18175

 

II  

Designated  

31/01/1997  

08/06/2023  

Catholic Church of St Michael  

 

Newport  

Pillgwenlly  

Newport  

Pillgwenlly  

331813  

186813  

N  

Located on the corner of Clarence Street and St Michael's Street.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

The development of Newport as an industrial port in the early C19 brought about a substantial introduction of migrant labour, especially from Ireland, to the area. To serve this new population the Institute of Charity (Rosminian Order) was given charge of the Newport Mission of the Catholic church in 1847. In 1862 the Rev John Bailey and his brother the Rev Michael Bailey moved to the area, acquiring 3 cottages in High Street (now St Michael Street) to use as a chapel and school and later some land nearby, from the Tredegar Estate for the construction of a permanent church. The church was designed by William Gardner of Newport who would later design the Gaiety Theatre, Newport (1888) the Catholic church of St Basil and St Gwladys, Rogerstone (1892) and the Silver Grill, High Street, Newport (1904). The builder was W M Blackburn. Funds for the £4,000 cost were raised by public subscription and it was built largely by volunteer labourers from the congregation. It was constructed on previously disturbed ground that required deep concrete foundations. The foundation stone was laid on 29 September (St Michael’s day) 1886 and the church was opened on Michaelmas Day (11 October) 1887 by Dr Hedley, Bishop of Newport As originally laid out it seated 600, the gallery was added later, as was the tower (measuring 120ft) spirelet containing 8 tubular bells which were added in 1893 also to designs of Gardner. The builder for these additions was Lewis Hall. It survives with a complete set of stained glass of c1890 with east and west windows by Hardman and aisle windows by Mayer of Munich. The latter were erected to the memory of parishioners and depict scenes from the life and Passion of Christ as well as some of the parables. E and W windows by Hardman depict angels and Saints. Windows in the Lady Chapel depict the Annunciation. The S aisle contains a brass memorial to Fr Michael Bailey who died in 1904. His successor Fr Ernest Hill was appointed in 1906 and became the first rector in 1921 when St Michael’s became an independent parish. He carried out a number of alterations to the interior including enlargement of the sanctuary; an oak choir gallery at the W end was installed at the time of his death in 1926. Fr Joseph Hurley followed and in the 1930s added an oak vestibule and confessionals. A Compton organ was installed in the W gallery in 1936, the high altar was also probably installed at this point. The Rosminians passed the parish over to the Archdiocese of Cardiff in 2006 and since then St Michael’s has been part of the Newport parish of All Saints. A Hall was added on Clarence Street in 1898 which also served as school accommodation. It has been used more recently as the presbytery with a recent extension added to the rear of the church for use as the parish hall. A school was built in 1930 in Oswald Road to the designs of CF Bates.  

Late C19 church in Gothic Revival style, consisting of nave, continuous N and S aisles, and tower on SW corner. Constructed in coursed, Pennant sandstone with Bath stone dressings beneath a slated roof with two copper ventilators with conical roofs. Clerestory lit by six lancet windows with cusped heads. Lean-to, single storey aisles, lit by six, simple, two-light traceried windows. The W window is large, four-light with simple 'Y' tracery. Small projecting W porch with cusped outer door carried on engaged columns. Slender, square, three stage tower. Lower two stages in coursed Pennant stone. Pointed doorway on S side beneath canopied niche containing a statue of St Michael. Upper stage in Bath stone, base decorated with blind arcaded frieze with ballflowers above. Engaged octagonal shafts set on corners of tower rise to plain pinnacles with short, Bath stone spire. Narrow, louvered, cusped-headed belfry lights set on each face of tower. The E end has large traceried, four-light window similar to that of the W elevation.  

Open scissor-framed roof with arched principles. Arcaded aisles in Early English style with richly moulded arches and capitals, supported on simple round columns. Timber screen in Jacobethan style (1926) to W end beneath organ loft. Retains complete set of high quality stained glass, E and W windows by Hardman, installed in 1894, aisle windows by Mayer of Munich c1890. Other fittings include: ornate stone gothic reredos with tall central tabernacle throne; stone gothic forward altar (possibly relocated and altered original high altar); stone and marble communion rails to the sanctuary; stone gothic font; polychrome oak statue of St Michael the Archangel to sanctuary entrance; carved Stations of the Cross (mid C20); bronze statue of St Peter at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome (copy) at W end of nave; polychrome statue of St Anthony of Padua; pieta in war memorial chapel; image of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Rome (copy); modern nave pews.  

Listed grade II for its architectural interest as a good example of a late C19 Catholic church notable for its surviving high quality stained glass and strong character with well detailed interior and important townscape value. Also of historic interest as reflecting the growth of Newport as an industrial port and town in the early and mid C19.