Caerphilly to Tredegar House

11.6 miles 

Sun and rain were the order of the day as I headed towards Tredegar House through the rural landscape that lies between the ports on the coast and the towns stretching northwards in the fingers of The Valleys. The morning hike through forests and fields joined the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway walk brought me to the shell of crumbling Ruperra Castle. It was built in 1626 by Sir Thomas Morgan and was consolidated into the Morgan family’s Tredegar estates in the 18th century. Charles I stayed at the castle in 1645 following his defeat at the battle of Naseby. It has been a ruin since 1941 when there was an accidental fire during its occupation by British troops. 

Proceeding downhill, I arrived at Cefn Mably Farm Park on the banks of the Rhymney River. This sizeable all-weather farm attraction is fun for families, with petting animals, stables and a train to tour the farm. Time was short so, after a quick look round, I had a sandwich in the café and headed off into pouring rain. Considering how close I was to large conurbations, this area is remarkably tranquil.  

Once south of the M4, it is a short walk to the outskirts of Newport and my final destination. Tredegar House will be instantly recognisable to fans of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow; it features in the opening credits. For over 500 years, it was home to the powerful Morgan family, politicians and industrialists and a dynasty whose influence spread throughout south west Wales. Perhaps the most interesting inhabitant of Tredegar House was a military man. Godfrey Morgan was commissioned into the 17th Lancers and was one of only two officers who returned unscathed from the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854 during the Crimean War. A dramatic painting by John Charlton hangs over the fireplace in The Side Hall depicting the Charge. Godfrey’s horse, Sir Briggs, also survived the charge and his final years were spent at Tredegar. An obelisk in the garden marks the spot where the horse is buried. 

In the 1930s Tredegar became the venue for society gatherings and wild parties hosted by the poet and author Evan Morgan, the last family occupant of the house. Visitors included Charlie Chaplin, H. G. Wells, Augustus John and Nancy Cunard. Evan was an eccentric character who kept a menagerie of animals including a kangaroo and a baboon and slept with rabbits in his bed. Death duties forced the sale of the house and, from 1951, it was a school, before Newport Borough Council purchased the house in 1974. Today it is leased and run by the National Trust. 

Industrial South Wales may not be the most obvious location for a heritage walk but its rich culture and history deserves investigating. My journey was enriched by the help and hospitality of the people I encountered who are fiercely proud of their homeland. No matter how much it rains, you can never douse the spirit of their emblem, the fiery Welsh dragon!