United States. The USA won 13½ – 12½. [20]

All*Star Cup

The Celtic Manor hosted the All*Star Cup, a celebrity golf tournament televised firstly on Sky One in 2005 and then ITV in 2006. In a similar vein to the Ryder Cup, it pitched European celebrity golfers against American counterparts. Celebrities such as Ross Kemp, Bruce Forsyth, Jane Seymour and golfing enthusiast Alice Cooper took part.[ citation needed ]

Defunct courses

Current courses

The Lodge, clubhouse for the Roman Road and Montgomerie golf courses The Lodge, Celtic Manor Resort (June, 2010).jpg
The Lodge, clubhouse for the Roman Road and Montgomerie golf courses

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caerleon</span> Town and community in Newport, Wales

Caerleon is a town and community in Newport, Wales. Situated on the River Usk, it lies 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Newport city centre, and 5.5 miles (9 km) southeast of Cwmbran. Caerleon is of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman legionary fortress, Isca Augusta, and an Iron Age hillfort. Close to the remains of Isca Augusta are the National Roman Legion Museum and the Roman Baths Museum. The town also has strong historical and literary associations: Geoffrey of Monmouth elevated the significance of Caerleon as a major centre of British history in his Historia Regum Britanniae, and Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote Idylls of the King (1859–1885) while staying in Caerleon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newport, Wales</span> City and County Borough in Wales

Newport is a city and county borough in Wales, situated on the River Usk close to its confluence with the Severn Estuary, 12 mi (19 km) northeast of Cardiff. With a population of 145,700 at the 2011 census, Newport is the third-largest authority with city status in Wales, and seventh most populous overall. Newport became a unitary authority in 1996 and forms part of the Cardiff-Newport metropolitan area. Newport was the site of the last large-scale armed insurrection in Great Britain, the Newport Rising of 1839. The population grew considerably during the 2021 census, rising to 159,587, the largest growth of a unitary authority in Wales.

Sir Terence Hedley Matthews is a Welsh-Canadian business magnate, serial high-tech entrepreneur, and Wales' first billionaire. He was the richest man in Wales until 2012, when he was surpassed by Sir Michael Moritz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wales Open</span>

The Wales Open was a professional golf tournament on the European Tour played at the Celtic Manor Resort. It was played annually from 2000 to 2014, as part of a 15-year deal between the tour and the Celtic Manor Resort, that included staging the 2010 Ryder Cup. The event was not held from 2015 to 2019 but returned in 2020, following a revamp of the European Tour because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The All-Star Cup is a celebrity Golf match first held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport in 2005 that pitted two teams of celebrities against each other in a Ryder Cup-style competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newport Civic Centre</span> Municipal Building in Newport, Wales

Newport Civic Centre is a municipal building in Godfrey Road in Newport, South Wales. The civic centre, which is the headquarters of Newport City Council, is a Grade II* Listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adare Manor</span> Manor house and hotel in County Limerick, Ireland

Adare Manor is a manor house located on the banks of the River Maigue in the village of Adare, County Limerick, Ireland, the former seat of the Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl. The present house was built in the early 19th century, though retaining some of the walls of the 17th-century structure. It is now the Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, a luxury hotel, and contains the Michelin-starred Oak Room restaurant.

Wentwood, in Monmouthshire, South Wales, is a forested area of hills, rising to 1,014 feet (309 m) above sea level. It is located to the northeast of, and partly within the boundaries of, the city of Newport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiawah Island Golf Resort</span> Resort in South Carolina, U.S.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort is a resort at Kiawah Island, South Carolina which is located along a ten-mile (16 km) mix of island and beachfront property approximately thirty miles (50 km) southwest of Charleston. Opened in May 1974 it consistently ranks as one of the country’s top resorts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newbridge-on-Usk</span> Village in Monmouthshire, Wales

Newbridge-on-Usk is a hamlet in the village and parish of Tredunnock, near Usk, Monmouthshire, south east Wales, in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tredunnock</span> Human settlement in Wales

Tredunnock is a small village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, in the United Kingdom. Tredunnock is located four miles (6.4 km) northeast of Caerleon and four miles south of Usk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llantrisant, Monmouthshire</span>

Llantrisant is a village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, United Kingdom. The community population at the 2011 census was 475.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Pierre, Monmouthshire</span> Human settlement in Wales

St Pierre is a former parish and hamlet in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, 3 miles (4.8 km) south west of Chepstow and adjacent to the Severn Estuary. It is now the site of a large golf and country club, the Marriott St Pierre Hotel & Country Club, which was previously a large manor house and deer park belonging to the Lewis family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Ryder Cup</span> 2010 edition of the Ryder Cup

The 38th Ryder Cup was held 1–4 October 2010 at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales. It was the 17th time the Ryder Cup had been staged in Britain, but the first time in Wales. It was played on the newly constructed Twenty Ten course, specifically designed for the event. The team captains were Colin Montgomerie for Europe and Corey Pavin for the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treetops Shooting Ground</span>

Treetops Sporting Ground is a sporting clay pigeon shooting ground located in Coedkernew, Newport, South Wales. It has facilities for air rifle owners. The ground also has a very good large area set aside for Paintballing and is great fun to use for team building and birthday parties. Great hot and cold food and drinks available on site. Under new name. Nant y Moor Park 01633681007

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairmont St Andrews</span> Building in Fife, Scotland

The Fairmont St Andrews Bay is a 5-star resort hotel situated 2 miles (3.2 km) outside the town of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The hotel is managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and owned by a company led by Great Century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golf in Wales</span>

Golf is a popular sport in Wales. Although the sport of golf in Great Britain is most associated with Scotland, where it was established and developed, Wales can record its first courses back to the 1880s, and today has over 200 clubs. The first amateur golf competition was held in 1895, and the first professional championship was in 1904. Wales has produced several players of note, including one player, Ian Woosnam, who has won one of the Men's major golf championships and Wales has twice won the men's World Cup, in 1987 and 2005, respectively. Wales also hosted the Ryder Cup, when it was held at Newport's Celtic Manor Resort in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Vale Resort</span> Building in Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales

The Vale Resort is a golf, spa and leisure hotel and resort in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. It consists of a hotel, spa, restaurant, two championship golf courses, golf clubhouse and a conference centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caerleon Arts Festival</span> Building in Wales

The Caerleon Arts Festival is a yearly arts, literature and entertainment event in the town of Caerleon, near Newport, Wales. It is held in July, setting up over a week period, with a main weekend hosting the headline events. The 2019 festival concluded on 13 and 14 July.

References

  1. 1 2 Williams, Kathryn (10 August 2022). "Welsh wedding venue named one of the top places in the world to marry". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 "NATO summit coming to Newport's Celtic Manor". South Wales Argus. 31 October 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Carradice, Phil. "Wales History: The Celtic Manor". BBC. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Povey, Tomos (20 January 2018). "The story of how the Lydia Beynon Hospital became part of the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  5. "About Us | Celtic Manor Resort". Celtic Manor Resort. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  6. 1 2 "The story behind one of Gwent's biggest successes: The Celtic Manor". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  7. 1 2 "Celtic Manor Resort | Growth | Barclays". home.barclays. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  8. Celtic Manor Resort Unveils Twenty Ten Bridge
  9. Celtic Manor footbridge to stay closed to the public
  10. Sion Barry "Get rid of Ryder Cup eyesore, says Sir Terry" Archived 11 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine at WalesOnline News
  11. Abernant kiln, Celtic Manor Resort, Newport at Scribd.com
  12. 1 2 Background to Celtic Manor area Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine at Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
  13. Fascinating discovery on the site of the new Celtic Manor Golf Resort Coach Park at The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd, 11 December 2009
  14. "Celtic Manor Resort: Sir Terry Matthews reveals £160m expansion". BBC Wales. 6 June 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  15. "Celtic Manor boss Sir Terry Matthews urged to use his own 'personal fortune' to save 450 jobs at resort". ITV. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  16. Williams, Kathryn (24 January 2022). "Welsh resort named among 20 most beautiful hotels in the world". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  17. European Golf Design – Linna Golf Archived 19 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  18. "Prince Charles in visit to 2010 Ryder Cup". BBC News. 29 September 2010.
  19. "Graeme McDowell holds his nerve to seal thrilling win for Europe". The Telegraph. 4 October 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  20. "About the PGA Cup". 1 November 2014. Professional Golfers' Association (Great Britain and Ireland).
  21. Colin Montgomerie – Press Kit Archived 3 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  22. Colin Montgomerie – Coldra Woods, Celtic Manor Archived 2 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine