Stelvio House, Newport

Stelvio House on Bassaleg Road, Newport, Wales was the home of Charles Henry Bailey, a 19th century industrialist.[1] Bailey, an engineer by training, owned the Tyne Engine Works at Newport[2] and also published a number of almanacs mainly related to shipping matters; including C. H. Bailey's Book of translations: 5,200 marine technical terms in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish & Norwegian, C. H. Bailey's Tables of Distances from Port to Port and C. H. Bailey's Book of Useful Information.[3][4][5]

Stelvio House (15 and 17 Stow Park Circle)
Stelvio House, Newport is located in Newport
Stelvio House, Newport
Location of Stelvio House (15 and 17 Stow Park Circle) in Newport
TypeHouse (demolished) and gardens
LocationStow Hill, Newport, Wales
Coordinates51°34′53″N 3°00′40″W / 51.5813°N 3.0111°W / 51.5813; -3.0111
BuiltHouse late 19th and early 20th centuries, gardens early 20th century
Official nameNos 15 and 17 Stow Park Circle
Designated1 February 2022
Reference no.PGW(Gt)58(NPT)

Stelvio House, in the Stow Park area of the city, then and now its most prosperous area, was built in two phases in 1893 and in 1912.[6] Bailey died in 1907, but his widow continued development of the house and laid out the gardens between 1914 and 1920.[7]

Stelvio House was spot-listed on 20 March 1996 by Cadw in recognition of its architectural and historic importance. The developers, and site owners, McCarthy & Stone almost immediately demolished part of the house in what a judge called a "cynical commercial act". They were later fined £200,000, at the time, the largest fine recorded by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation.[8]

15 and 17 Stow Park Circle edit

The large formal gardens which originally surrounded Stelvio House were mainly constructed in Pulhamite, an artificial rock. They included a fishpond, an outdoor swimming pool and a free-standing grotto.[9][a] The rock and water gardens, which became the gardens of 15 and 17 Stow Park Circle, are listed at Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.[11]

Notes edit

  1. ^ In 2013, the part of the site containing the outdoor swimming pool was put up for sale.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ "C H Bailey". Newport Local History Society, via Facebook. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Tyne Engine Works - Mr. Charles H. Bailey". Newport Past.com. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  3. ^ Bailey, Charles Henry (1889). Tables of Distances from Port to Port. Newport: J.E. Southall.
  4. ^ Bailey, Charles Henry (1928). Book of translations : 5,200 marine technical terms in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish & Norwegian. Newport: Graham & Co.
  5. ^ Bailey, Charles Henry (1906). "C. H. Bailey's Book of Useful Information". Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Stelvio House (3066)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Stelvio Park Gardens (Part), Newport (422269)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Historic Buildings Prosecution Fines" (PDF). Institute of Historic Building Conservation. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Stow Park Circle, Nos 15 and 17 (also known as Stelvio House)". Parks & Gardens UK. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Derelict pool at Stelvio House, Gaer, Newport up for sale". South Wales Argus. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  11. ^ Cadw. "Nos 15 and 17 Stow Park Circle (PGW(Gt)58(NPT))". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 9 March 2023.