Wilcrick

Wilcrick
Welsh: Chwilgrug

Wilcrick Hill
Population 24 (1961 census)
OS grid reference ST409879
Principal area Newport
Ceremonial county Gwent
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town CALDICOT
Postcode district NP26
Dialling code 01633
Police Gwent
Fire South Wales
Ambulance Welsh
EU Parliament Wales
UK Parliament Newport East
List of places: UK • Wales • Newport

Wilcrick (Welsh: Chwilgrug) is a small village within the administrative boundary of the city of Newport, South Wales, just to the west of Magor. It is within the historic county of Monmouthshire.

The name translates from the Welsh as "bare hill".[1] Three farms are located in the village: Church Farm, Newhouse Farm and Tump Farm.

Contents

Archaeology

To the southeast of the village is Wilcrick Hill which was a hillfort, of which the earthworks remain. Archaeological evidence, in the form of a small Iron Age settlement found preserved under peat at Barland's Farm, suggests that the occupiers probably moved inland, from the lower lying and wetter Caldicot Level, with their grazing cattle, when water-levels rose in the autumn, possibly to the hillfort which overlooks the site [2]

Nearby, a nearly complete 3rd century Romano-British oak boat was found beside a buried stone and timber quay in 1993, during the building of a distribution depot at the nearby Europark. This suggests that much higher water levels prevailed on the Levels at the time.[3][4]

The church

The parish church is dedicated to St. Mary, with the minister historically being also the minister for Llanmartin. The only ministers not appearing also as ministers there were Peter Ameline, rector of Wilcrick in 1535 and Edmond Jones instituted to Wilcrick on 16 July 1631. After that the names and dates of ministers for both parishes are the same. The church has a bell of 1726 cast by the Evans foundry of Chepstow.[1]

Historian J.A. Bradney describes the church as comprising nave and chancel, with a bell turret at the west end and containing "nothing of interest except an ancient font". The whole edifice was rebuilt in 1860.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Wilcrick at Rectorial Benefice of Magor
  2. ^ British Archaeology, Issue 49, November 1999
  3. ^ The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust: Historic Landscape Characterisation The Gwent Levels
  4. ^ The Newport Ship site - Barland's Farm boat
  5. ^ Bradney, J. A. "A History of Monmouthshire from the Coming of the Normans Into Wales Down to the Present Time", Volume 4, Parts 1 and 2 - The Hundred of Caldicot, published 1929 and 1932

External links