There are few Newportonians in this hall who do not remember perfectly
well the curious little house, with a low 16th century portico,
situated at the bottom of Stow Hill. It was regarded with great
veneration by antiquarians, but was no doubt looked upon as a great
nuisance by the great body of the people. However, that old portico is
now treasured at Tredegar House. The house was called "Oliver
Cromwell's House."
I think you will agree with me when I say that few people slept in so
many bedrooms as King Charles I. or Oliver Cromwell is said to have
done. There is a room at Tredegar House called King Charles the
First's room, but it was not built until ten years after that Monarch
was beheaded.
With regard to the little house called Oliver Cromwell's House, there
is some reason to believe that Oliver Cromwell might have occupied
it. It was, sometime, occupied by the Parliamentary troops, because I
have at this moment an old fire back, which was found in the cellar
with the Royal Arms of England and the Crown dated 16-- something
knocked off. No doubt this was found in the house by Parliamentarians,
who immediately proceeded to knock off the crown. We know that Oliver
Cromwell passed that way, because he went to the siege of Pembroke and
found great difficulty in taking that town.
I have a copy of a letter Cromwell wrote to Colonel Saunders, one of
his leaders, in which, after congratulating him upon his zeal and
close attention, he referred to "the malignants--Trevor Williams of
Llangibby Castle, and one Sir William Morgan, of Tredegar," and
directed him to seize them at once. That shows that Oliver Cromwell
knew all about Caerleon, Newport and Tredegar.
_Opening of Tredegar Hall, Newport,
March 14th, 1895._